Crypto is red-hot right now.

Media outlets are giving crypto unprecedented airtime while the general public has been captivated by the staggering price rises seen across the board. When measured in US dollar terms, Bitcoin ballooned by over 10 times in the 2017 calendar year alone.

Beyond the tremendous increases in value, crypto has received so much attention because of the challenging questions it raises about money and the role of central authorities such as banks and governments - roles which were taken for granted in the past.Before the start of the crypto revolution, government-issued banknotes and coins seemed to be the only conceivable forms of money. We had never known any other way in our lifetime, nor in that of our parents.

Fast-forward to today, and many members of the crypto community ardently believe that crypto is destined to replace government-issued money, just as the personal computer replaced the typewriter. If this vision is even halfright, the implications are hard to overstate. At the very least, crypto promises to substantially weaken the monopoly power of centralized institutions.

But these are still early days for crypto. And most members of the public find crypto to be, well, cryptic. As United States Senator Thomas Carper said: "Virtual currencies, perhaps most notably Bitcoin, have captured the imagination of some, struck fear among others, and confused the heck out of the rest of us."1 Perhaps some readers can relate to that sentiment.

Truthfully, few people have an accurate understanding of how crypto works, and many are highly skeptical. The Crypto Intro has been written to explain everything and respond to the tough crypto questions.But we may be getting ahead of ourselves. Before taking a look at how crypto functions, let's make sure we understand what we're talking about.

From the #1 bestselling author of The Big Short and Flash Boys, the high-octane story of the enigmatic figure at the heart of one of the 21st century's most spectacular financial collapses

'I asked him how much it would take for him to sell FTX and go do something other than make money. He thought the question over. "One hundred and fifty billion dollars," he finally said-though he added that he had use for "infinity dollars"...'

Sam Bankman-Fried wasn't just rich. Before he turned thirty he'd become the world's youngest billionaire, making a record fortune in the crypto frenzy. CEOs, celebrities and world leaders vied for his time. At one point he considered paying off the entire national debt of the Bahamas so he could take his business there.

Then it all fell apart.

Who was this Gatsby of the crypto world, a rumpled guy in cargo shorts, whose eyes twitched across TV interviews as he played video games on the side, who even his million-dollar investors still found a mystery? What gave him such an extraordinary ability to make money - and how did his empire collapse so spectacularly?

Michael Lewis was there when it happened, having got to know Bankman-Fried during his epic rise. In Going Infinite he tells us a story like no other, taking us through the mind-bending trajectory of a character who never liked the rules and was allowed to live by his own. Both psychological portrait of a preternaturally gifted 'thinking machine', and wild financial roller-coaster ride, this is a twenty-first-century epic of high-frequency trading and even higher stakes, of crypto mania and insane amounts of money, of hubris and downfall. No one could tell it better.

Large infrastructure projects often face significant cost overruns and stakeholder fragmentation. Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) allow governments to procure long-term infrastructure services from private providers, rather than developing, financing and managing infrastructure assets themselves. Aligning public and private interests and institutional logics to create robust, decades-long service contracts subject to shifting economic and political contexts is a significant cross-sectoral governance challenge. This work summarizes over a decade of research conducted by scholars at Stanford s Global Projects Center and multiple US and International collaborators to enhance the governance of both infrastructure projects and institutional investors, whose long term, cash flow obligations align especially well with the kinds of long term inflation-adjusted returns that PPP infrastructure projects can generate. In these pages, multiple theoretical perspectives are integrated and combined with empirical evidence to examine how experiences from more mature PPP jurisdictions can help improve PPP governance approaches worldwide. The information contained here will appeal to engineering, economics, political science, public policy and finance scholars interested in the delivery of high-quality, sustainable infrastructure services to the citizens in countries with established and emerging market economies. Officials in national, state/provincial and local government agencies seeking alternative financing and service provision strategies for their civil and social infrastructure, and legislators and their staff members interested in promoting PPP legislation will find this book invaluable. It will also be of high interest to long-term investment professionals from pension funds, sovereign funds, family offices and university endowments seeking to deploy money into the infrastructure asset class, and practitioners seeking insights into methods for enhancing stakeholder incentive alignment, reducing transaction costs and improving project outcomes in PPPs. Contributors: B.G. Cameron, G. Carollo, C.B. Casady, E.F. Crawley, K. Eriksson, W. Feng, M.J. Garvin, K.E. Gasparro, R.R. Geddes, W.J. Henisz, D.R. Lessard, R.E. Levitt, T. Liu, A.H.B. Monk, D.A. Nguyen, C. Nowacki, W.R. Scott, R. Sharma, A.J. South

