cryptocurrency

American

[krip-toh-kur-uhn-see, -kuhr-] / ˈkrɪp toʊˌkɜr ən si, -ˌkʌr- /

noun

currency that exists only in electronic form, operates on a decentralized system of exchange, and uses advanced cryptography for security, or any individual currency of this type.

Some expect cryptocurrency to become the dominant means of financing trade between markets.
This particular cryptocurrency has a huge following among retail traders.

adjective

being or relating to virtual currency that uses advanced cryptography for security.

They are one of the largest cryptocurrency exchanges on the internet.
She got caught running a cryptocurrency scam.

Usage

What's the difference between cryptocurrency, virtual currency, and digital currency? See digital currency ( def. ).

Etymology

Origin of cryptocurrency

First recorded in 2005–10; crypto- + currency

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Question marks over the sustainability of AI investing have been a drag for other risk-on assets such as cryptocurrencies.

From Barron's

In addition to doling out Worldcoin to new World ID holders, Tools for Humanity awards its cryptocurrency to independent Orb operators in some markets outside the U.S. each time they issue a new ID.

From The Wall Street Journal

Ethereum, the world’s second biggest cryptocurrency, also got a shot in the arm.

From Barron's

The drop in cryptocurrencies since October has come alongside a similar fall in tech stocks, he says.

From The Wall Street Journal

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023