Crypto Crowds


Book Description

Ownership of cryptocurrencies and related assets has given rise to self-described "coin-communities." Discussing the notions around social dynamics, this collection explores how crowd and community formations manifest empirically in cryptocurrency sociality online. It suggests that tensions between cryptocurrency adopters generate political, moral, and cosmological realities, which intensify crowding dynamics online. Pioneering in its approach to the increasing digitalization and datafication of everyday life, the volume encourages scholars to explore further how "decentralized" and "trustless" technologies take part in the construction of postmodern crowds.




Blockchain Democracy


Book Description

Exploring blockchain and bitcoin, Magnuson shows how the technology rife with crime and speculation also offers innovation and hope.




Architectures and Frameworks for Developing and Applying Blockchain Technology


Book Description

The blockchain revolution has drastically impacted global economics and the strategic practices within different industries. Cryptocurrency specifically has forever changed the face of business and the implementation of business online. While innovative, people are still in the early stages of building and developing blockchain technology and its applications, and it is critical that researchers and practitioners obtain a better understanding of this global phenomenon. Architectures and Frameworks for Developing and Applying Blockchain Technology is an essential reference source that presents the technological foundation, recent research findings, developments, and critical issues associated with blockchain technology from both computer science and social science perspectives. Featuring topics such as artificial intelligence, digital economy, and network technology, this book is ideally designed for academics, researchers, industry leaders, IT consultants, engineers, programmers, practitioners, government officials, policymakers, and students.




Crowd Assisted Networking and Computing


Book Description

Crowd computing, crowdsourcing, crowd-associated network (CrAN), crowd-assisted sensing are some examples of crowd-based concepts that harness the power of people on the web or connected via web-like infrastructure to do tasks that are often difficult for individual users or computers to do alone. This creates many challenging issues like assessing reliability and correctness of crowd generated information, delivery of data and information via crowd, middleware for supporting crowdsourcing and crowd computing tasks, crowd associated networking and its security, Quality of Information (QoI) issues, etc. This book compiles the latest advances in the relevant fields.




Investing in Cryptocurrencies and Digital Assets


Book Description

A must-read roadmap to analyzing, valuing, and investing in cryptocurrency and other digital assets In Investing in Cryptocurrencies and Digital Assets: A Guide to Understanding Technologies, Business Models, Due Diligence, and Valuation, alternative investments expert Dr. Keith Black delivers a compelling and straightforward roadmap for analyzing, valuing, and investing in crypto and other digital assets. You'll learn how to buy crypto directly — and how to keep your new digital assets safe from hacks and fraud — and how to invest indirectly, using stocks, futures, options, and exchange-traded funds. You'll also discover how to conduct extensive due diligence to reduce technology and compliance risks, as well as how to understand the business models that underlie and power these novel technologies. The book also offers: Accessible discussions of and introductions to blockchain and distributed ledger technology, stablecoins, Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other foundational concepts Ways to differentiate between investing in digital assets for the long term and risky, short-term speculation An essential new playbook for institutional, professional, and retail investors involved with digital assets and cryptocurrency, Investing in Cryptocurrencies and Digital Assets is the comprehensive and up-to-date guide to the sector that you've been waiting for.




Understanding Bitcoin


Book Description

Discover Bitcoin, the cryptocurrency that has the finance world buzzing Bitcoin is arguably one of the biggest developments in finance since the advent of fiat currency. With Understanding Bitcoin, expert author Pedro Franco provides finance professionals with a complete technical guide and resource to the cryptography, engineering and economic development of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. This comprehensive, yet accessible work fully explores the supporting economic realities and technological advances of Bitcoin, and presents positive and negative arguments from various economic schools regarding its continued viability. This authoritative text provides a step-by-step description of how Bitcoin works, starting with public key cryptography and moving on to explain transaction processing, the blockchain and mining technologies. This vital resource reviews Bitcoin from the broader perspective of digital currencies and explores historical attempts at cryptographic currencies. Bitcoin is, after all, not just a digital currency; it's a modern approach to the secure transfer of value using cryptography. This book is a detailed guide to what it is, how it works, and how it just may jumpstart a change in the way digital value changes hands. Understand how Bitcoin works, and the technology behind it Delve into the economics of Bitcoin, and its impact on the financial industry Discover alt-coins and other available cryptocurrencies Explore the ideas behind Bitcoin 2.0 technologies Learn transaction protocols, micropayment channels, atomic cross-chain trading, and more Bitcoin challenges the basic assumption under which the current financial system rests: that currencies are issued by central governments, and their supply is managed by central banks. To fully understand this revolutionary technology, Understanding Bitcoin is a uniquely complete, reader-friendly guide.




