Bitcoin, properly explained
One book covering Bitcoin from its economic, political and technical points of view. From the basics to a deep, practical understanding, written for anyone who wants the whole picture rather than the price chart.
Written from seven years inside the industry, including leading content at Binance Academy.
Prefer to pay with Bitcoin? Buy directly with crypto.
From Chapter 1: What is Money?
What is money? On its surface, this sounds like a stupid question. Everyone knows what money is: the numbers beaming back from your banking app, the notes folded in your wallet. But what is money?
At its heart, money is nothing more than a collectively agreed-upon delusion, a delusion society accepts to form the cornerstone of productive commerce and the governance of civilisation as a whole.
Imagine a world where currency didn't exist. You are a baker who makes 100 loaves a day, and you need coal to fire your ovens. Without an agreed instrument of exchange you are left haggling: how many loaves is a sack of coal worth? Who knows. And if a rival baker got there first, the fuel seller just shrugs, "I have more bread than I could possibly need."
What readers say
An excellent guide for anyone looking to understand Bitcoin, exactly what I needed as a beginner. It breaks down everything in simple language, and it is clear the author knows his stuff. Definitely recommend, whether you are just starting out or want to deepen your knowledge.
Solid read with enough detail for students of crypto. Rare to see cool anecdotes from Asia.
A great introduction to Bitcoin history, including the highs and lows and the very scammable environment around it.
All quotes are from public Amazon reviews. Read every review, including the critical ones.
Thirteen chapters, the full story
Every aspect of Bitcoin and the financial system it challenges.
From the guide
Free, in-depth articles drawn from the book. No paywall, no fluff.
What is money? The problem Bitcoin was built to solve
Money is a shared fiction that mostly works. What it does, where it fails, and why Bitcoin had to start with this question.
The origins of Bitcoin: from the 2008 crash to the genesis block
Decades of failed digital cash, a financial crisis, and the nine pages that finally cracked it.
Who is Satoshi Nakamoto? Every serious candidate examined
The candidates, the evidence, the court rulings, and why the disappearance might have been the point.
How does Bitcoin work? Blocks, UTXOs and mining in plain English
Blocks, UTXOs, mining and the halving: the actual machinery, walked through without hand-waving.
About the author
Dan Clarke found Bitcoin in Singapore during the 2017 bull run and has worked in the industry ever since, most of it spent running education for the world's biggest exchange and making crypto make sense to millions of first-time readers.
The result is a book with no cheerleading in it: how Bitcoin works, why it exists, and what it might become.
More about Dan
Get the book
$19.99 paperback or ebook
Pay by card on Amazon, or directly with Bitcoin, Lightning, Ether or stablecoins.
Contact the author
Questions about the book, bulk orders, press or speaking: send a message and it lands directly with Dan.