Summary

In this chapter, we introduced the concept of a network of markets and considered the fact that blockchains could replace networks with markets. We also looked at how the Internet of information has transformed society, but has fallen short of being able to transfer value because this wasn't possible, until now.

We discovered that solving the "double spend problem" in a decentralized manner has enabled the creation of the Internet of value, which is the missing piece of the puzzle for building internet 2.0. In this new world, tokens will represent this value and they will be created, transferred, and exchanged in new markets making up this new token economy. The digital token economy will continue to grow, causing assets in the physical world to have their digital counterpart in a virtual world.

Now that we have set the scene, let's turn our focus to the all-important theory, setting you up for the rest of the book. It is a light-touch approach for beginners, breaking down several concepts that have become very important in this new decentralized world.