Book review: Cryptocurrency by Paul Vigna and Michael Casey

Published by Bodley Head

Since its creation in 2009, Bitcoin – the cybermoney and encryption technology – has skirted popular consciousness, enjoying spikes of curiosity, notoriety and moneyed success, all comprehensively outlined in this biography/manifesto from Wall Street Journalists Vigna and Casey.

Bitcoin’s mysterious genesis and subsequent development is related in layman’s terms (just about…) with numerous testimonies powering the often page-turning narrative.

Its initial goal of mass decentralisation is highlighted in rousing chapters explaining how its transparent, fee-free transactions could empower swathes of the global ‘unbanked’; or how the foundational coding can form the basis of an ownerless, brave new world.

Idealism gives way to pragmatism and fracturing motives, however, as venture capitalists circle and start-ups boom: fascinating food for thought.

Ultimately, though, admirable passion aside, the authors can do no more than speculate, their hypothesis-heavy final chapters emphasising how young bitcoin is and how redundant Cryptocurrency may be in just a few years.