virtual currency

American

[vur-choo-uhl kur-uhn-see, kuhr-] / ˈvɜr tʃu əl ˈkɜr ən si, ˈkʌr- /

noun

an unregulated currency available only in electronic form that is issued and controlled by its developers and usually used within a specific online community.

The game is free to play, but you must make purchases in the app if you want virtual currency to spend.
As a virtual currency, bitcoin has less stability than a currency issued by a central bank.

Usage

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

Etymology

Origin of virtual currency

First recorded in 1995–2000

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.

While it is free to use, players can purchase a virtual currency that allows them to buy specific upgrades.

From Barron's

But many believe that with its limited supply, the virtual currency will bounce back.

From MarketWatch

Bitcoin was taking a breather from its recent brutal decline on Friday, with the pioneering virtual currency’s price up 11% to $70,647, according to data provided by CoinDesk.

From MarketWatch

But the recent action for bitcoin should lead to some deep thinking, especially for investors who might still be sitting on huge gains for their holdings of the virtual currency.

From MarketWatch

Quentin Fottrell — the Moneyist — wrote about a different type of fallout from the virtual currency’s decline — the cost to borrowers who borrowed against the value of their bitcoin.

From MarketWatch

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