THE ROLE OF CRYPTWALTH IN THE DIGITAL ECONOMY
Authors: S. Merinova , L. Polovenko 
Published: July 2021

Today's situation of global development of the cyber economy and the spread of digital technologies have contributed to the creation of a new asset – digital cartographic currency, which is rapidly gaining popularity. Most scientists understand crypto-currency as digital money that is encrypted and protected by special algorithms that operate independently of the central bank. Cryptocurrency differs from electronic money primarily by the anonymity of its use. This state-of-the-art means of payment is gaining more and more popularity in use not only by individuals but also by legal entities around the world, which is why there is an objective need to determine the economic category to which cryptocurrency should be attributed and accounted for. Among a number of different cryptocurrencies, the most common is Bitcoin. Taking into account the popularization of cryptocurrency in the world as a completely new, innovative payment instrument of the XXI century. and the active use of Bitcoin and other types of cryptocurrencies, the development and use of this payment instrument in Ukraine and the world need further research. The article considers the functional roles of cryptocurrencies in the digital economy, examines trends and prospects for their development. Approaches to the interpretation of the essence of the concept of "cryptocurrency" are revealed, the main types of the most pop-ular cryptocurrencies today are considered, their general features are unified. It was found that the most common cryptocurrency is Bitcoin, analyzed the dynamics of changes in the exchange rate of this currency, compared the exchange rates of the 10 most common cryptocurrencies. It is noted that the first Ukrainian cryptocurrency was Karbowanec, an analysis of changes in the exchange rate of the domestic cryptocurrency. The legal status of cryptocurrency in some countries and in Ukraine has been stud-ied, and it has been found that more and more countries give cryptocurrency the status of a legal and legal means of payment, sometimes equating it to electronic money. It is noted that cryptocurrency today has both positive features and disadvantages, the main of which is the increased risk of fraud and fraud using digital currency.Keywords: cryptocurrency, Bitcoin, blockchain, electronic money, digital currency, digital economy, cryptocurrency market. У статті розглянуто функціональні ролі криптовалюти у цифровій економіці, досліджено тенденції та перспективи їх розвитку. Виявлено підходи до трактування сутності поняття «криптовалюта», розглянуто основні види найбільш популярних на сьогодні криптовалют, уніфіковано їх загальні ознаки. Встановлено, що найбільш розповсюдженою криптовалютою є Bitcoin, здійснено порівняння курсів 10 найбільш поширених криптовалют, проаналізовано зміну курсу вітчизняної криптовалюти. Досліджено правовий статус криптоваюти, виявлено, що все більше країн надають криптовалюті статус легального та правового засобу платежу, подекуди прирівнюючи її до електронних грошей. Зазначено, що криптовалюта має як позитивні риси, так і недоліки, головним з яких є підвищення ризику виникнення шахрайства та махінацій з використанням цифрової валюти.Ключові слова: криптовалюта, Bitcoin, блокчейн, електронні гроші, цифрова валюта, цифрова економіка, ринок крип-то валюти.