Amazon Introduces Amazon Coins, a Virtual Currency

 By 
Todd Wasserman
 on 
Amazon Introduces Amazon Coins, a Virtual Currency

Amazon on Tuesday announced a new virtual currency called Amazon Coins that's billed as an "easy way for Kindle Fire customers to spend money on developers’ apps in the Amazon Appstore."

The company will introduce the currency in May with "tens of millions of dollars' worth of free Amazon Coins" to spend on developers' apps. Amazon will also make it quick and easy for customers to buy the coins with their accounts. Developers, meanwhile, will make 70% on every purchase, with the rest going to Amazon.

Developers of Amazon apps don't need to do anything to use Amazon Coins. Developers whose apps aren't in the Appstore yet have to get their app approved by April 25 to be ready when Coins officially launches.

Amazon Coins will vie with other forms of online currency, most notably, Facebook Credits.

Mashable composite. Images courtesy of Flickr,

Dichohecho; Flickr, jurvetson; Flickr, dfarber; Flickr, dsearls; Flickr, etech

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