George J. Benston, professor of Finance, Accounting, and Economics at Emory University's Goizueta Business School, died unexpectedly in January 2008. He was an impassioned advocate for corporate integrity and a unique scholar; his research interests were as broad as those of any recent academician. His colleagues have selected and organized his most important papers into two volumes. This first volume consists of his research in the banking and financial services industry. The editor has selected a broad range of papers from each of the major areas that are representative of Benston's work in that particular field. James D. Rosenfeld, Professor of Finance, Accounting, and Economics, Goizueta Business School, Emory University, serves as the editor and is assisted by an editorial advisory board including George Kaufman, Greg Waymire, Bob Eisenbeis, Larry Wall, Rashad Abdel-Kalik, and Lemma Senbet.

Developed for the new International A Level 2018 specification, these new resources are specifically designed for international students, with a strong focus on progression, recognition and transferable skills, allowing learning in a local context to a global standard. Recognised by universities worldwide and fully comparable to UK reformed GCE A levels. Supports a modular approach, in line with the specification. Appropriate international content puts learning in a real-world context, to a global standard, making it engaging and relevant for all learners. Reviewed by a language specialist to ensure materials are written in a clear and accessible style. The embedded transferable skills, needed for progression to higher education and employment, are signposted so students understand what skills they are developing and therefore go on to use these skills more effectively in the future. Exam practice provides opportunities to assess understanding and progress, so students can make the best progress they can.

Following the positive contribution of microfinance to economic development in some parts of South East Asia and Africa, a huge amount of time has been devoted by researchers to understand this concept for sustainable development in Africa, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. The concept of microfinance also has significant positive relationship with microbusiness development. Though there are a few books on the relationship between microfinance and poverty reduction in Africa and some developing countries across world. There is no specific book that explores the relationship between microfinance and sustainable development in Africa. Certainly, the use of microfinance for poverty reduction and economic development in the developing world is growing. However, this concept needs to be expanded to ensure its application with the view to achieving sustainable development in developing countries, particularly in Africa. Therefore, this book seeks to explore how the provision of microfinance to individuals, groups and business organisations facilitates economic growth and sustainable development in Africa. In this regard, this book hopes to examine the complex relationship between receipt of microfinance, poverty reduction, economic growth and microbusiness development, focusing on the provision of small credit facilities as a driver of sustainable development in Africa. This book aims to examine and bring on board the various views and perspectives on the relationship between microfinance and sustainable economic development in Africa through industry experts, experienced researchers and policymakers. The concept of microfinance and its relationship with sustainable development in Africa will be explored by these experts and contributors from different perspectives with the view to forming an opinion on the problems, processes and prospects of microfinance in Africa. The focus here is Sub-Saharan Africa, which has witnessed growing activities of microfinance institutions. Theoretical and empirical insight to be provided in this book will be a priceless resource to microfinance institutions, policymakers, state institutions, managers and non-governmental organisations working in developing countries particularly in Africa. This book is envisaged to also benefit financial institutions that are looking to expand their product portfolio and outreach. The book will offer great insight into theoretical, policy-oriented and practical ways to address some of the challenges of using microfinance for sustainable development in Africa. Given the focus of this book on the nexus between microfinance and sustainable development, there will be a broadening of ideas on how the provision of microfinance can aid sustainable development in Africa.

