The Age of Cryptocurrency: How Bitcoin and Digital Money Are Challenging the Global Economic Order

An in-depth explanation of how bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies work, their potential benefits and risks, and their likely effects on citizens, governments, businesses, and global geopolitics. Bitcoin has become widely discussed but remains poorly understood by most people. Wall Street journalists Paul Vigna and Michael J. Casey explain why cryptocurrency matters. Cybermoney could fundamentally reshape financial and social structures, potentially bringing billions of unbanked individuals into a global economy. Cryptocurrency promises a financial system without intermediaries, owned by its users and protected from crashes like the 2008 financial crisis. However, bitcoin carries concerns about instability, price volatility, and illegal activity. Some worry it could eliminate jobs and destabilize nation-states. The technology represents significant change—both positive and negative—but is established and cannot be ignored. Vigna and Casey explain cryptocurrency's origins, how it functions, and what readers need to know to navigate a digital economy. This book prepares readers for a financial world fundamentally different from traditional paper currency systems.