cryptocurrency

noun

cryp·​to·​cur·​ren·​cy ˌkrip-tō-ˈkər-ən(t)-sē 

-ˈkə-rən(t)-sē

plural cryptocurrencies

: any form of currency that only exists digitally, that usually has no central issuing or regulating authority but instead uses a decentralized system to record transactions and manage the issuance of new units, and that relies on cryptography to prevent counterfeiting and fraudulent transactions

Virtual currency bitcoin hit the mainstream in 2014. Bitcoin ATMs started springing up all over the world … , allowing people to exchange cash for the cryptocurrency, a secure digital payment outside of conventional financial institutions.

—Brenda Poppy

Examples of cryptocurrency in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

But Joseph Chalom, CEO of SharpLink, one of the largest corporate holders of the cryptocurrency ether, and a former BlackRock executive, expects the gates to stay shut for a while. — Kevin Williams, CNBC, 1 Nov. 2026

Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, has suspended withdrawals after hackers broke into its digital wallets and stole $6 billion in what appears to be the biggest crypto heist ever. — Sean Lyngaas, CNN Money, 30 Oct. 2026

In the cryptocurrency industry, meanwhile, stocks tumbled following a hack on the world’s biggest crypto exchange. — Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2026

Binance faces a potential security crisis after blockchain data revealed billions of dollars in cryptocurrency moving out of wallets associated with the exchange. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 29 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

crypto- + currency

First Known Use

2009, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for cryptocurrency

• eurocurrency
• concurrency
• currency

Kids Definition

cryptocurrency

noun

cryp·​to·​cur·​ren·​cy ˌkrip-tō-ˈkər-ən(t)-sē 

-ˈkə-rən(t)-sē

: any form of currency that only exists digitally, that usually uses a decentralized system for issuing new units and reording transactions, and that relies on cryptography to prevent fraudulent transactions