Cryptocurrency is decentralizedDecentralization, an aspect of blockchain technology, facilitates power or authority distribution among individuals, groups, or institutions. A decentralized structure allows... Read More digital currencyA digital currency is a medium of monetary exchange that only exists in electronic form and has no physical counterpart. Read More secured by cryptographyCryptography means, "secret writing"—the exchange of messages accessible only by the intended recipient. It is the science of hiding information.... Read More. Cryptocurrency utilizes cryptographic protocolsCryptographic protocols secure communications between parties by encrypting messages. Blockchain technology employs cryptographic protocols to secure transactions and ensure that... Read More to record ownershipEvery transaction and block on a blockchain has an owner. An owner is any entity (person, group, or organization) with... Read More and prevent counterfeits (when ownership and transactions get logged on the blockchainAs a distributed ledger technology (DLT), a blockchain is a digital ledger that can create an immutable record of transactions.... Read More). BitcoinBitcoin is a cryptocurrency. It operates without the need for a central authority like a central bank or a company,... Read More is a cryptocurrency that combines peer-to-peer networking, cryptography, and incentivization by design. Cryptocurrencies can be either coins or tokens, depending on their structure and purpose. Coins are typically decentralized and have their own blockchain. Tokens rely on another cryptocurrency’s blockchain and often used to represent assets or utility.
See https://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/cryptocurrency.asp [Investopedia]