The definitive guide to long-term investing success-fully updated to address the realities of today's markets Technology, information overload, and increasing market dominance by expert investors and computers make it harder than ever to produce investing results that overcome operating costs and fees. Winning the Loser's Game reveals everything you need to know to reduce costs, fees, and taxes, and focus on long-term policies that are right for you. Candid, short, and super easy to read, Winning the Loser's Game walks you through the process of developing and implementing a powerful investing strategy that generates solid profits year after year. In this eagerly awaited new edition, Charles D. Ellis applies the expertise developed over his long, illustrious career. This updated edition includes: NEW CHAPTERS on bond investing, how investor behavior affects returns, and how technology and big data are challenging traditional investment decisions NEW RESEARCH and evidence supporting the case for indexing investment operations NEW INSIGHTS into the role of governance, developing a comprehensive saving strategy, and the power of regression to the mean Companies change, and markets and economies go up and down-sometimes a lot. But the core principles of successful investing never change-and never will. That's why, when you've read this book, you'll know all you really need to know to be successful in investing. With Winning the Loser's Game, you have everything you need to identify your unique investment objectives, develop a realistic and powerful investment program, and drive superior results.

Appointed by George W. Bush as the chairman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) in 2006, Sheila Bair witnessed the origins of the financial crisis and in 2008 became--along with Hank Paulson, Ben Bernanke, and Timothy Geithner--one of the key public servants trying to repair the damage to the global economy. "Bull by the Horns" is her remarkable and refreshingly honest account of that contentious time and the struggle for reform that followed and continues to this day.

Transform your high school accounting course with CENTURY 21 ACCOUNTING MULTICOLUMN JOURNAL 11E, the leader in high school accounting education for more than 100 years. CENTURY 21 ACCOUNTING 11E maintains its renowned instructional design and step-by-step approach to teaching accounting. Greater emphasis on conceptual understanding and financial statement analysis encourages students to apply accounting concepts to real-world situations and make informed business decisions. Updated features like Forensic Accounting, Think Like an Accountant, Financial Literacy, and Why Accounting? are a few examples of the expanded opportunities for students to master critical-thinking skills. In addition, problems integrated throughout the text equip students to work with Microsoft Excel (R), Sage50 (R), and QuickBooks (R), using step-by-step instructions for practice using real-world software. MindTap, the online course solution includes the full, interactive eBook as well as auto-graded Online Working Papers, powered by Aplia, and other activities built to engage students and help them master accounting skills.

As the spectrum of the internet of things (IoT) expands, artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted agile IoT is the way forward for sustainable finance. The depth of agile IoT has changed the financial market, and it may quickly evolve as a powerful tool in the future. The convergence of AI and IoT techniques will significantly extract valuable financial information and offer better services to customers. Some of the potential benefits of AI-assisted agile IoT for FinTech include prompt customer support, in-door client navigation, on-site queue management, improved customer experience, security and authenticity, wireless payments, increased business efficiency, self-checkout services, and business automation. There is no doubt that leveraging the complete potential of AI-assisted agile IoT will result in the creation of a new and innovative financial system. AI-Enabled Agile Internet of Things for Sustainable FinTech Ecosystems presents the advances in AI-assisted agile IoT for financial technologies (FinTech). It further explains the new applications, current issues, challenges, and future directions of the field of AI-assisted agile IoT for FinTech applications and ecosystems. Covering topics such as consensus algorithms, IoT-based banking, and secure authentication, this premier reference source is an excellent resource for business executives and managers, IT managers, librarians, students and faculty of higher education, researchers, and academicians.

This thought-provoking book introduces a financial economics perspective to the topic of eco-innovations and, more generally, sociotechnical transitions. It develops a model that illustrates how financial constraints can prevent the development of eco-innovations within companies and hinder the transition process towards a more sustainable regime. Edgardo Sica presents a review of the state of the art, as well as new data from original surveys aimed at testing the impact of financial constraints on eco-innovative decisions at radical and niche levels. He proposes a definitive conceptualisation of eco-innovations while stressing the relevance of the environmental performance of innovations, rather than the environmental motivation of the innovators. Through the use of a unique multilevel perspective model, the book critically analyses the extent to which financial constraints can hinder eco-innovative decisions, thereby crucially filling a gap in the current literature on eco-innovations. Firms, Finance and Sustainable Transitions will prove a stimulating read for academics, researchers and experts within the fields of eco-innovations, sustainable development, financial and environmental economics, and green finance.