CRYPTO BASICS : a non-technical introduction to creating your own money for investors and... inventors

Use this practical, step-by-step guide for developers and entrepreneurs to create and run your own cryptocurrency. Author Slava Gomzin has created two cryptocurrencies and describes in this book the technology and economics of cryptocurrencies as preparation for crypto trading, investing, and other business activities. A detailed overview of special topics includes security, privacy, and usability of crypto as a mainstream payment system. Part I, Understanding Crypto, explains the technology and economic, security, and usability aspects of crypto. This is an introduction to the world of cryptography, blockchain tech, and other elements of crypto such as security, privacy, and a detailed review of payment processing. Part II, Using Crypto, provides the practical knowledge you need to dive into the crypto business such as investment, trading, and even creating your own crypto project. Part III, Creating Your Own Crypto, teaches you how to launch your own crypto project and create your own cryptocurrency. What You Will Learn Know how cryptography, Bitcoin, and other cryptos work Understand how crypto becomes money, and how crypto exchanges work Use crypto as a payment method Buy your first crypto and know what exchange you should use Be aware of the most dangerous crypto attacks and what to do about security and privacy Maintain anonymity and privacy while dealing with crypto Know how Monero (the most popular privacy-centric cryptocurrency) works Create and run your own crypto project Create your own token, both regular (fungible) and NFT (non-fungible), from selecting the platform to economics and finances Who This Book Is For Crypto inventors, entrepreneurs, developers, investors, and advisors who are thinking about creating their own cryptocurrency; traders and investors, both professional and amateur, looking to enter the crypto markets; and software architects, developers, managers, consultants, executives, and crypto enthusiasts working for merchants, banks, fintech companies, and many other businesses that have started accepting crypto payments or dealing with other aspects of crypto Table of Contents About the Author About the Technical Reviewer About the Foreword Author Acknowledgments Foreword Preface Introduction Part I: Understanding Crypto Chapter 1: How Cryptography Works First Ciphers Modern Cryptography Hash Function SHA-256 RIPEMD160 Merkle Tree Asymmetric (Public Key) Encryption Digital Signatures Elliptic Curves Cryptography and Security What’s Next? Untitled Chapter 2: How Bitcoin Works Problems Solved by Bitcoin Double-Spending Problem Distributed Peer-to-Peer Network How Bitcoin Blockchain Works Cash and Bank Transactions Blockchain vs. Bank Transaction Ledger Simplified Blockchain Transaction Dealing with Fractions Transaction Pool The Byzantine Generals Problem Proof-of-Work and Mining Generating a New Block Solving the Block Temporary Forks and Confirmations Mining Rewards Wallets and Addresses What’s Next? Chapter 3: How Other Cryptos Work Proof of Stake Delegated Proof of Stake Block Lattice How Block Lattice Works How Coins Are Transferred in Block Lattice Token Platforms What’s Next? Chapter 4: Cryptosecurity Inauguration Day Plastics or Crypto: No Difference The Great Infiltration How SQL Injection Works Ransomware Attacks Attacks on Blockchain Protocols 51% Attack More Attacks on Blockchain What’s Next? Chapter 5: Crypto Privacy Bitcoin Is Pseudonymous! Making Your Bitcoin Transactions Private Unique Wallet Address per Transaction Coin Mixers (Tumblers) The Onion Router (TOR) VPN (Virtual Private Network) What Is VPN? How Does VPN work? If I Use TOR, Should I Use VPN As Well? Besides the Case with the Coin Mixer, Should I Use TOR and VPN? Choose the Right Wallet Run Your Wallet with TOR Bitcoin TOR Nodes What’s Next? Chapter 6: How Monero Works Why Monero Is Important CryptoNote Untraceability and Unlinkability Cryptographic Monero Technologies View and Spend Keys Stealth Addresses Ring Signatures Churning Pedersen Commitments and Range Proofs Key Images Learn More About Monero What’s Next? Chapter 7: Crypto Payments Why Pay with Crypto? Why Crypto Payments Are Difficult Custodial Payment Processing Non-custodial Payment Processing Two-Tier Crypto Networks Lightning Network How Lightning Works Lightning Cons Prepaid Cards Loaded with Crypto Gift Cards Purchased with Crypto What’s Next? Part II: Using Crypto Chapter 8: How to Choose the Wallet Custodial Wallets Non-custodial Wallets Hot vs. Cold Wallets Lite (Thin Client) Wallets Desktop vs. Mobile Wallets Multisig Wallets Full Node Wallets Hardware Wallets Paper Wallets CLI Wallets Not Sure Yet Where to Start? What’s Next? Chapter 9: Getting Crypto for Free Faucets Airdrops and Bounties Bitcointalk How to Find Bounties AMA Rewards Bitcointalk Signature Campaigns Mining Mining Monero What’s Next? Chapter 10: How Crypto Exchanges Work Types of Crypto Exchanges How Centralized Spot Exchanges Work How to Become Your Own Exchange How Bisq P2P DEX Works How Uniswap DEX Works What’s Next? Chapter 11: Crypto Investment and Trading Volatility Why People Invest in Crypto Staking Crypto Trading Trading Bots Cryptohopper Trading Strategy and Paper Trading Fake Exchange Volumes What’s Next? Part III: Creating Your Own Crypto Chapter 12: Creating a Token Coins vs. Tokens How to Create a Token Without Coding Setting Up the Wallet and Getting the Testnet Coins Generating ERC-20 Token Viewing Your Token in Wallet and Block Explorer Token or Coin? Doing It the Hard Way How to Create NFT with No Coding, for Free The NFT Artwork Linking a Wallet Generating the NFT Listing the NFT for Sale What’s Next? Chapter 13: How to Start the Crypto Project Finding the Niche The Project Steps Generating the Idea Assembling the Team Writing the White Paper Creating the Website Announcing the Project Telegram Channels and Groups Incorporating Your Business Selecting the Financing Strategy Presale IXO Exchange Listing VC Investment What’s Next? Chapter 14: Running a Crypto Project Tokenomics Listing on Exchanges Market Making How to Detect Listing Scammers Marketing Scammers How to List on CoinMarketCap and CoinGecko Telegram Trolls AMA Sessions Development Team Relationship with Developers Partnerships PoC vs. MVP Open Source License Conclusion Index