These are my notes from JumpCrypto's reading list. So why even crypto? Jump frames crypto as infrastructure that is a trust-minimized ledger for value transfer, a shared state machine for computation, an open platform of composable APIs, and a token-based incentive layer that scales the network.

Utilization of Tokens

The following excerpt is from "Crypto Tokens: A Breakthrough in Open Network Design" by Chris Dixon (2017). Chris Dixon argues that crypto tokens are a major breakthrough because they give the internet a practical way to build open networks that can compete with proprietary platforms. He contrasts the early web, which enabled small teams to build products through open protocols, with today’s iOS app stores and big tech ecosystems that impose fees and restrictions, limiting independent developers’ ability to scale. Tokenization changed the game by "unbundling" Bitcoin's deeper innovation. Beyond being a store of value, Bitcoin pioneered a method of coordinating and securing a decentralized network and tokens. Generalize that idea as a reusable pattern for different kinds of networks. This idea of a reusable pattern spawned many different derivatives. Dixon explains how a token can fund and operate an open service while keeping control decentralized. He emphasizes incentives where token ownership can align users, developers, investors, and service providers with a share goal. Growing the network helps overcome the bootstrap problem by sharing the collective gain via token ownership. He points out that tokenizing networks across different domains is the next chapter in open computing, such as Linux or Wikipedia, making online infrastructure more accessible and fair.

Importance of Decentralization

"True Power" of DeFi

Bitcoin Protocol

Bitcoin's Mechanics#

Bitcoin Whitepaper#

Ethereum Whitepaper

Smart Contracts#

to be continued after my exam today...