Cryptocurrency - meaning and definition Cryptocurrency, sometimes called crypto-currency or crypto, is any form of currency that exists digitally or virtually and uses cryptography to secure transactions.Instead of being physical money carried around and exchanged in the real world, cryptocurrency payments exist purely as digital entries to an online database describing specific transactions.This means advanced coding is involved in storing and transmitting cryptocurrency data between wallets and to public ledgers.Cryptocurrency is a digital payment system that doesn't rely on banks to verify transactions.When you transfer cryptocurrency funds, the transactions are recorded in a public ledger.