The Truth About Crypto by Ric Edelman

There has been quite a bit of news lately about cryptocurrencies and bitcoin. If that topic interests you, have a look at a newer book titled THE TRUTH ABOUT CRYPTO by Ric Edelman. His text is subtitled “A Practical, Easy-to-Understand Guide to Bitcoin, Blockchain, NFTs, and Other Digital Assets” and has garnered positive reviews. Edelman, a longtime financial advisor and educator, begins with a glossary of sorts so that readers are able to use the proper vocabulary. There, he describes blockchain technology as “the most profound innovation in commerce since the invention of the internet” and notes how relatively “few people,” including financial professionals, realize that. He splits the text into 5 parts: Understanding the Technology; Understanding Bitcoin and Other Digital Assets; Investing in Digital Assets; Regulation, Taxation, and Compliance; and Getting Started. I think many readers, our students included, will jump to that last part which looks at answers to “Ten Common Concerns.” But there’s so much (e.g., hot wallets and cold wallets; base layer protocols; or defining money) to explore in previous chapters, too. Edelman sprinkles in interesting facts (e.g., AMC Theaters reports that 14% of its moviegoers pay for online tickets with digital assets) and provides a comprehensive list of the (roughly three dozen) “Helpful Lists You’ll Find Inside.” THE TRUTH ABOUT CRYPTO is an initial informative look at a new, complex, and potentially transformative technology.