The Delusions of Crowds


Book Description

This “disturbing yet fascinating” exploration of mass mania through the ages explains the biological and psychological roots of irrationality (Kirkus Reviews). From time immemorial, contagious narratives have spread through susceptible groups—with enormous, often disastrous, consequences. Inspired by Charles Mackay’s nineteenth-century classic Memoirs of Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds, neurologist and author William Bernstein examines mass delusion through the lens of current scientific research in The Delusions of Crowds. Bernstein tells the stories of dramatic religious and financial mania in western society over the last five hundred years—from the Anabaptist Madness of the 1530s to the dangerous End-Times beliefs that pervade today’s polarized America; and from the South Sea Bubble to the Enron scandal and dot com bubbles. Through Bernstein’s supple prose, the participants are as colorful as their “desire to improve one’s well-being in this life or the next.” Bernstein’s chronicles reveal the huge cost and alarming implications of mass mania. He observes that if we can absorb the history and biology of this all-too-human phenomenon, we can recognize it more readily in our own time, and avoid its frequently dire impact.




Bitcoin & Black America


Book Description

Ready for a change in black economics? Join the Bitcoin revolution. Bitcoin and Black America is a dynamic new book that explores the synergy between black economics, Bitcoin and blockchain technology. The global financial system is changing and the digital revolution will not be televised.We explore how to incorporate cryptocurrency in your business, job and educational institution. This book also outlines the need for separation from the racist banking system and a comprehensive list of black professionals actively working in the Blockchain industry.




Don't Fall For It


Book Description

Learn financial and business lessons from some of the biggest frauds in history Why does financial fraud persist? History is full of sensational financial frauds and scams. Enron was forced to declare bankruptcy after allegations of massive accounting fraud, wiping out $78 billion in stock market value. Bernie Madoff, the largest individual fraudster in history, built a $65 billion Ponzi scheme that ultimately resulted in his being sentenced to 150 years in prison. People from all walks of life have been scammed out of their money: French and British nobility looking to get rich quickly, farmers looking for a miracle cure for their health ailments, several professional athletes, and some of Hollywood’s biggest stars. No one is immune from getting deceived when money is involved. Don’t Fall For It is a fascinating look into some of the biggest financial frauds and scams ever. This compelling book explores specific instances of financial fraud as well as some of the most successful charlatans and hucksters of all-time. Sharing lessons that apply to business, money management, and investing, author Ben Carlson answers questions such as: Why do even the most intelligent among us get taken advantage of in financial scams? What make fraudsters successful? Why is it often harder to stay rich than to get rich? Each chapter in examines different frauds, perpetrators, or victims of scams. These real-life stories include anecdotes about how these frauds were carried out and discussions of what can be learned from these events. This engaging book: Explores the business and financial lessons drawn from some of history’s biggest frauds Describes the conditions under which fraud tends to work best Explains how people can avoid being scammed out of their money Suggests practical steps to reduce financial fraud in the future Don’t Fall For It: A Short History of Financial Scams is filled with engrossing real-life stories and valuable insights, written for finance professionals, investors, and general interest readers alike.




Crypto


Book Description

If you've ever made a secure purchase with your credit card over the Internet, then you have seen cryptography, or "crypto", in action. From Stephen Levy—the author who made "hackers" a household word—comes this account of a revolution that is already affecting every citizen in the twenty-first century. Crypto tells the inside story of how a group of "crypto rebels"—nerds and visionaries turned freedom fighters—teamed up with corporate interests to beat Big Brother and ensure our privacy on the Internet. Levy's history of one of the most controversial and important topics of the digital age reads like the best futuristic fiction.