Bitcoin:

A virtual currency created through a mining process where a computer's resources are used to perform millions of calculations, Bitcoin has been hailed as revolutionary because of its lack of ties to a central bank and its potential as an alternative to credit cards for paying for goods and services. However, the currency's volatility has slowed broader acceptance. The price of bitcoin has plummeted roughly 50 percent so far this year. It most recently traded at $356.26, down from a peak of $1,163 in December 2013.