# Amazon Coins > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Amazon_Coins > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Amazon_Coins.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amazon_Coins > Source revision: 1341166254 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|Digital payment method by Amazon}} '''Amazon Coins''' were a digital payment method created by [Amazon](/source/Amazon_(company)). They were discontinued in August 2025.{{Cite web|date=2025-02-20|title=Amazon Coins FAQ|url=https://www.amazon.com/coins/changes-faq|access-date=2025-02-20|website=Amazon|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|date=2025-02-20|title=Amazon's Appstore is pulling Android support|url=https://www.theverge.com/news/616646/amazon-appstore-ending-android-support|access-date=2025-02-20|website=The Verge|language=en-US}} The coins could only be used on the [Amazon Appstore](/source/Amazon_Appstore) for [Kindle](/source/Amazon_Kindle), [Kindle Fire](/source/Kindle_Fire), and [Android](/source/Android_(operating_system)) devices. ==History== Amazon introduced Amazon Coins on July 13, 2013, in the [United States](/source/United_States) and gave 500 free coins valued $5/£3 to all users of [Kindle Fire](/source/Kindle_Fire) devices, who could use the coins to purchase apps, games, and in-app purchases on the [Amazon Appstore](/source/Amazon_Appstore).{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/may/14/amazon-coins-virtual-currency|title=Amazon launches Coins virtual currency|last=Flood|first=Alison|date=2013-05-14|work=The Guardian|access-date=2019-05-26|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}} In 2014, Amazon started allowing all Android users in [Germany](/source/Germany), the [United Kingdom](/source/United_Kingdom), and the United States to use Amazon Coins on the Appstore. Users could get discounts when they bought the coins in bulk and earn coins through certain apps on the Appstore.{{Cite web|date=2021-04-10|title=In-depth information about Amazon Coins|url=https://techengage.com/amazon-coins-deals/|access-date=2021-04-10|website=TechEngage|language=en-US}}{{cite news|work=CNet|date=February 19, 2014|title=Amazon Coins branch out to all Android devices|author= Lance Whitney|url= http://www.cnet.com/news/amazon-coins-branch-out-to-all-android-devices/}} In 2014, with the release of the [Fire Phone](/source/Fire_Phone), Amazon offered app developers 500,000 Amazon Coins for each paid app or app with [in-app purchasing](/source/in-app_purchasing) developed and optimized for the [Fire Phone](/source/Fire_Phone).{{cite web|title=Appstore Developer Select|url=https://developer.amazon.com/public/resources/promotional-tools/featured-developer-program|website=amazon.com|publisher=Amazon.com Inc|accessdate=20 June 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140705144804/https://developer.amazon.com/public/resources/promotional-tools/featured-developer-program|archive-date=2014-07-05|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|title=Amazon Coins and Amazon Underground|url=http://www.mustips.com/save-money-amazon-coins-and-amazon-appstore/|website=mustips.com|date=2 August 2016 |publisher=MUS Tips|accessdate=2 August 2016}} On February 20, 2025, Amazon announced the discontinuation of the Amazon Coins program through an email sent to Amazon Appstore customers. Per the announcement, coins were no longer available for purchase, and the program was set to be discontinued on August 20, 2025. Unused coins after that date were refunded. ==Function and value== Amazon has called Amazon Coins a "[virtual currency](/source/virtual_currency)". However, the Coins operate like other digital [gift card](/source/gift_card)s.{{cite web|url=https://developer.amazon.com/post/Tx2EZGRG23VNQ0K/Introducing-Amazon-Coins-A-New-Virtual-Currency-for-Kindle-Fire.html |title=Introducing Amazon Coins: A New Virtual Currency for Kindle Fire |publisher=[Amazon.com](/source/Amazon.com)|date=February 4, 2013|accessdate=May 14, 2013}} When a customer bought software with Amazon Coins, the developer was paid in conventional currency.{{cite news| title=Could Amazon's Virtual Currency Buy You a Coffeemaker Someday? Paying for things in the Amazon Appstore may be just the first step for the online retailer's new virtual currency|author=Metz, Rachel |date=February 5, 2013 |work=MIT Technology Review |url=http://www.technologyreview.com/news/510876/could-amazons-virtual-currency-buy-you-a-coffeemaker-someday/| accessdate=September 29, 2015}} One Amazon Coin was worth one cent in the US, but values differed by country; for example, on the UK platform, they were worth 1 pence.{{cite web |title=What are Amazon Coins? |url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=GWSH56DBKXBNGC8E |website=amazon.co.uk |access-date=28 August 2024}} They could not be redeemed for cash or transferred to another account.{{cite web |title=What Are Amazon Coins? |url=https://coinsfor.sale/what-are-amazon-coins/ |website=CoinsFor.Sale |date=10 December 2020 |access-date=14 December 2020 |archive-date=1 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221201133648/https://coinsfor.sale/what-are-amazon-coins/ |url-status=dead }} The inability to transfer redeemable platform currencies such as Amazon Coins allow for greater revenue generation.{{cite journal |last1=Rogoff |first1=Kenneth |last2=You |first2=Yang |title=Redeemable Platform Currencies |journal=The Review of Economic Studies |date=6 March 2023 |volume=90 |issue=2 |pages=975–1008 |doi=10.1093/restud/rdac028}} Purchased Coins did not expire, but some promotional Coins expired just over one year from the date they were acquired.{{cite web|title=Amazon Coins Terms and Conditions|url=https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=201434520|publisher=Amazon|accessdate=December 10, 2020}} ==References== {{Reflist|30em}} Category:Amazon (company) Category:Payment systems Category:Digital currencies {{money-unit-stub}} --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Amazon Coins](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amazon_Coins) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amazon_Coins?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.