Back in April 2019, Minecraft introduced its Marketplace, a virtual storefront where you can search for and buy a host of different content. Just like the Apple Store and other famous online storefronts, the Minecraft Marketplace became the place to get community-made skins, textures, worlds and other epic adventures. With the arrival of the Marketplace, Mojang also introduced a new premium currency to their blocky baby, called Minecoins.

Especially when you’re new to Minecraft, understanding how Minecoins work, how to redeem minecoins and how to use them in the Marketplace may be confusing. In this post, we outline everything you need to know about Minecoins.

What are Minecoins?

Minecoins are the premium virtual currency Mojang devised for Minecraft. You’ll know them when you seem them across Minecraft’s various as a yellow circle with an M in the middle. You’d be forgiven for mistaking them for Mario coins, honestly.

Minecoincs are primarily used in the Marketplace to buy addons, DLC, packs and other content to enhance your Minecraft experience. When you load up the Marketplace, you’ll notice that almost every item has a Minecoins price listed. You can see how many Minecoins you have at the top right portion of the storefront’s UI.

Where can you buy Minecoins?

There are two ways to acquire Minecoins. The first is to click the + icon next to your Minecoins balance and purchase a pack using your credit/debit card or other online payment option. This will load up the Minecoins directly into your balance.

The other way to buy Minecoins is via Minecraft Minecoin gift cards. These can be purchased through physical retail stores or by ordering them online. Some online shops will also send you your card’s code digitally or as a download. You can also find them on Amazon below

How to redeem Minecoins codes?

If you’ve purchased a Minecoins gift card then you need to take the code from the back and redeem it before you can see your balance in your account. To redeem your Minecoins code, you need to go to minecraft.net/redeemcoins. There, you can enter your code and the coins should become available on your account when you next log in.

How to use Minecoins?

Minecoins are used for one thing: to buy content available on the Marketplace. Buying content with your Minecoins is as simple as buying things from any online shop – minus the shipping information hassle. You simply navigate to the Marketplace, then use the various browsing and search functions to find the Minecraft content you want. For example, you can buy the new Star Wars DLC which looks amazing! Every piece of content will have two prices: a real-world money price and a Minecoins price. By clicking on the Minecoins price, you will use your in-game balance to purchase that piece of content.

Why Use Minecoins Instead of Real-World Money?

There are a couple of advantages to using Minecoins over your regular debit or credit card to make Marketplace purchases. For starters, your in-game Minecraft balance is a secure virtual wallet that can’t be turned into real money nor can it be transferred to somebody else’s account. This means that once you have Minecoins, they can be used whenever you want to.

There’s also the ability to gift Minecoins via the special gift cards. Whether you’re giving another Minecraft nut in your life some love in their favorite game or trying to enhance someone else’s Minecraft experience, Minecoins are the perfect way to do so.

The most important advantage of Minecoins, however, is that regardless of regional currency, the price of content on the Marketplace in Minecoins is always the same. This way, you can pick up Minecoin gift card deals from a variety of regions and potentially get them for cheaper.

Is there a way to earn Minecoins?

As of this writing, no. There’s no real way to earn Minecoins in-game or otherwise. There have been some competitions and special offers that have granted players free Minecoins. Regardless, the only real way to get Minecoins reliably and consistently is by paying for them with real money. It’s important to beware that while there are content creators and other entities that giveaway Minecoins frequently, there are a number of scams going on as well. Make sure you’re not getting duped.