In this technology-driven world, cryptocurrency has quite rapidly taken over the market, with more and more traders entering this domain. To put it simply, cryptocurrency is an alternative form of payment that is created using encryption algorithms.
Some of the most popular types include bitcoin, Ethereum, and Litecoin. Any bank or third parties do not regulate them, and converting them back to tangible currency, such as US dollars or euros, can be difficult. Thus you can well imagine that although cryptocurrency provides various advantages to its users, it is still relatively new.
There are several complications that you might face if you do not know in detail what exactly a cryptocurrency is and the different risks associated with it. Therefore, to help you with the same, here are some of the best books on cryptocurrency that every beginner should check out. These books will help you learn all there is to know about blockchain, the primary technology behind cryptocurrency, and some of its basics, such as crypto taxes, crypto wallets, and algorithmic trading.
So without further ado, let’s get started!
Best Books On Cryptocurrency
1. Vitalik Buterin’s ‘Proof Of Stake: The Making Of Ethereum And The Philosophy Of Blockchains’
One of the most popular books on cryptocurrency is written by Vitalik Buterin, who is known for his excellent innovative ideas and insightful knowledge not just on cryptocurrency but also across various other arenas. For those who don’t know, Vitalik Buterin is the co-founded the second most popular Crypto, Ethereum.
The book is divided into three segments: Pre mining, Proof of Work, and Proof of Stake. There are a total number of 23 essays, where everything from the creation of tokens to the result of Ethereum’s recent merge has been discussed in detail. For those interested in learning everything about cryptocurrency, particularly Ethereum, this book is the one to go for.
2. Herman Narula’s ‘Virtual Society: The Metaverse And The New Frontiers Of Human Experience’
Narula’s ‘Virtual Society’ is yet another widely preferred book on cryptocurrency. Narula adopts a novel approach in this book and takes the readers through a thrilling journey in a dystopian world, wherein humans recede into a technology-driven landscape. Furthermore, one of the key aspects of this book is its main focus on human history and psychology rather than the future.
3. Saifedean Ammous’ ‘The Bitcoin Standard: The Decentralized Alternative To Central Banking’
As stated earlier, to start investing in cryptocurrency, you need to understand its operations, limitations, and history. Saifedean Ammous’ ‘The Bitcoin Standard’ covers all these three arenas in a beautiful yet simple manner that is easy for everyone to understand.
This book offers insight into the economic theory and history of bitcoin. Furthermore, it also explores the possible opportunities of using bitcoin as a form of sound money and is substantiated by some of the top use cases of bitcoins in today’s world.
Yet another major highlight of this text is it addresses some of the most common misconceptions surrounding bitcoins, thus giving you a much more detailed understanding of how bitcoin operates and its vast potential in the future.
4. Jack Tatar and Chris Burniske’s ‘Cryptoassets: The Innovative Investor’s Guide To Bitcoin and Beyond’
Unlike most books on cryptocurrency that focuses on its technological and economic aspect, Tatar and Burniske’s ‘Cryptoassets’ explores the investment angle of cryptocurrency, making it one of the most sought-after books on cryptocurrency investing for dummies.
The main concept of this book is how cryptocurrency and blockchain are the two main areas for investing since the internet. This book will give you a clear yet concise idea of the various lucrative investment opportunities in bitcoin and several emerging cryptocurrencies.
Furthermore, this book also highlights the dynamic nature of the crypto market, its history, technology, and its rapidly-evolving nature. This book is a definite must-read for someone looking for the right opportunity to invest in cryptocurrency or simply gather knowledge on the technological aspects of digital currencies.
5. Nathaniel Popper’s ‘ Digital Gold: Bitcoin And The Inside Story Of The Misfits And Millionaires Trying To Reinvent Money’
Nathaniel Popper is an infamous New York reporter specializing in the field of finance and technology. His interest in bitcoins began when he first worked on a report on the Winklevoss twins and how successfully they had gathered a large stockpile of bitcoin.
