CONCEPT OF VIRTUAL CURRENCIES IN MODERN ECONOMIES

In recent years, development of blockchain technology and virtual currencies (VCs) have been followed not just by the media and industry professionals all over the world – there rarely could be found a person who has not ever heard the term ‘bitcoin’. Despite the popularity of VCs, there is a lack of comprehensible information in the Latvian language about what the virtual currency (VC) is, as well the concepts of digital and VCs are often misused as synonyms. The research is based on the analysis of special literature and scientific publications on the system of VCs. The aim of the research: to explore the concept of VCs in the modern economy. General scientific research methods are used in the research: the method of monographic or descriptive research, the comparative analysis method for studying the concept of VCs, the classification, legal regulation, and future development possibilities. The results of the research show that VCs are a type of digital currency, though, the opposite statement is not correct. Thus, all VCs are digital, but not all digital currencies are virtual. Exploration of the legal framework of VCs suggests that it is at an early stage of development. With the increasing number of VCs and along with strengthening of the legal framework of VCs, the issue of possible directions of the future development of VCs is raised. Two points of view dominate: the future currency or payment system, for example, smart contracts