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
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The cryptocurrency rose in line with stocks after the strong January jobs report lowered the chances for a Fed rate cut at the Fed's next policy meeting in March.
—Medora Lee, USA TODAY, 7 Feb. 2025
The parallel emergence of Trump’s own cryptocurrency and DOGE’s apparent alignment with the cryptocurrency known as Dogecoin suggests more than coincidence.
—Allison Stanger, The Conversation, 7 Feb. 2025
Stablecoins are a type of cryptocurrency whose value is pegged to a real-world asset, such as the U.S. dollar.
—Mackenzie Sigalos, CNBC, 5 Feb. 2025
The market’s reaction underscores how even unrelated political moves can trigger significant volatility in the cryptocurrency space.
—Vinamrata Chaturvedi, Quartz, 3 Feb. 2025
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Medora Lee, USA TODAY, 7 Feb. 2025
The parallel emergence of Trump’s own cryptocurrency and DOGE’s apparent alignment with the cryptocurrency known as Dogecoin suggests more than coincidence.
—Allison Stanger, The Conversation, 7 Feb. 2025
Stablecoins are a type of cryptocurrency whose value is pegged to a real-world asset, such as the U.S. dollar.
—Mackenzie Sigalos, CNBC, 5 Feb. 2025
The market’s reaction underscores how even unrelated political moves can trigger significant volatility in the cryptocurrency space.
—Vinamrata Chaturvedi, Quartz, 3 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for cryptocurrency
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Cite this Entry
“Cryptocurrency.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cryptocurrency. Accessed 10 Feb. 2025.
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