Amazon virtual coins go live for the Kindle Fire

Amazon has confirmed that its newly minted virtual currency can be used to purchase apps, games and in-app items in the corporation’s curated Appstore, as well as on the Kindle Fire tablet lineup.

To celebrate the launch, existing and new Kindle Fire owners in the US had 500 free Coins—a $5 value— automatically deposited into their Amazon accounts today.

Amazon Coins can best be described as an easy way to purchase apps and in-app items on Kindle Fire. For developers, it’s yet another opportunity to drive traffic, downloads and increased monetization.

With discounts of up to 10% for purchasing Coins in bulk, it’s also an opportunity for people to save money on their app and game purchases. Customers can purchase Coins by visiting amazon.com/coins.

It should be noted that Amazon Appstore developers will earn their standard 70% revenue share when customers make purchases using Amazon Coins. No Coins-specific changes are required for developers with apps and games currently in the Amazon Appstore.