Principles of Bitcoin

Technology, Economics, Politics & Philosophy - Vijay Selvam

About the Book

Principles of Bitcoin is authored by Vijay Selvam and published by Columbia University Press. The foreword is by Alex Gladstein. The book presents a holistic, first-principles-based framework for understanding one of the most misunderstood inventions of our time. By stripping away the hype, jargon, and superficial analysis that often surrounds the crypto industry, this book uncovers the true ingenuity behind Satoshi Nakamoto’s creation―and its profound implications for the future of money, governance, and individual freedom. Vijay Selvam analyzes the technology, economics, politics, and philosophy of Bitcoin, making the case that only through this holistic understanding can we gain an appreciation of its true meaning and significance. Readers are invited to consider Bitcoin as a tool for individual empowerment, a catalyst for economic autonomy, and a challenge to traditional monetary systems. Selvam demonstrates why Bitcoin stands alone in the digital asset space as a path-dependent once-in-history invention that cannot be replicated. Principles of Bitcoin is an invaluable resource for professionals in the financial world seeking a rigorous and accessible understanding of Bitcoin. Students, curious thinkers, and all who find the technology daunting will also benefit from its clear, foundational approach. Equipping readers with the tools to grasp the many facets of Bitcoin, this book is an ideal guide to exploring its role in shaping a more decentralized, transparent, and equitable future.

About the Author.

Vijay Selvam is a corporate lawyer and financial services expert with nearly twenty years of experience across the United States, United Kingdom, and Asia. He spent more than a decade at Goldman Sachs and has also held leadership roles in the digital assets industry, advising on the evolving regulatory landscape. Selvam is a graduate of Harvard Law School and Oxford University.

Reviews

Principles of Bitcoin provides one of the most logical frameworks for analyzing Bitcoin that I've ever seen, and with a high degree of professionalism and extensive references. This is absolutely a standout among books on the subject.

- Lyn Alden, author of Broken Money

This book is the most thorough and complete analysis of Bitcoin in existence. It takes the reader through subject matter that is normally covered in thousands of hours of research in just 300 pages, referencing philosophers, economists, cryptographers, and technologists. The encyclopedic coverage of each aspect of Bitcoin is blended effortlessly with storytelling, analogies, and examples to ensure reader engagement even through some of the more complex areas.

- Richard Byworth, managing partner, Syz Capital

Bitcoin is an incredibly difficult system to grasp fully. It acts like a mirror insofar as it tends to reflect your own education, skill set, and worldview when you gaze upon it. Principles of Bitcoin is a masterful work in which Selvam has collected the perspectives of hundreds of cypherpunks, philosophers, historians, economists, legal scholars, and more to lay out a comprehensive explanation of Bitcoin’s fundamental properties.

- Jameson Lopp, cofounder & CTO, Casa

Clear, concise, and comprehensive. Vijay Selvam's book is the perfect guide for anyone looking to understand the importance of Bitcoin from the ground up.

- Jeff Booth, author of The Price of Tomorrow

Vijay Selvam has written a brilliant and beautiful book that very simply, but very thoroughly, covers all aspects of Bitcoin. In these pages, Selvam takes you from someone with zero knowledge about the subject to a budding expert.

- Alex Gladstein, Chief Strategy Officer at the Human Rights Foundation