Cryptocurrency is digital money designed to be fast- er and more reliable than common hard currencies issued by the government. Users store their funds themselves and transact directly with each other. Since there is no middleman, coin transfers tend to be more affordable and significantly faster than regular money transactions through banks.
Bitcoin, created in 2009, was the first cryptocurrency. Now, almost every day, new cryptocurrencies emerge, while others cease to exist. The number of cryptocurrencies available has surpassed 1,500 and continues to grow.