Eventually, he conducted extensive research on the history of bitcoin and its tremendous potential to disrupt the traditional models of financial systems, which led to the birth of his book,’ Digital Gold’. If you, too, have been intrigued by the mysterious history of bitcoins, then you should consider reading this book.
6. Phil Champagne’s ‘ The Book Of Satoshi: The Collected Writings Of Bitcoin Creator Satoshi Nakamoto’
If you are a fan of cryptocurrency, then you must have heard the name Satoshi Nakamoto and all the mysteries surrounding him. Ever since the introduction of the concept of cryptocurrency in the year 2008, there have been lots of theories and controversies surrounding this name.
One of the most astonishing facts is that, to date, nobody knows who is the person behind this name. Some believe that Satoshi Nakamoto represents only one individual, while others believe it refers to a group of people, the originators of bitcoin. Nonetheless, the mystery remains unsolved to date.
Champagne’s ‘The Book Of Satoshi’ presents a collection of Nakamoto’s essential writings on bitcoins and their creation. It mainly explores three main areas:
- The bitcoin fundamentals explained in layman’s terms
- The economic implications of bitcoin
- The bitcoin movement
7. Andreas Antonopoulos’, ‘The Internet Of Money’
‘The Internet of Money’ is one of the finest books by Andreas Antonopoulos that explores the technical aspects of cryptocurrency. There are currently three volumes of this book. Andreas talks about his journey of discovering Bitcoin through’ The Internet Of Money’.
You get to know some of his valuable insights on bitcoin and the importance of blockchain technology. This is one of the best books on cryptocurrency, currently available for free online. What’s more? You can also free access the Kindle versions of all three volumes on Amazon.
8. Robert B Seymour’s ‘ The Blockchain Future’
Seymour’s ‘The Blockchain Future’ is an extremely easy-to-read book, mainly focusing on blockchain and its current and future use cases. It is the perfect book on cryptocurrency since Seymour highlights all the important details of cryptocurrency and blockchain in such a manner that is comprehensible to everyone, even beginners.
Seymour covers many topics in his book, including the rise of Crypto and blockchain, its impact on the finance industry and social media, and a brief note on some of the most common terminologies used in this industry.
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9. Ben Mezrich’s ‘Bitcoin Billionaires: A True Story Of Genius, Betrayal, and Redemption
If you like a good thriller novel, this one is a must-read for you. Through this book, Ben Mezrich exposes the messy world of cryptocurrency and highlights the legal battle between the two industry giants, Facebook, and the Winklevoss twins. Bitcoin Billionaires was later adapted into the infamous movie by David Fincher, ‘The Social Network’.
The story mainly revolves around three main characters, Mark Zuckerberg, Tyler Winklevoss, and Cameron Winklevoss. The Winklevoss twins claimed that Zuckerberg had stolen their idea of creating Facebook, which ultimately led to a very costly legal battle that cost Facebook $65 million. Through this book, you also get to witness a narrative-based account of how Winklevoss became Bitcoin’s biggest advocate.
10. Finn Bruton’s ‘Digital Cash: The Unknown History Of The Anarchists, Utopians And Technologists Who Created Cryptocurrency
Last but not least is Digital Cash by Finn Bruton, which talks about the emergence of bitcoin and its technology, is an excellent book on cryptocurrency investing for dummies. It also explores the various subcultures, ideas, and models that made cryptocurrency possible in today’s world. For those looking for a simple yet detailed perspective on cryptocurrency, then this is the one to go for.
Conclusion
With this, we come to the end of our list of best books on cryptocurrency. As stated earlier, cryptocurrency can be complicated if you are unaware of how it operates or its various terminologies. Therefore, the above list contains some of the most sought-after books on cryptocurrency so that you can easily make your selection.
Additionally, if you are willing to get a first-hand experience with blockchain, the major technology used behind cryptocurrency, then you should definitely check out the best blockchain programs available on Upgrad.
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