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The Genesis Book

The Genesis Book chronicles the journey of diverse computer scientists, privacy activists, and heterodox economists who, for decades before Satoshi Nakamoto, sought to create a digital currency free from government control. This book tells the story of the people and projects that paved the way for Bitcoin, the world’s first successful peer-to-peer electronic cash system.

Praise for The Genesis Book:

• Jameson Lopp: “The Genesis Book takes us on a century-long journey through the stories of visionaries whose innovations laid the foundation for Bitcoin. Aaron van Wirdum weaves a tapestry of technological triumphs and extraordinary breakthroughs.”
• Paul Sztorc: “This book highlights the problems that pre-Bitcoin innovators faced, in the right order. It’s the best Bitcoin book yet written.”
• Giacomo Zucco: “Aaron van Wirdum accurately conveys Bitcoin’s multifaceted cultural background. A must-read for understanding where Bitcoin came from.”
• Tuur Demeester: “This book is a tour de force, providing an essential history of Bitcoin’s origins. Van Wirdum’s in-depth research and engaging prose make for a compelling read.”

About the Author:

Aaron van Wirdum studied Journalism and Politics at Utrecht University, focusing on the historical impact of new technologies. He discovered Bitcoin in 2013 and has been writing about it ever since, primarily for Bitcoin Magazine. The Genesis Book is his first book.

In The Fiat Standard, renowned economist Saifedean Ammous applies his unique analytical perspective to the fiat money system, treating it as a feat of engineering and technology, much like he did with Bitcoin in his international bestseller The Bitcoin Standard. This time, Ammous examines the shift from the gold standard to today’s state-backed fiat currency system.

He outlines the purpose and failures of the fiat standard, delves into its broader economic, political, and social impacts, and explores how Bitcoin could influence this system over time. With keen insight, Ammous analyzes global political currencies in comparison to Bitcoin, highlighting how they are “mined” whenever state-backed entities issue credit, their lack of inherent inflation constraints, and the rampant government interventions that have led to severe, lasting distortions in global food, energy, science, and education markets.

Through these comparisons, Ammous suggests that Bitcoin could be our next step forward. Unlike the fiat system, which leads to uncontrolled debt, Bitcoin offers high spatial salability without such consequences. Rather than a chaotic, hyperinflationary collapse, the rise of Bitcoin could act as a debt reset and an orderly upgrade of the global monetary system, potentially revolutionizing the world’s capital and energy markets.

In *The Bitcoin Standard*, economist Saifedean Ammous takes readers through the fascinating history of various forms of money. He explores what granted these different technologies their monetary status, how they lost it, what this teaches us about the desirable properties of money, and how Bitcoin aims to fulfill these criteria.

Ammous explains the economic, social, cultural, and political advantages of sound money, contrasting them with our current monetary system. This creates an expert discussion on the significant role Bitcoin could play in the future of the global economy. Rather than depicting Bitcoin as a currency for criminals or a cheap payment network for the masses, the book describes it as an emerging decentralized, politically neutral, and free-market alternative to national central banks. This alternative could have profound impacts on individual freedom and prosperity.

For anyone seeking a clear understanding of this new digital currency, *The Bitcoin Standard* is an essential read.