5 books to understand cryptocurrencies

After the recent boom in popularity in mid-2020, cryptocurrencies are making headlines once again since the notorious market breakdown in 2017. The Internet is overflown with all kinds of manuals, guides, opinions, and breaking news about new digital assets. But while there’s so much information, it becomes essential to find some pieces of it that really matter. 

If you’re struggling with sorting out relevant information and finding out what’s really important, look up these 5 books about cryptocurrencies. We’ve carefully sorted out the best and the newest reads that might have a really tangible impact on your stance regarding Bitcoin and the like.

1. Digital Cash by Finn Brunton

You might be surprised to find out that Bitcoin is not a super-new revolutionary technology that dropped down from the sky. At least, the authors of this book have evidence that it is not so. They claim that this concept of decentralized digital assets has been boiling since the 1970s. 

This book aims to tell the whole story of cryptocurrency which goes as deep as political wings and (not so surprisingly) conspiracy theories and distant future fantasies. At the same time, the author of this book addresses serious concerns: how are we going to trust the financial movements in the future? What makes crypto really valuable? How can the money be created and copied and not minted? How and whether can it move digitally without revealing sensitive info about the user? The ideas of the book are getting across through fascinating stories and characters, which helps to explain their relevance.

2. Blockchain Bubble or Revolution: The Future of Bitcoin, Blockchains, and Cryptocurrencies by Neel Mehta

If you’re still struggling to understand the whole concept of blockchain and cryptocurrencies, this book is for you. You’ll find here explanations based on real-world case studies. You will gain an understanding of a variety of different aspects such as technical, political, legal, and economic complexities. You will find valuable insights in interviews with experts in the industry.

Close to the very last pages, you will be able to decide the answer to the book’s main question for yourself. You will find lots of unusual information to discuss with your crypto allies that you won’t find anywhere else. For example, why blockchains would be great on Mars, strengths and weaknesses of the top altcoins, how crypto will interact with traditional finance in the future, and so much more. You will also gain valuable knowledge about blockchain for Xbox, Microsoft Azure’s BaaS, and Amazon’s AWS offering. The author explains AML and KYC laws and the difference between ICOs, STOs, and IPOs. 

3. The Everything Guide to Investing in Cryptocurrency by Ryan Derousseau

This book is a practical guide for investors who want to maximize their gains and minimize their losses in crypto. Because while the popularity and adoption of digital coins grows, you should keep in mind that risks of sudden fluctuations are still high, and in blockchains where you don’t know the people behind the cryptographic algorithms so security is an ongoing issue as well.

This book is good for complete beginners and for those who are already making their way in the world of digital finance. This book can become your go-to guide anytime you forget something or need to deepen your understanding. And of course, it can be a great gift for your friend that is also interested in crypto. Here you’ll learn about all the major cryptocurrencies, digital currency exchanging, where and how to buy and sell them with no trouble, how to create and manage your crypto portfolio, and how to analyze your investments.

4. A History of Money: From Ancient Times to the Present by Glyn Davies

If you want to know more about how money works including crypto, you need to have a look at this book. It covers money from a much larger perspective yet also includes an overview of cryptocurrencies written by an authoritative expert. Lots of readers post reviews where they mention this book as the most interesting read about finance. 

The book explores various topics from an interesting perspective that’s worth thinking about. For example, have you ever wondered why our global society needs as many digital assets as never before? What are the perspectives for the increasingly cashless population? What the future holds for the fiat currencies that have been under persistent inflation for hundreds of years? If you’re curious about money and cryptocurrencies, then this book will be your source of priceless (forgive us the pun) insights. 

5. The Basics of Bitcoins and Blockchains by Anthony Davies

This is not the newest book but nevertheless, it is one of the bestsellers in this topic. The book is worth checking out, especially for non-technical folks out there. It covers technical aspects in a simple and easy to comprehend language. So if you want to know what really happens under the hood of Bitcoin and other altcoins, you need this book. 

What’s more, you’ll learn how to identify scams, and gain valuable insights about the inner workings of the markets, financial opportunities like staking, and much more. It also covers the story of how things evolved and developed as well as predictions about the future of the industry. 

There are lots of books about Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies online. However, to maximize your experience, you need to first figure out what particular information you are looking for. Thus you won’t be disappointed with the next book you read. You might be wanting to gain a general overview of the industry or dive into specifics. You might also want to look at the greater perspective of the world’s financial flows or find unique texts of Satoshi Nakamoto, unpublished before. All this information is possible to find if you look carefully and read the book reviews.