Cryptocurrency is a digital or virtual currency using cryptography for security, operating on decentralized networks like blockchain. Unlike traditional money, it’s not issued by governments, making it immune to central control. Bitcoin, Ethereum, and others enable peer-to-peer transactions, often anonymously, across borders. They’re stored in digital wallets and traded on exchanges. Cryptocurrencies offer fast, low-cost transfers and investment potential but face volatility, regulatory scrutiny, and security risks like hacking. Mining, using computational power to validate transactions, supports many networks. Adoption is growing, though environmental concerns and legal uncertainties persist, shaping their evolving role in finance.