Icon Books Announces the Release of Beyond Bitcoin: Decentralised Finance and the End of Banks

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February 27, 2022

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The new book written by Steven Sidley and Simon Dingle explains why Defi Is the future and banks are the past, covering the entire landscape of people, projects and future portents

February 22nd, 2022 – A new book written by Steven Sidley and Simon Dingle has made a strong case as to why the death of the legacy banking system is inevitable as Decentralized Finance (DeFi) applications offer less expensive and more robust competitive solutions to retail, corporate and international finance. The authors draw on their insights as fintech professionals and technology and crypto entrepreneurs to outline their points. Both also have strong credentials as established authors.

The title of the book is Beyond Bitcoin: Decentralised Finance and the End of Banks, which is clear in terms of what the book is about and all of the chapters to follow are geared towards explaining why legacy finance is being rendered obsolete.

While written in a way that non-technical people will understand, it covers all of the main points of the DeFi industry including the birth of the industry, smart contracts, the removal of middlemen, lending and borrowing, automatics market makers, decentralized exchanges, ICOs, legacy financial models, yield farming, NFTs, stablecoins, mining, regulations, and more. It also outlines some of the major events in the past 15 years and introduces the reader to key individuals who have helped to bring about the world of DeFi.

The book aims to bring about what is truly missing in the DeFi space – a clear and articulate description of the entire landscape, including how each of the major Defi innovations works under the hood comprehension. Too many of the criticisms of distributed ledgers and blockchains are fueled by a superficial understanding of how the underlying technologies and services work, and how it compares with competitive traditional financial products. This book, written with wit and insight, cuts through the jargon and makes the subject both accessible and compelling.

The host of Jist (a UK-based blockchain-orientated YouTube channel), stated, “It wasn’t until I got the chance to read Beyond Bitcoin: Decentralised Finance and the End of Banks by Steven Boykey Sidley and Simon Dingle that I really understood the full scope of how this space threatens the world of finance, what exactly DeFi is, and how NFTs are going to be so much bigger than just some neat pictures.”

Further praise includes:

“A rich, clear, and articulate explanation of a transformative technology,” David Spence, former Director and Chairman of PayPal Australia.

“Looking backward to move forward, this book is a masterclass on the evolution and expansion of the crypto world and its possible futures. Essential for those wanting to move beyond the headlines,” Herman Singh, Associate Professor, University of Cape Town Graduate School.

“The gripping story of the great financial disruption and its portents, told with wit and insight,” Ray Hartley, Research Director, The Brenthurst Foundation.

“Everyone who cares about money is trying to get their heads around DeFi, and what it may mean for financial institutions. This book explains it all, with sparkle, depth, and clarity,” Michael Jordaan, ex-CEO of First National Bank and co-founder of Bank Zero.

Beyond Bitcoin: Decentralised Finance and the End of Banks is 240 pages long and is written for the intellectually curious layperson as well as those already established in the industry and released in stores across the US on Feb 22nd. The book is also currently available on Amazon as a paperback, audiobook, or Kindle ebook.

About Steven Boykey Sidley

Steven Boykey Sidley has worked extensively in technology and finance and is an award-winning novelist, playwright, and columnist. An American citizen, he currently

lives in Johannesburg with his wife and their two children. Steven possesses an MSc in Computer Science from UCLA and is currently a partner with Bridge Capital.

About Simon Dingle

Simon has been working with cryptocurrency since 2011 and has founded multiple fintech firms. His career spans broadcasting, journalism, design, product management, and investing all with a focus on information science, finance, and open source technologies. He is currently the chief of Venox Digital Assets which operates exclusively within the Defi space. Simon has been on the founding teams of several fintech firms, founded cryptocurrency exchange Luno, and opened banking provider Curve.

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