VALUEWEB: How fintech firms are using bitcoin blockchain and mobile technologies to create the Internet of value

by Chris Skinner

The Internet of Things is all about machines trading with machines – your fridge orders groceries; your car, fuel; your television, entertainment; and so on. However, machines cannot trade with machines if it’s expensive and slow. Would you really want your TV to order the next season of Games of Thrones, if the payment took ten days and cost $25 or more? Unfortunately with the way the bank system works today, that is the problem we face today. As a result, we need an Internet of Value to work with the Internet of Things. The Internet of Value — or ValueWeb, for short — allows machines to trade with machines and people with people, anywhere on this planet in real-time and for free. Using a combination of technologies from mobile devices to bitcoin and the blockchain, fintech firms are building the ValueWeb. The question then is what does this mean for financial institutions, governments and citizens? This book provides the answers.

Genres: Technology, Business, Nonfiction

426 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2016

Reviews

[Paul · Rating 1 out of 5]

I feel angry with myself that I bought this as I should have known what to expect. A very corporate book clearly designed to cash in on the current blockchain buzz in financial services. Low on genuine insight and intellectual challenge and half of the book was just reprinted interviews from the guy's blog, or something. Figures not properly labelled and the same nuggets of info were repeated all the way through. A few targeted google searches would give just as much insight as this book.

[Warren Mcpherson · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is a survey of innovation in the financial sector. Clearly aimed at encouraging bankers to innovate. It anticipates the force that transformed the travel industry, book stores now beginning to impact the financial industry. It has some good insight about the significance of moving value over the network. There is an extensive collection of interviews of people active in developing new business models. It particularly focuses on the role of mobile phones and takes a broad view of value exchange that includes facebook likes and linden dollars from Second Life.
There is a strong case for a modern approach to software development that focuses on the user. The significance of mobile phones is well developed. The story on m-pesa is a wonderful one, I have seen several renditions of it and the topic is always fascinating. The link to bank innovation and development is clear and well developed.
The book stumbles when it comes to cryptocurrency. "Crime as a service" is important to understand, but there is more that needs to be understood. The book repeatedly and erroneously refers to email addresses being used for bitcoin. It cites the failure of banks on Second Life as a key reason for regulating Bitcoin, which is a trivial analysis.
I felt the interviews gave me a sense of what people in the industry are looking at. With the emphasis on bank licences and bank branches the reader might come away with the impression that change will be more quantitative than qualitative.
There are a handful interesting examples. But I felt the facts presented were unreliable and the central arguments were not fully developed. A strong case was made for mobile banking apps but that doesn't establish the transformational impact of network enabled value transfer.

[Sami Cash · Rating 4 out of 5]

Better than expected tear-down of FinTech, focusing primarily on transfer of value (money) via incumbent banks, challenger banks and cryptocurrencies.

[Joao · Rating 3 out of 5]

Different approach at looking at blockchain technology, kind of repetitive.
I most like the interviews more than the book.

[Vedat Guven · Rating 5 out of 5]

Çok sağlam bir kitap. Yazar konuları güzel derlemiş, Fintech'ler, startup'lar, kripto paralar ve dijital kimlik ile yakın geleceği ve de günümüzdeki çok yeni uygulamaları güzel anlatmış.

[Igor Kuznetsov · Rating 1 out of 5]

Говно мамонта

[Ronald J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good review of how traditional banks need to adjust. Includes some skeptics with respect to Bitcoin, which are compelling arguments against it as a currency. Can banks adapt? The historical evidence says they can. Interesting look at why and how.