The word "cryptocurrency" is made up of two parts: "crypto" and "currency".
1. **Crypto**: This part comes from the Greek "kryptos", which means "hidden" or "concealed". In the context of cryptocurrencies, it refers to the use of cryptographic techniques to ensure the security of transactions and control the creation of new units.
2. **Currency**: Refers to a medium of exchange that has value and is accepted as payment for goods and services.
Thus, "cryptocurrency" refers to a form of digital currency that uses cryptography to ensure secure transactions and control the creation of new units. The term began to be widely used with the emergence of Bitcoin in 2009, the first and best-known cryptocurrency. Since then, the concept has expanded to include many other digital currencies.
