A cryptocurrency (or “crypto”) is a digital currency that can be used to buy goods and services, but uses an online ledger with strong cryptography to secure online transactions. Much of the interest in these unregulated currencies is to trade for profit, with speculators at times driving prices skyward.Considering that bitcoin is a digital currency, it's more rare for actual stores to accept it as a payment method. ... You can use bitcoin to buy a gift card and then shop at those retailers or another one of the 200-some that they work with, including giants like Nike, Target and Starbucks.