The subject of research is the influence of virtual currencies on the socio- economic development. The purpose of research was to determine the specific features and development prospects of virtual innovation currencies as currencies of the future. The paper analyzes the virtual currency as a phenomenon of the modern payment system. The key characteristics of the crypto currency, their difference from the fiat money, the interrelation with the blockchain technology are indicated. The dynamics of the crypto currency market capitalization is demonstrated by a bitcoin example. The reasons for the attractiveness of the virtual currency for consumers and the growth of its popularity are revealed. The role of the new currency in the development of the world economy is described. The main advantages and disadvantages of the virtual currency as well as the main threats when using it are highlighted. Two opposing views on the future of the crypto currency are considered. As a result, the role of the virtual currency in the socio-economic development of the state is outlined, the prospects for using the currency in question are forecasted, and the factors contributing to its development are listed. It is concluded that virtual currencies established and distributed as a function of time and speed of introduction of scientific and technical achievements in the financial sphere are a technical and economic innovation of the present.
