As with many new technologies, bitcoin, altcoins, cryptocurrencies, and the blockchain technology that make them possible, are often discussed but rarely understood. Sooner or later, blockchain technology will almost certainly affect your life.
Also, if you are a complete beginner, many of these books will start from the very basics and teach you how to hold bitcoin in a cryptocurrency wallet and trade it on a cryptocurrency exchange with crypto staking.
This article covers the top cryptocurrency and blockchain books currently available.
Bitcoin Billionaires
For readers that are completely new to bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, you will really enjoy the Bitcoin Billionaires story. This book takes readers on a roller coaster ride that follows the most famous and infamous leaders of the bitcoin revolution.
The book covers how they recognized the early opportunity of bitcoin and profited handsomely from their risk taking.
The main characters in this story are the Winklevoss brothers. That’s right, the same twins that were originally involved in Facebook. In this story, following their exit from Facebook, the twins struggle as venture capitalists as no one is willing to take their money after the fallout with Facebook.
By sheer happenstance, the twins find themselves in Spain and meet someone that introduces them to cryptocurrency. They recognize the opportunity as either the greatest new investment or the biggest fraud in a generation and decide to take a big bet on it.
The resulting tale takes readers on a twisting journey filled with wild characters, excess and brilliance. Although readers won’t find direct investing advice, they will find a captivating story that outlines the crypto market dynamics as told through a fascinating story of real people.
Bitcoin and Cryptocurrency Technologies
If you’re looking for a thorough yet accessible beginner’s guide to Bitcoin and cryptocurrency technology, this is one of the best books on the market.
This book explains how blockchain technology works and what it actually is. It also explores the history and mechanics of Bitcoin, which provides for a more contextual understanding.
Though this book covers a lot of ground, it presents all the information clearly and in layman’s terms. This results in a book that is accessible to even the most inexperienced in cryptocurrencies.
The only thing to keep in mind is that, as with almost any thorough discussion of a new and evolving technology, the information in this book may be slightly dated and fail to address some of the most recent developments.
That being said, since the book’s focus is more on the history and context of blockchain technology, the concern over outdated information isn’t quite as serious as it could be for other books.
Cryptocurrency Investing for Dummies
If you’re new to cryptocurrencies and bitcoin, Kiana’s book is a great starting point. It covers the most important aspects of the how the cryptocurrency market functions as well as an overview of the most notable currencies.
The author includes a comprehensive comparison of cryptocurrency and other traditional assets, including equity, foreign currency, and commodities.
You will also get a good foundation for applying technical analysis and risk management strategies to the burgeoning crypto market.
There is certainly money to be made in cryptocurrencies, but it’s a hyper volatile market. If you’re a new investor, make sure you only risk money that you can afford to lose.
Also make sure you keep an open mind and consider a variety of investment strategies. The crypto market is very new and is constantly evolving.
The Age of Cryptocurrency
If you want a good understanding of the overall cryptocurrency market and the broader global implications, the Age of Cryptocurrency is a great starting point.
This book was written by two veteran wall street journal reporters and focuses on broader themes rather than investing strategies.
Though this book talks a bit about how cryptocurrency came to be and how it works, the focus is more on the implications of the technology and why we should care about it.
This book is lighter on technical descriptions than many other cryptocurrency books, which may bother those with more advanced backgrounds in cryptocurrencies, but those with a bit less background may find it refreshing and easier to digest.
Cryptoassets: The Innovative Investor’s Guide to Bitcoin
Compared to many other books about cryptocurrency investing, this book provides a bit more context. This means that though the advice still has the potential to become outdated, it has a better chance of remaining applicable for a longer period of time.
Perhaps the best section to take note of is the discussion of manias. Awareness and avoidance of manias is good advice for any investment, but even more relevant in an area based around new and constantly evolving technology.
This book can be a bit technical at times, and therefore is probably not the best option for beginners.
On the other hand, if you already know a lot about the topic, much of the content won’t be new.
The person who would benefit the most from this book is someone who already understands some of the basics but is looking for a bit more structure.
Exposing Blockchain
You can’t understanding cryptocurrency without understanding blockchain. This book focuses on how blockchain works and what the broader industry implications of the technology will mean for everyone.
What’s really fascinating about the cryptocurrency story is how blockchain actually has the potential to upend traditional industries.
The immense amount of information covered may feel overwhelming to many readers. Though it may not be right for everyone, if you’re new to the blockchain technology space and don’t know where to start, this book may help you better grasp the core technology and industry implications.
An Altcoin Trader’s Handbook
Bitcoin may be the most famous cryptocurrency, but bitcoin is only one of a large and ever growing number of altcoins available to investors. This book covers the most recent and notable developments in the rapidly growing altcoin market.
Crypto investors will also appreciate the systematic investment strategies and risk management strategies laid out for readers.
The author’s approach is focused on small cap altcoin trading. So if you are only focused on bitcoin, this may not be the right investing book for you.
However, investors that desire a detailed roadmap outlining a potential strategy for investing in lesser known altcoins will find a lot of value with the books trading strategy.
Another nice thing about this book is that unlike many other books about investing or cryptocurrencies, this one contains a personal element – the author tells about his personal experience with investing in cryptocurrencies.
