Ten Best Cryptocurrency Books in 2025

The crypto market can feel incredibly overwhelming because it’s so diverse and technically complex. That’s why the best crypto books can be vital resources, helping you on your journey through the market by condensing the most important information into simple, actionable insights. While some crypto books are difficult to parse due to dense jargon and overly technical explanations, the best ones are able to simplify complex ideas without dumbing them down.

Whether you are a curious beginner or an expert trader deep in the DeFi trenches, reading the right books can make all the difference. In this post, we will tell you about the best, top-selling books on the market, hopefully inspiring you to learn more and improve your crypto journey.

1. Going Infinite: The Rise and Fall of a New Tycoon (Michael Lewis) – An inside look at Sam Bankman-Fried’s meteoric rise and catastrophic collapse. Lewis digs into the mind of FTX’s founder in a story that is almost too bizarre to be true.
2. The Bitcoin Standard: The Decentralized Alternative to Central Banking (Saifedean Ammous) – A go-to read for those who want to understand why Bitcoin exists. Ammous breaks down the flaws in fiat money and explains why sound money matters.
3. Metaverse Investing for Beginners (James Wallace) – Aimed at newcomers, this book will give you the basics of NFTs, digital real estate, and crypto gaming.
4. Tracers in the Dark (Andy Greenberg) – If you’d like a crime story, this one is for you. The crypto crime story follows the people who used blockchain technology for shady dealings, as well as the law enforcement teams who tracked them down.
5. Broken Money (Lyn Alden) – A thoughtful dive into how money works and how it doesn’t. Alden explains why today’s financial system is struggling, exploring Bitcoin as an alternative.
6. Number Go Up (Zeke Faux) – A fast-paced journalistic ride through the craziest moments in crypto’s history. Faux tracks scammers, influencers, and billionaires across the 2021 bull run.
7. Hijacking Bitcoin (Roger Ver) – Ver is Bitcoin Cash’s most vocal supporter, and in his book, he shares his side of the split from Bitcoin.
8. The Basics of Bitcoins and Blockchains (Antony Lewis) – A beginner-friendly guide that avoids hype and is focused on clarity. Lewis explains everything about cryptocurrency technologies, from wallets to mining to regulation, in plain English.
9. Layered Money (Nik Bhatia) – This is a fresh take on the history of money. Bhatia weaves Bitcoin into a centuries-old story about how trust and power move through financial layers.
10. The Fiat Standard (Saifedean Ammous) – If the Bitcoin Standard was the diagnosis, this is the autopsy. Ammous digs into how fiat money distorts society and pushes for a Bitcoin-based solution.

10 Best Crypto Books

These titles are top sellers all across the world. They mix solid information with storytelling and have made waves for good reason. Let’s dive in to help you decide which one to read first.

1. Going Infinite: The Rise and Fall of a New Tycoon

• Author: Michael Lewis
• Year of Publication: 2023
• Publisher: W.W. Norton & Company

Best for: Readers who enjoy investigative journalism and finance scandals.

Michael Lewis, the famous author of The Big Short and Moneyball, offers deep backstage access to Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF) and FTX in Going Infinite. The book is a raw story detailing how FTX grew explosively, handling an estimated $200 billion in daily trades by 2021. At this point, the company hit a $32 billion valuation. By late 2022, the company imploded and became totally worthless. When FTX collapsed, the company reportedly owed $10 billion to over 10 million users, according to the book (though some sources have questioned the accuracy of these numbers).

Lewis paints SBF as weirdly charming, a gamer in cargo shorts who dominated financial rooms. Yet critics say Lewis leans too sympathetically. Still, the book delivers quite interesting details about FTX’s daily revenue, early investors, the FTT token mechanics, and the endless internal shenanigans.

2. The Bitcoin Standard: The Decentralized Alternative to Central Banking

• Author: Saifedean Ammous
• Year of Publication: 2018
• Publisher: Wiley

Best for: Bitcoin believers, economic thinkers, and people who try to understand the blockchain revolution.

Ammous, an economist fluent in Austrian-school theory, lays out a clear base for Bitcoin as “sound money.” He compares fiat currency to Bitcoin’s fixed 21-million supply, arguing that history favors hard money over inflationary systems.

Ammous doesn’t just hype Bitcoin. He deconstructs the many flaws of fiat money. Expect a strong emotional call that pushes you to rethink how money should work.

The book has been translated into 38 languages, and it has become a global foundation for serious analysis of crypto assets. Influencers like Michael Saylor credit it for shaping corporate Bitcoin strategy.

The #Bitcoin Standard by @saifedean should be required reading for everyone interested in money.

— Michael Saylor (@saylor) May 3, 2022

U.S. Congressman Warren Davidson even called it “one of the best books in recent memory.”

Thank you. I hope all of my colleagues read one of the best books in recent memory: The Bitcoin Standard.

