The in-game currency used to buy items in Dota 2 is gold.
Gold is the basic spending resource that lets a hero purchase equipment from shops on the map. Items can improve attributes, attacks, defenses, movement, or abilities, so managing gold is a major part of a match's strategy. Players must decide whether to save for a large item or buy smaller components that help immediately.
Gold comes from several parts of gameplay. Heroes earn it through a steady passive income stream and can gain more by killing enemy heroes, destroying structures, and killing creeps. The hero that lands the final hit on a creep receives its last-hit gold, making lane control and timing especially important.
Gold is separate from other Dota 2 mechanics that are often mistaken for currency. Runes are temporary power-ups found on the map, mana fuels abilities, and coins may appear in unrelated games or cosmetic systems. Each player has an independent gold stash, and gold cannot simply be shared between teammates.