Cryptocurrency Login - CoinDesk

A cryptocurrency is a digital, encrypted, and decentralized medium of exchange. Unlike the U.S. Dollar or the Euro, there is no central authority that manages and maintains the value of a...

Cryptocurrency is a relatively new type of money that operates in a completely different way than the traditional currency we all use every day. The most basic difference is that it’s exclusively a virtual currency, meaning there are no physical cryptocurrency coins or notes you can keep in your back pocket.

It’s also issued, or created, in a unique way. Instead of being produced by a central bank or government, like U.S. dollars, euros and other fiat currencies are, new cryptocurrency units typically enter circulation through a technological process that involves the participation of volunteers from all over the world using their computers.

That is why cryptocurrency is often described as “decentralized.” Cryptocurrencies are typically not controlled or operated by any single entity in any single country. It takes an entire network of volunteers from around the world to secure and validate transactions made with cryptocurrency.