— Warren Davidson 🇺🇸 (@WarrenDavidson) June 23, 2023

3. Metaverse Investing for Beginners

• Author: James Wallace
• Year of Publication: 2022
• Publisher: Bradem Press

Best for: Beginners looking to understand how NFTs, virtual land, and blockchain gaming fit together.

James Wallace’s Metaverse Investing is all about digital transformation. It is aimed at crypto newcomers who want to gain a better understanding of NFTs and crypto art, as well as digital real estate. It gives the basic concepts instead of assuming deep tech knowledge, which makes it perfect for newcomers in the field.

The book taps into a growing trend: the metaverse market. The metaverse market is projected to hit $507.8 billion by 2030, according to Statista. Wallace leans into this by explaining why virtual land and NFT-based avatars are attracting real money.

4. Tracers in the Dark: The Global Hunt for the Crime Lords of Cryptocurrency

• Author: Andy Greenberg
• Year of Publication: 2022
• Publisher: Knopf/ Doubleday

Best for: Fans of true crime, cybersecurity, and exploring how tech intersects with law.

Veteran WIRED reporter Andy Greenberg delivers a thorough account of how crypto launched a new era of crime. His book chronicles the quick shift from Bitcoin’s perceived privacy to its transparency, leading to investigators and big busts like the Silk Road and dark web child abuse rings.

The IRS, FBI, and DEA now use blockchain technology and tracing tools from firms like Chainalysis to track criminals. In his book, Greenberg shares his findings from interviews with key figures in the industry: a pioneering IRS agent, a Danish tracing entrepreneur, and agents who share how crypto turned from a criminal haven to a digital crime scene.

5. Broken Money

• Author: Lyn Alden
• Year of Publication: 2023
• Publisher: Wiley

Best for: Macro thinkers and people curious about money systems beyond crypto buzzwords.

Lyn Alden digs into why today’s financial institutions and system in general feel so broken, discussing everything from debt cycles to inflation. She pulls in data from central bank policies, government spending, and decades of macro trends. Slowly but surely, her book makes a powerful case for Bitcoin as a digital gold and a policy hedge.

Alden shows how central banks expanded balance sheets by trillions after the 2008 financial crisis and then again during COVID, driving massive global inflation and eroding real savings. In the book, she details how fiat inflation is a hidden tax on savers and workers. This innovative investor’s guide doesn’t present Bitcoin as the only solution, though, but she does call it “an insurance policy against unbridled fiat.”

6. Number Go Up: Inside Crypto’s Wild Rise and Staggering Fall

• Author: Zeke Faux
• Year of Publication: 2023
• Publisher: Currency

Best for: People looking for a fast-paced crypto thrill ride, complete with a lot of real-world drama.

The journalist Zeke Faux gives a raw, non-filtered ride through the crypto market. In his book, you can read about youthful influencers and high-stakes scams, as well as learn more about Sam Bankman-Fried’s dramatic downfall. The book offers an insight into crypto’s highs and the devastating lows.

In 2023, Wired named Numbers Go Up one of the year’s best books. The Washington Post, the LA Times, and the Financial Times followed suit.

A simple quote inspired the title of this book: “It was something I heard a Bitcoin guy say…and he was like, if the price goes up, it gets people excited. The more people buy, the price will go up more. And before you know it, like to the moon. And I thought that was kind of laughable. But I really think that’s kind of what’s been happening these last couple of years.” – said the author.

7. Hijacking Bitcoin: The Hidden History of BTC

• Author: Roger Ver and Steve Patterson
• Year of Publication: 2024
• Publisher: Self-published

Best for: Readers who want to learn more about Bitcoin and take a peek behind the scenes at how BTC became what it is today.

Roger Ver, also known as “Bitcoin Jesus,” partnered with Steve Patterson to write a book that argues that Bitcoin was “hijacked” during the block-size wars, which ended with a hard fork and the creation of Bitcoin Cash ($BCH).

In their book, they trace how BTC shifted toward high fees and limited usability while Bitcoin Cash attempted (and failed) to return it to peer-to-peer cash.

8. The Basics of Bitcoins and Blockchains

• Author: Antony Lewis
• Year of Publication: 2018 (updated 2022)
• Publisher: Mango

Best for: Beginners who want clear, un-sensationalized blockchain knowledge.

In The Basics of Bitcoins and Blockchains, Lewis delivers a no-nonsense walkthrough of cryptocurrency technologies. He covers wallets, mining, ICOs, DeFi, and well as regulation. The book is not very flashy and doesn’t go too in-depth in terms of technical details, which makes it perfect for beginners in the industry.

The Basics of Bitcoins and Blockchains feels like chatting with a smart friend, not a lecture. Lewis doesn’t dive into heavy math or cryptography. Instead, he focuses on the basic things. How does Bitcoin secure money? What are tokens and smart contracts? How might blockchains change industries?

