An Introduction to Cryptocurrencies (Contemporary Issues in Finance)

The Crypto Market Ecosystem has emerged as the most profound application of blockchain technology in finance. This textbook adopts an integrated approach, linking traditional functions of the current financial system (payments, traded assets, fundraising, regulation) with the respective functions in the crypto market, in order to facilitate the reader in their understanding of how this new ecosystem works.

The book walks the reader through the main features of the blockchain technology, the definitions, classifications, and distinct characteristics of cryptocurrencies and tokens, how these are evaluated, how funds are raised in the cryptocurrency ecosystem (ICOs), and what the main regulatory approaches are. The authors have compiled more than 100 sources from different sub-fields of economics, finance, and regulation to create a coherent textbook that provides the reader with a clear and easily understandable picture of the new world of encrypted finance and its applications.

The book is primarily aimed at business and finance students, who already have an understanding of the basic principles of how the financial system works, but also targets a more general readership, by virtue of its broader scope and engaging and accessible tone.

Nikos Daskalakis, PhD, is Assistant Professor in Finance and Accounting in Panteion University, Athens, Greece, and a former member of the Banking Stakeholder Group (BSG) of the European Banking Authority (EBA), the European Crowdfunding Stakeholder Forum (ECSF), and the Financial Services User Group (FSUG) of the European Commission. He is an experienced researcher who has published widely cited articles in numerous top-rated journals, and his scientific interests are on crowdfunding, blockchain applications in finance, and SMEs access to finance.

Panagiotis Georgitseas is an Anti-Money Laundering and Combating Financing of Terrorism Analyst in the Compliance Group at Eurobank and a PhD Candidate in the department of Public Administration in Panteion University of Athens. His prior work experience was in Trade Finance Division (Proton Bank S.A) and in Payment Systems Department (Eurobank). He is member of the Economic Chamber of Greece and his research interests focus on the Economics of Blockchain and to Cryptocurrencies Ecosystem.