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
Brenda PoppyExamples of cryptocurrency in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
During the pandemic, tech investment surged and reached a peak in 2021, as newcomers entered the market, hyped by cryptocurrency, blockchain and the metaverse.
—Samantha Masunaga, Los Angeles Times, 20 May 2024
Bankrupt cryptocurrency lender Genesis will repay $2 billion to hundreds of thousands of investors across the U.S. who were defrauded by the company, New York prosecutors said Monday.
—Kate Gibson, CBS News, 20 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for cryptocurrency 
Samantha Masunaga, Los Angeles Times, 20 May 2024
Bankrupt cryptocurrency lender Genesis will repay $2 billion to hundreds of thousands of investors across the U.S. who were defrauded by the company, New York prosecutors said Monday.
—Kate Gibson, CBS News, 20 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for cryptocurrency
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cryptocurrency.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Cryptocurrency.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cryptocurrency. Accessed 29 May. 2024.
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