Attack of the 50 Foot Blockchain

Author: David Gerard
Publisher: David Gerard
ISBN:
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 182

Book Description
An experimental new Internet-based form of money is created that anyone can generate at home; people build frightening firetrap computers full of video cards, putting out so much heat that one operator is hospitalised with heatstroke and brain damage. A young physics student starts a revolutionary new marketplace immune to State coercion; he ends up ordering hits on people because they might threaten his great experiment, and is jailed for life without parole. Fully automated contractual systems are proposed to make business and the law work better; the contracts people actually write are unregulated penny stock offerings whose fine print literally states that you are buying nothing of any value. The biggest crowdfunding in history attracts $150 million on the promise that it will embody “the steadfast iron will of unstoppable code”; upon release it is immediately hacked, and $50 million is stolen. How did we get here? David Gerard covers the origins and history of Bitcoin to the present day, the other cryptocurrencies it spawned including Ethereum, the ICO craze and the 2017 crypto bubble, and the attempts to apply blockchains and smart contracts to business. Plus a case study on blockchains in the music industry. Bitcoin and blockchains are not a technology story, but a psychology story. Remember: if it sounds too good to be true, it almost certainly is. “A sober riposte to all the upbeat forecasts about cryptocurrency” — New York Review of Books “A very convincing takedown of the whole phenomenon” — BBC News

Attack of the 50 Foot Blockchain

Author: David Gerard
Publisher: David Gerard
ISBN: 1974000060
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 182

The Politics of Bitcoin

Author: David Golumbia
Publisher: U of Minnesota Press
ISBN: 1452953813
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 107

Book Description
Since its introduction in 2009, Bitcoin has been widely promoted as a digital currency that will revolutionize everything from online commerce to the nation-state. Yet supporters of Bitcoin and its blockchain technology subscribe to a form of cyberlibertarianism that depends to a surprising extent on far-right political thought. The Politics of Bitcoin exposes how much of the economic and political thought on which this cryptocurrency is based emerges from ideas that travel the gamut, from Milton Friedman, F.A. Hayek, and Ludwig von Mises to Federal Reserve conspiracy theorists. Forerunners: Ideas First is a thought-in-process series of breakthrough digital publications. Written between fresh ideas and finished books, Forerunners draws on scholarly work initiated in notable blogs, social media, conference plenaries, journal articles, and the synergy of academic exchange. This is gray literature publishing: where intense thinking, change, and speculation take place in scholarship.

Blockchain Regulation and Governance in Europe

Author: Michèle Finck
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 1108474756
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 225

Book Description
Finck examines the emergence of blockchains (and other forms of distributed ledger technologies) and the implications for regulation and governance.

Bitcoin and Cryptocurrency Technologies

Author: Arvind Narayanan
Publisher: Princeton University Press
ISBN: 1400884152
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 335

Book Description
An authoritative introduction to the exciting new technologies of digital money Bitcoin and Cryptocurrency Technologies provides a comprehensive introduction to the revolutionary yet often misunderstood new technologies of digital currency. Whether you are a student, software developer, tech entrepreneur, or researcher in computer science, this authoritative and self-contained book tells you everything you need to know about the new global money for the Internet age. How do Bitcoin and its block chain actually work? How secure are your bitcoins? How anonymous are their users? Can cryptocurrencies be regulated? These are some of the many questions this book answers. It begins by tracing the history and development of Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies, and then gives the conceptual and practical foundations you need to engineer secure software that interacts with the Bitcoin network as well as to integrate ideas from Bitcoin into your own projects. Topics include decentralization, mining, the politics of Bitcoin, altcoins and the cryptocurrency ecosystem, the future of Bitcoin, and more. An essential introduction to the new technologies of digital currency Covers the history and mechanics of Bitcoin and the block chain, security, decentralization, anonymity, politics and regulation, altcoins, and much more Features an accompanying website that includes instructional videos for each chapter, homework problems, programming assignments, and lecture slides Also suitable for use with the authors' Coursera online course Electronic solutions manual (available only to professors)

Mastering Monero

Author: SerHack
Publisher: Lernolibro LLC
ISBN:
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 1

Book Description
"Mastering Monero - The future of private transactions" is the newest resource to help you learn everything that you want to know about the cryptocurrency Monero. The book, available in electronic and physical form, provides the knowledge you need to participate in this exciting grassroots, open-source, decentralized, community-driven privacy project. Whether you are a novice or highly experienced, this book will teach you how to start using and contributing to Monero. The resource introduces readers to the cryptocurrency world and then explains how Monero works, what technologies it uses, and how you can get started in this fantastic world! For technical people, there are some chapters that provide in-depth understanding of the Monero ecosystem. The Monero cryptocurrency is designed to address and avoid practical troubles that arise from using coins that do not protect your sensitive financial information. Cryptocurrencies have revolutionized the financial landscape by allowing anybody with an internet connection to instantly access secure, robust, censorship-free systems for receiving, storing, and sending funds. This paradigm shift was enabled by blockchain technology, by which thousands of participants store matching copies of a “public ledger”. While this brilliant approach overcomes many economic hurdles, it also gives rise to a few severe downsides. Marketing corporations, snooping governments, and curious family members can analyze the public ledger to monitor your savings or study your activities. Monero mitigates these issues with a suite of advanced privacy technologies that allow you to have the best of all worlds! Instead of a public ledger, Monero has a shared private ledger that allows you to reap the benefits of a blockchain-based cryptocurrency, while protecting your sensitive business from prying eyes. This book contains everything you need to know to start using Monero in your business or day-to-day life. What are you waiting for? Get your copy of Mastering Monero now!

