The aim of this work is to study money from its conception in antiquity, the establishment of the gold standard, the transformation culminating in fiat currencies and to verify, through the application of monetary theory developed over time by classical, neoclassical, Keynesian and Hayekian economists, the potential involving cryptocurrencies, their use by governments, private initiative and individuals, as well as weighing up the benefits and risks. The aim was to identify the impact of cryptocurrencies on the national and international monetary system. The results of this work indicate that money emerges through the market as a kind of credit, its greater use reduces volatility and cryptocurrencies, although they do not yet fulfill the classic functions of money, have the potential to do so.