9. Layered Money: From Gold to Dollars to Bitcoin and Central Bank Digital Currencies

• Author: Nik Bhatia
• Year of Publication: 2023
• Publisher: W.W. Norton

Best for: Readers who enjoy reading about the history of money, economic frameworks, and viewing crypto as a continuation from traditional finance (rather than a radical departure).

Nik Bhatia explains how money has evolved over time, growing layer-by-layer over the years. He follows a clear pattern that stretches back centuries. He traces gold coins and paper certificates to today’s digital currencies and potential central bank digital currencies (CBDCs). And, of course, Bitcoin is at the center of it all.

Bhatia’s idea is that money isn’t flat – it is a pyramid. The top is honest, dense stuff like gold, U.S. Treasuries, and potentially Bitcoin in due time. The lower layers are IOUs like banknotes, deposits, and digital tokens.

The book doesn’t get lost in the complex or technical aspects of blockchain technology. Instead, it is something like a mental map for money based on history and pure logic.

According to a Forbes review, Bhatia has successfully positioned gold, fiat, and crypto as hierarchical steps in evolution instead of presenting them as sudden disruptions.

10. The Fiat Standard: The Debt Slavery Alternative to Human Civilization

• Author: Saifedean Ammous
• Year of Publication: 2021
• Publisher: Wiley

Best for: People who already understand digital currencies and crypto basics and want to learn more about why fiat might be the real problem.

This book is Ammous’s second-biggest statement. His first was The Bitcoin Standard. In The Fiat Standard, he turns his full attention to what’s wrong with the money most of us use every day.

Ammous does a deep technical analysis of the dark side of fiat money, accusing it of economic distortion, central planning creep, and debt addiction. His core argument is that fiat encourages borrowing, weakens savings, and leads to constant inflation.

One of his main points is that fiat currencies lose value over time. At one point, he points out how the U.S. dollar has lost more than 95% of its purchasing power since 1913. As a solution, he proposes Bitcoin, positioning the coin as the opposite of fiat: limited supply, no central control, and resistant to inflation.

“Bitcoin effectively combines gold’s salability across time with fiat’s salability across space.” – he says.

Other Ways to Learn About Crypto

Books are a great way to learn about cryptocurrency. Many people believe that there is nothing better to prepare you for the crypto world than a well-written, innovative investor’s guide. However, books aren’t the only way to get into crypto. If you are someone who prefers visuals, conversation, or just short bursts of info, there are plenty of other options to explore.

Podcasts are huge in the crypto industry. Shows like Bankless, Unchained by Laura Shin, and The Pomp Podcast break down news, trends, and complex ideas in a way that is fun and simple to digest. You can listen to the podcasts while commuting, walking the dog, or simply at any free moment you have.

Blogs and news sites like InsideBitcoins, Cryptonews.com, and Vitalik Buterin’s blog can be vital resources to learn about crypto and keep up to date with all of the market’s most important news. The crypto market is about as fast paced as it gets, making it essential to stay abreast of new tokens, launches, trends, events, platforms, and more.

YouTube channels like Whiteboard Crypto, Coin Bureau, and Finematics can be very useful if you want to learn more about blockchain technology with visuals and animations. If reading whitepapers isn’t your thing, or you don’t have time to read entire books, these can be especially helpful.

Networking or just talking with people can help a lot, too. Reddit communities like r/CryptoCurrency or r/BitcoinBeginners are great places to ask questions, hear opposing views, or simply stay up to date with what’s new in blockchain technology. Twitter (X) is also where a lot of crypto debates happen these days, and LinkedIn is a great tool for networking with industry professionals.

Finally, there is hands-on experience. While books can give you the basics and the theoretical knowledge, you won’t know how to trade and use crypto unless you actually do it. Luckily, it’s very easy. All you need to do is download a crypto wallet (or sign up for a crypto exchange), start with small transactions, and maybe do some experimenting with a testnet or copy trading. Nothing replaces the value of doing.

Are Crypto Books Worth Reading?

Yes, crypto books are absolutely worth reading, but only if you pick the right ones.

Good crypto books offer a depth you will hardly get from tweets or TikToks. They show the why behind the technology and give you context, history, and different perspectives. This is a great source of information, especially on big issues like decentralization, privacy, or money itself.

That said, not every book is worth your time. Some are outdated, and others are overly promotional (or simply inaccurate). The ones we listed above are a solid mix of technical analysis and insight. Whether you are just starting in crypto or looking to go deeper, these ten titles can give you the clarity most Reddit threads cannot.

FAQs

References

1. Virtu Blasts Michael Lewis’ Book, Saying It Didn’t Lose $10 Million with FTX – TheBlock
2. Michael Lewis Doesn’t See What All the Fuss Is About – GQ
3. Metaverse Worldwide – Statista
4. Crypto is Anything But Private – Time
5. The Blocksize Wars Revisited – CoinDesk
6. Review of Nik Bhatia’s Book – Forbes
7. Saifedean Ammous Quotes – TheCiteSite
8. The Dollar in Perspective – DisciplineFunds