The term "cryptocurrency industry" refers to the collection of businesses, organizations and individuals that are involved in the creation, development, trading and use of digital or virtual currencies that use cryptography for security. This includes companies that offer blockchain technology services, exchanges where people can buy and sell cryptocurrencies, miners who validate transactions and create new coins, as well as startups working on developing innovative applications using this technology. The industry is still in its early stages but has been growing rapidly over the past few years with increasing mainstream acceptance and adoption by businesses and governments around the world.