Amazon introduced its Coins virtual currency for US users of its Kindle Fire tablets.

Every Kindle Fire owner will find 500 free coins — worth $5 — deposited into their Amazon account to spend on apps, games and in-app items. Additional currency can be purchased, with those buying in bulk qualifying for discounts of up to 10 per cent.

Amazon touts the virtual currency as a way for developers to drive traffic and downloads and to increase monetisation. Developers earn the standard 70 per cent of revenue when customers purchase items with their Coins.

Analytics firm recently found that Amazon Appstore is beginning to challenge Google Play as a destination for Android app users, with particular progress having been made in paid downloads.

There are plans to expand the Appstore to nearly 200 countries in the coming months, with Australia, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, India, South Africa and South Korea among those being added. It has also been reported that the Appstore will soon launch in China.