Amazon is to introduce a virtual currency to allow users of its Kindle Fire tablet to purchase apps and make in-app purchases.

Amazon Coins will be launched for the Amazon Appstore in May, and the company plans to distribute tens of millions of dollars’ worth of the virtual currency to customers free-of-charge. Users will subsequently be able to buy additional Amazon Coins via their Amazon accounts.

Developers with apps already present in the Amazon Appstore won’t need to do anything to benefit from the initial distribution of the virtual currency, but those without apps already in the storefront will need to have them approved by 25 April to be available at launch.

Amazon will pay the standard 70 per cent revenue share when purchases are made using Amazon Coins, with the company saying the feature should help drive traffic and downloads and boost revenue.