Cryptocurrency
Digital money that no bank or government issues or controls. A network of computers keeps a shared record of who owns what.
Cryptocurrency in more detail
Cryptocurrency is digital money that no bank or government issues or controls. A network of computers keeps a shared record of who owns what.
A cryptocurrency also keeps a record of balances, but no single company holds it. Independent computers around the world each keep a copy and check every transaction against the same rules. That shared record is called a blockchain, and Lesson 3 shows how it works.
People use cryptocurrency to send money across borders, to hold savings outside the banking system and to speculate on price. Bitcoin launched in 2009 and was the first. Millions of other coins and tokens have been created since, and consumer regulators warn that scams are common.
All 128 terms · Checked against the lesson's sources on 8 October 2026.
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