The article describes current trends in the global financial market development as well as the formation of fundamentally new, innovative financial resources within the peering economy, such as cryptocurrencies. Its capitalization reached almost 1/100 of global gross domestic product. The purpose of the study is to analyze both the status of cryptocurrencies in different countries, including the United States of America, Japan, People’s Republic of China and the European Union, and the peculiarities of the cryptocurrency circulation development, as well as the money functions they are able to perform. The author has formulated the dilemma of this market regulation at the national and global levels. One should consider that the long-term role of crypto units depends upon the resolution of such dilemma. And there is no unified approach of states and international organizations to the status and prospects of cryptocurrencies regulation in our days. This creates a unique field of opportunities for further development of such instruments as the big economic and market movements undulate in big swings that were due to a sequence of actions and reactions by policy makers, investors, business owners, and workers. Given that state control over the emission of fiat money in the world can only be ensured to the extent that they control the banking system, the study provides an analysis of the legal status of such financial engineering products as cryptocurrencies. The author also accents on the three-tier blockchain technology. Finally, the domestic component is thoroughly analyzed, i.e. the regulation field of such instruments in Ukraine. The draft Concept of State Regulation of Cryptocurrency Transactions is also explained.