Crypto Canon | Andreessen Horowitz 08/09/22, 4:33 PM

It's time to Portfolio Team Focus Areas !

build Content ! About Jobs "

Crypto Canon
by Sonal Chokshi, Chris Dixon, Denis Nazarov, Jesse Walden, and Ali Yahya

crypto & web3 • online communities • Here’s a list of crypto readings and resources (2018-
open source •
2019). It’s organized from building blocks and basics;
coding literacy & access •
glossaries & terms to know • listicles • foundations (& history); and key concepts — followed
nature of the firm & evolving institutions • by specific topics such as governance; privacy and
NFTs • The Canons • trends 2018 •
security; scaling; consensus and governance;
what we're reading •
zero knowledge proofs cryptoeconomics, cryptoassets, and investing;
fundraising and token distribution; decentralized
exchanges; stablecoins; and cryptoeconomic primitives
and crypto goods (non-fungible tokens,
cryptocollectibles, token-curated registries, curation
markets). We also included a section with developer
tutorials, practical guides, and maker stories — as well
as other resources, such as newsletters/updates and
courses, at the end. [You can find a16z’s writings, posts,
and videos on the topic at a16z.com/crypto.]

For a list of resources dedicated to NFTs, applications,

community/social tokens and creator DAOs, please see
a16z.com/nftcanon.

* * *

https://a16z.com/2018/02/10/crypto-readings-resources/ Page 1 of 32
Crypto Canon | Andreessen Horowitz 08/09/22, 4:33 PM

Building Blocks and Basics

WTF is the blockchain? — understanding the problem

it solves before defining it
by Mohit Mamoria
https://hackernoon.com/wtf-is-the-blockchain-
1da89ba19348

Ever wonder how bitcoin (and other

cryptocurrencies) actually work?
from 3Blue1Brown
https://youtu.be/bBC-nXj3Ng4

How the bitcoin protocol actually works

by Michael Nielsen
http://www.michaelnielsen.org/ddi/how-the-bitcoin-pro-
tocol-actually-works/

Ethereum in 25 minutes
by Vitalik Buterin
https://youtu.be/66SaEDzlmP4

How does Ethereum work, anyway? — how it

functions at a technical level, without complex math
by Preethi Kasireddy
https://medium.com/@preethikasireddy/how-does-
ethereum-work-anyway-22d1df506369

Decrypting crypto, from bitcoin and blockchain to

ICOs
by Alex Rampell
https://a16z.com/2017/12/08/summit-crypto-alex-
rampell/

https://a16z.com/2018/02/10/crypto-readings-resources/ Page 2 of 32
Crypto Canon | Andreessen Horowitz 08/09/22, 4:33 PM

An introduction to crypto
by Linda Xie
https://a16z.com/2018/05/04/intro-to-crypto/

Cryptographic hash function — what they are,

properties of, etc.
by Khan Academy
https://youtu.be/0WiTaBI82Mc

Basic primer on blockchain — ledger basics, why it

matters
by Chris Berg, Sinclair Davidson, and Jason Potts
https://medium.com/@cryptoeconomics/the-blockchain-
economy-a-beginners-guide-to-institutional-cryptoeco-
nomics-64bf2f2beec4

Basic terminology for Ethereum — from gas to dapps

(distributed apps)
by Matt Condon
https://medium.com/@mattcondon/getting-up-to-speed-
on-ethereum-63ed28821bbe

A basic glossary of terms — a few short and simple

definitions
https://tangelo.co/insights/blog/techs-must-have-refer-
ence-guide-to-blockchain-and-cryptocurrency

Crypto Glossary: Cryptocurrencies & Blockchains —

key concepts and terms to know that relate to NFTs
(cryptography, proof of stake, more)
by Alex Pruden and Sonal Chokshi
https://a16z.com/2019/11/08/crypto-glossary/

Beginner’s guide series on cryptoassets (series) —

from ethereum to litecoin

https://a16z.com/2018/02/10/crypto-readings-resources/ Page 3 of 32
Crypto Canon | Andreessen Horowitz 08/09/22, 4:33 PM

by Linda Xie
https://medium.com/@linda.xie/beginners-guide-series-
on-cryptoassets-d897535d887

Foundations (& History)

Bitcoin whitepaper (2009): A Peer-to-Peer Electronic

Cash System
by Satoshi Nakamoto
https://bitcoin.org/bitcoin.pdf

Ethereum whitepaper (2013+): A Next-Generation

Smart Contract and Decentralized Application
Platform
by Vitalik Buterin et al
https://github.com/ethereum/wiki/wiki/White-Paper

The Byzantine Generals Problem (1982)

by Leslie Lamport, Robert Shostak, and Marshall Pease
https://people.eecs.berkeley.edu/~luca/cs174/byzan-
tine.pdf

The Agoric papers series (1988)

by Mark Miller and K. Eric Drexler
https://agoric.com/references/#aos

The idea of smart contracts (1997)

by Nick Szabo
http://www.fon.hum.uva.nl/rob/Courses/InformationIn-
Speech/CDROM/Literature/LOTwinterschool2006/sz-
abo.best.vwh.net/idea.html

Why bitcoin matters (2014)

by Marc Andreessen

https://a16z.com/2018/02/10/crypto-readings-resources/ Page 4 of 32
Crypto Canon | Andreessen Horowitz 08/09/22, 4:33 PM

https://dealbook.nytimes.com/2014/01/21/why-bitcoin-
matters/

Bitcoin’s academic pedigree (2017)

by Arvind Narayanan and Jeremy Clark
https://queue.acm.org/detail.cfm?id=3136559

Key Concepts

Beyond the bitcoin bubble

by Steven Johnson
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/16/magazine/beyond-
the-bitcoin-bubble.html

