Independent app store GetJar’s Gold Virtual Currency programme has reached 20 million users, just seven months after it was launched, with 40 million expected by October.

The company said the figure represents a 100 percent month-over-month user-base increase for the virtual payment system, which bypasses the need for Android smartphone users to register or use credit cards to pay for items.

Customers receive virtual currency gold coins in a digital wallet whenever they download an app from GetJar. These coins can then be spent in participating apps in a one-click transaction.

According to GetJar, the Gold Virtual Currency increases developer revenue by two or three times compared to Google’s Check-out only in-app payments, and shows that loyalty – as opposed to cash-based programmes – is the best monetisation approach.

Developers can incorporate the GetJar Gold SDK as an in-app purchase option for their apps on top of existing payment structures.