Emerging relatively recently as a fundamentally new form of money, cryptocurrencies are now so popular that they have a dedicated section in many reputable media outlets. From small niches to the global marketplace, digital money is widely used by individuals and large organizations alike to store savings and conduct settlement transactions.
In addition, given the highly volatile nature of Bitcoin and altcoins (alternative tokens), they are an excellent tool for speculative investment. Despite such widespread use and versatility, many people still know very little about crypto and even less about the system (blockchain) in which they operate.
We are here to give you a better understanding of what digital tokens are, how they work, and to recommend the best cryptocurrency books worth reading.
Today, almost every currency is digital in one way or another, as they are also available in the online environment (Internet). For example, you can pay for goods and services in USD or any other national currency using bank cards and, more recently, even contactless through your mobile device.
As for cryptocurrencies, in terms of using them to process payments, they work pretty much the same way. However, this does not mean that digital fiat money and crypto are the same. There are many differences between them, and here are the most crucial ones:
Cryptocurrencies exist only in the digital space. While fiat money can also take digital form, it exists primarily in paper and coin form. As for digital tokens, you cannot see or touch them.
Crypto tokens are digitally encrypted decentralized money that is not regulated by the authorities while national currencies are backed by the government.
Bitcoin and altcoins function independently and without intermediaries, whereas fiat money is issued by a central authority. This nature of digital money results in low transaction costs.
The number of digital tokens issued is limited, whereas fiat money can theoretically be issued indefinitely.
Cryptocurrency transactions are anonymous while national currency payments require proof of identity.
All of these and other differences between cryptocurrencies and fiat money can be found in our list of the best books on cryptocurrency later in this post. To understand the nature of tokens thoroughly, you need to start by studying blockchain, a distributed database that stores records of all transactions.
There are many large companies pouring millions into the development and support of this technology, which many believe is the future. However, even if you are not looking for in-depth knowledge and only want to improve your understanding of how digital tokens work, some options from our list of the best cryptocurrency books will help you do so.
Although the history of digital money started only a few years ago (in 2009), there are many crypto projects seeking to create the perfect payment system. As we move towards that goal, there is still much work to be done, and that’s why experienced crypto experts are needed.
Everyone including you can contribute to the development of the technology, but it requires you to have a good understanding of how it works first. Here are some of the best cryptocurrency books to help you understand the subject:
Cryptoassets by Chris Burniske and Jack Tatar. Read this work to learn everything potential investors need to know about blockchain technology.
The Book of Satoshi by Phil Champagne. This book is about a distributed database from the perspective of its creator. Blockchain Revolution by Don and Alex Tapscott. Here you will find information on how digital tokens are affecting our daily lives, as well as the future prospects of blockchain.
The Blockchain Developer by Elad Elrom. This book reveals the many technical aspects of the distributed ledger where digital tokens operate.
The Basics of Bitcoins and Blockchains by Antony Lewis. This work can be a great starting point into the world of cryptocurrency for those not yet experienced.
While it may seem that only the strongest players in the crypto world are benefiting from it, in fact, anyone can invest in crypto money and get profits even without having a big budget. By reading the best books on cryptocurrencies, you are investing time in gaining valuable knowledge that will give you a competitive edge.
However, even if you just don’t want to miss out on a technological innovation that has a chance to become mainstream, these books will also be useful to you.
To make you more aware of the technology and to make digital money more prominent for you.
The authors of these books are experts in blockchain and digital money.
Although the technology is fairly new, there is already a lot of knowledge being shared by cryptocurrency experts.
Because they understand the benefits of technology and believe it is the future.
While they certainly contain a lot of useful information, there is no guarantee that you will become an expert in the field after reading them.
You can buy them in most major bookshops as well as their e-copies on the internet.