In a move to persuade Kindle Fire owners into buying more apps from its Amazon Appstore, Amazon will be creating a virtual currency called Amazon Coins. Amazon Coins will allow customers to buy apps, games, and in app purchases through the Amazon Appstore.

Starting in May, Amazon plans on giving away tens of millions of dollars in Amazon Coins as a way to promote the new service and get people with using Amazon's virtual currency. This isn't the first time Amazon has shelled out money in order to attract more people to Amazon's Appstore in hopes of getting them to spend real money. When Amazon opened its Appstore, it started a "Free App of the Day" promotion which gives all registered users an opportunity to get a new paid app for free every day. Amazon Coins is just another promotion that Amazon hopes will bring more customers to the Amazon Appstore by giving them virtual coins to buy apps. Amazon is hoping you will give them real money in exchange for their virtual.

Here's Amazon's press release announcing Amazon Coins.

Introducing Amazon Coins

Coming in May, Amazon Coins is a new virtual currency for purchasing apps, games, and in-app items on Kindle Fire

Amazon Coins is an easy way for Kindle Fire customers to spend money on developers' apps in the Amazon Appstore, offering app and game developers another substantial opportunity to drive traffic, downloads and increase monetization even further

Amazon will give customers tens of millions of dollars' worth of Amazon Coins to use on developers' apps in the Amazon Appstore-apps and games must be submitted and approved by April 25 to be ready when Amazon Coins arrive in customers' accounts

SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 5, 2013-- (NASDAQ: AMZN)-Amazon today announced another new way for app and game developers to make money on Kindle Fire-introducing Amazon Coins-the new virtual currency for purchasing apps, games and in-app items on Kindle Fire. Amazon Coins is an easy way for Kindle Fire customers to spend money in the Amazon Appstore, offering app and game developers another substantial opportunity to drive traffic, downloads and increase monetization. When Amazon Coins launches in the U.S. this May, Amazon will give customers tens of millions of dollars' worth of free Amazon Coins to spend on developers' apps on Kindle Fire in the Amazon Appstore. Amazon will also make it quick and easy for customers to buy additional Amazon Coins using their Amazon accounts.