Cryptocurrencies and Tradable Crypto-Tokens: Introduction to the Sector's Economic Design

Can Cryptocurrencies and Crypto-protocols be rigorously analyzed?

Over the past decade the world has witnessed the rapid rise of Cryptocurrencies and Crypto-assets. Yet many financial professionals and students still struggle to confidently engage with these emerging digital instruments. Drawing on deep experience, this book bridges that critical knowledge gap —demystifying the design, risks, and economics of Crypto-protocols and their Tokens.

Inside, you’ll discover:

• How blockchain ecosystem agents interact with Cryptocurrencies and Crypto-Tokens
• The mechanisms by which Tokens are created, exchanged, stored, and destroyed
• A stable taxonomy of Crypto-Tokens through a traditional finance lens
• How to analyze Token features relevant to valuation, inflation, and property rights
• The connection between Token design and financial or operational risks
• Real-world implementation in major Crypto-protocols
• A practical interpretation of decentralized finance (DeFi)

Designed as both a textbook and a long-term professional reference, this book features over 200 original illustrations and hundreds of up-to-date references. Whether you’re a financial advisor, quantitative analyst, auditor, venture capitalist, consultant, regulator, or legal professional, you’ll find the principles, tools, and methodology you need for clear, explainable results.

Unlock the world of Crypto with clarity and confidence.

Ioannis Giannakouros is a financial and regulatory risk consultant looking back at a 25-year career in financial services and risk consulting. Working for international consultancies and based in Zurich, Switzerland, he has advised global clients – banks, central banks, insurers/reinsurers, commodity traders, fintechs – on financial products and innovation, as well as management of their financial and non-financial (including regulatory) risks. He has been active in Cryptocurrencies, Crypto-Assets and Blockchain since 2015, bringing deep insight at the intersection of traditional finance and digital assets. He holds a PhD in applied & computational mathematics from Princeton University, an LL.M. in banking & finance law from the University of London, and an engineering degree from the National Technical University of Athens.