Cryptocurrencies like bitcoin are digital or virtual currencies that use cryptography for security. They are decentralized, which means that they are not controlled by any single authority such as a government or a bank. Bitcoin, the first and most famous cryptocurrency, was created in 2009. Cryptocurrencies americancoin.app run on blockchain technology, a distributed public ledger in which all transactions are recorded. This makes transactions transparent and secure. New blocks are added to the blockchain through a process called mining, where users solve complex mathematical problems to verify transactions and receive cryptocurrencies as a reward.