This note explains the workings of money and cryptocurrencies and introduces what money is, before briefly reviewing its history. The note elaborates on the workings of money today (ie, fiat currencies such as the US dollar and the European euro) and the importance of debt in the financial system. It then explains what cryptocurrencies consist of, notably the workings of blockchain technologies and the goals that utopian currencies hope to achieve. The note concludes by describing three major cryptocurrencies: bitcoin, Ğ1, and impak Coin.