Blockchain

Author: Mark Van Rijmenam
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 0429855559
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 202

Book Description
The internet was envisaged as a decentralised global network, but in the past 25 years it has come to be controlled by a few, very powerful, centralised companies. Blockchain is a technological paradigm shift that allows secure, reliable, and direct information transfer between individuals, organisations, and things, so that we can manage, verify, and control the use of our own data. Blockchain also offers a new opportunity for humanity to fix some major problems. It can authenticate data, manage its analysis, and automate its use. With better data comes better decision-making. In this way, Blockchain can contribute to solving climate change, reduce voting fraud, fix our identity systems, improve fair trade, and give the poor an opportunity to improve their lives by monetising their (digital) capital. A world built upon peer-to-peer transactions and smart contracts can empower individuals and communities. This book offers a fresh perspective with which to consider this transformative technology. It describes how Blockchain can optimise the processes that run our society. It provides practical solutions to global problems and offers a roadmap to incorporate Blockchain in your business. It offers a blueprint for a better world. Filled with easy-to-understand examples, this book shows how Blockchain can take over where the internet has fallen short.

The Future of Finance

Author: Henri Arslanian
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 3030145336
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 318

Book Description
This book, written jointly by an engineer and artificial intelligence expert along with a lawyer and banker, is a glimpse on what the future of the financial services will look like and the impact it will have on society. The first half of the book provides a detailed yet easy to understand educational and technical overview of FinTech, artificial intelligence and cryptocurrencies including the existing industry pain points and the new technological enablers. The second half provides a practical, concise and engaging overview of their latest trends and their impact on the future of the financial services industry including numerous use cases and practical examples. The book is a must read for any professional currently working in finance, any student studying the topic or anyone curious on how the future of finance will look like.

Decentralized Computing Using Blockchain Technologies and Smart Contracts: Emerging Research and Opportunities

Author: Asharaf, S.
Publisher: IGI Global
ISBN: 1522521941
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 135

Book Description
Recent innovations have created significant developments in data storage and management. These new technologies now allow for greater security in databases and other applications. Decentralized Computing Using Blockchain Technologies and Smart Contracts: Emerging Research and Opportunities is a concise and informative source of academic research on the latest developments in block chain innovation and their application in contractual agreements. Highlighting pivotal discussions on topics such as cryptography, programming techniques, and decentralized computing, this book is an ideal publication for researchers, academics, professionals, students, and practitioners seeking content on utilizing block chains with smart contracts.

Blockchain Bubble Or Revolution

Author: Aditya Agashe
Publisher: Paravane Ventures
ISBN: 9780578528151
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 242

Book Description
Some experts say that cryptocurrencies and blockchains are just a scam; others say they're "the most important invention since the internet." It's hard to tell who's right. Authored by Product Managers from Google, Microsoft, and Facebook, Bubble or Revolution cuts through the hype to offer a balanced, comprehensive, and accessible analysis of blockchains and cryptocurrencies. You'll learn the core concepts of these technologies and understand their strengths and weaknesses from real-world case studies; dive deep into their technical, economic, political, and legal complexities; and gain insights about their future from exclusive interviews with dozens of tech industry leaders. No coding or math needed! Are cryptocurrencies and blockchains a bubble or a revolution? We'll help you decide for yourself. What's inside: Bitcoin and the blockchain How Bitcoin and blockchains work from a technical perspective with no assumed technical knowledge Satoshi Nakamoto and the history of Bitcoin, the original blockchain A thorough overview of crucial crypto concepts (eg. blocks, keys, mining, nodes, etc.) Frameworks for understanding when it actually makes sense to use blockchain Major application scenarios for blockchain and cryptocurrencies and where it'll fall flat Public blockchains and altcoins Emerging trends in blockchain technology What you should know before buying any cryptocurrency An overview of Etherum and smart contracts An overview of the strengths and weaknesses of the top altcoins and stable coins, including Monero (XMR), Tether (USDT), and Bitcoin Cash (BCH) Alternatives to blockchain and cryptocurrencies New kinds of decentralized ledger technology (dlt) The economics of both traditional payment methods and cryptocurrencies Cryptocurrency security best practices and major breach case studies Private blockchains How blockchain, cryptocurrencies, and traditional banking and finance will interact with one another in the future Public blockchains vs private blockchains Limitations and shortcomings of public blockchains and cryptocurrencies The role of blockchain in the strategy of top tech companies like Facebook and Microsoft Case studies of how non-tech companies are effectively utilizing blockchain (eg. Walmart using it to prevent foodborne illness) Business blockchain case studies ranging from gaming (e.g. Xbox) to cloud services (e.g. Microsoft Azure's blockchain-as-a-service and Amazon's AWS offering) Blockchain's use for big data, internet of things (IoT), and machine learning (ML) Cryptocurrency regulation and policy ICOs vs STOs vs IPOs ICOs' status as securities The SEC's STO rules and Reg A+/CF/D/S KYC and AML laws The debate over whether cryptocurrencies are securities The official stance of various countries on crypto An overview of crypto policy and regulatory hurdles The role of crypto in emerging markets and China Digital democracy and voting on the blockchain The future of decentralized technology If, how, and when the tokenization of national currencies will play out Facebook and WhatsApp's upcoming cryptocurrencies Currency tokenization and China's efforts to tokenize the yuan Blockchain, IoT, and the tangle Cryptocurrencies vs. fiat vs. the gold standard Predictions about the future of money, business, and currency Why blockchains would do better on Mars than Earth