by Jeff John Roberts (Author)
"Tech writer Roberts debuts
with a page-turning account of the rise of cryptocurrency exchange
Coinbase from the Y Combinator startup incubator to becoming a 'pillar
of the larger crypto economy.'" — Publisher's Weekly
For
a moment late in 2018, one bitcoin, which physically amounts to a few
electrons blipping on a tiny bit of silicon, was worth $20,000—the same
as a pound of gold. Libertarian technologists who believed bitcoin would
be the foundation of a new world order saw the moment as an apotheosis.
Everyone else saw a bubble. Everyone else was right, and the bubble
burst. But bitcoin survived, and the battle for its soul rages on.
Kings of Crypto
drops us into the unfolding drama, tracing the rise, fall, and rebirth
of cryptocurrency through the experiences of major players across the
globe. We follow Silicon Valley entrepreneur Brian Armstrong and the
turbulent rocket ride of his startup, Coinbase, as he tries to take
bitcoin mainstream while fighting off hackers, thieves, and zealots.
Author Jeff John Roberts keenly observes the world of virtual currencies
and what happens when startups try to disrupt the world of high
finance. Clear explanations of crypto technology are woven into an
amazing landscape full of meme-fueled startup hijinks, hacking (so much
hacking!), shady investors, government investigations, billionaire bros
and their Lambos, and closed-door meetings with Jamie Dimon.
This is the surprising story of the origins of cryptocurrency and how it is changing money forever.