Crypto tokens: A breakthrough in open network

design
by Chris Dixon
https://medium.com/@cdixon/crypto-tokens-a-break-
through-in-open-network-design-e600975be2ef

Crypto tokens and the coming age of protocol

innovation
by Albert Wenger
http://continuations.com/post/148098927445/crypto-
tokens-and-the-coming-age-of-protocol

Fat protocols
by Joel Monegro
https://www.usv.com/blog/fat-protocols

Cryptocurrencies, app coins, and investing in

protocols
Olaf Carson-Wee, Chris Dixon, and Sonal Chokshi
https://a16z.com/2017/04/03/cryptocurrencies-proto-

https://a16z.com/2018/02/10/crypto-readings-resources/ Page 5 of 32
Crypto Canon | Andreessen Horowitz 08/09/22, 4:33 PM

cols-appcoins/

Getting applications into people’s hands

Juan Benet and Chris Dixon
https://a16z.com/2017/09/14/networks-protocols-labs-
tokens/

Blockchain: what is it good for? — including smart

contracts
by Ed Felten
http://freedom-to-tinker.com/2018/02/26/blockchain-
what-is-it-good-for/

How the U.S. government used blockchain to fight

fraud
by Kathryn Haun
https://youtu.be/507wn9VcSAE

Bitcoin network effects

by Elad Gil
http://blog.eladgil.com/2017/12/bitcoin-network-
effects_11.html

Keepers: workers that maintain blockchain networks

— when designed correctly, tokens can act like rocket-
fuel for driving network effects by incentivizing desired
behaviors
by Ryan Zurrer
https://medium.com/@rzurrer/keepers-workers-that-
maintain-blockchain-networks-a40182615b66

The quiet master of cryptocurrency — Nick Szabo in

conversation with Naval Ravikant
by Tim Ferris
https://tim.blog/2017/06/04/nick-szabo/

https://a16z.com/2018/02/10/crypto-readings-resources/ Page 6 of 32
Crypto Canon | Andreessen Horowitz 08/09/22, 4:33 PM

Why crypto tokens matter

Fred Ehrsam and Chris Dixon
https://a16z.com/2017/09/28/cryptocurrencies-net-
works-tokens/

What are cryptonetworks and why are tokens

fundamental? — with full deck
by Nick Grossman
https://www.nickgrossman.xyz/2018/cryptonetworks-
and-why-tokens-are-fundamental/

Why it’s hard to “get” bitcoin: the blockchain

spectrum
by Dhruv Bansal
https://blog.unchained-capital.com/blockchain-spec-
trum-806847e1c575

Money, blockchains, and social scalability

by Nick Szabo
http://unenumerated.blogspot.com/2017/02/money-
blockchains-and-social-scalability.html

What do we mean by “blockchains are trustless”?

by Preethi Kasireddy
https://medium.com/@preethikasireddy/eli5-what-do-
we-mean-by-blockchains-are-trustless-aa420635d5f6

Why decentralization matters — from eras of the

internet to cryptonetworks
by Chris Dixon
https://medium.com/@cdixon/why-decentralization-mat-
ters-5e3f79f7638e

The meaning of decentralization — but what does that

actually mean? nuances, depth

https://a16z.com/2018/02/10/crypto-readings-resources/ Page 7 of 32
Crypto Canon | Andreessen Horowitz 08/09/22, 4:33 PM

by Vitalik Buterin
https://medium.com/@VitalikButerin/the-meaning-of-
decentralization-a0c92b76a274

Quantifying decentralization — we must be able to

measure blockchain decentralization before we can
improve it
by Balaji Srinivasan and Leland Lee
https://news.earn.com/quantifying-decentralization-
e39db233c28e

The truth about blockchain — framework for adoption

to help big company executives understand state of
development; strategic investments; challenges,
resources, processes to facilitate adoption
by Marco Iansiti and Karim Lakhani
https://hbr.org/2017/01/the-truth-about-blockchain

The slow death of the firm

by Nick Tomaino
https://thecontrol.co/the-slow-death-of-the-firm-
1bd6cc81286b

Vitalik Buterin, creator of Ethereum — Unchained: big

ideas from the worlds of blockchain and cryptocurrency
by Laura Shin
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/unchained-big-
ideas-from-worlds-blockchain-
cryptocurrency/id1123922160

Mental models for understanding tokens

Nick Tomaino and Chris Dixon
https://a16z.com/2018/01/21/mental-models-tokens-
crypto-trends/

https://a16z.com/2018/02/10/crypto-readings-resources/ Page 8 of 32
Crypto Canon | Andreessen Horowitz 08/09/22, 4:33 PM

Hard forks, soft forks, defaults, and coercion —

illustrating fork types, benefits, addressing criticisms
by Vitalik Buterin
https://vitalik.ca/general/2017/03/14/forks_and_mar-
kets.html

Governance

An overview of governance in blockchains —

introduction slides to a working paper
by Odysseas Sclavounis and Nic Carter
https://www.docdroid.net/ddz6VzP/overview-gover-
nance-blockchains-nc-zcon.pdf

Governance deep dive — slides from Blockchain at

Berkeley
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/10cLFnYa-
R0r58DyPVYwMgJq3nJOFVkO02hxJf1hxGnJ0/edit?
usp=sharing
by Alexandra Tran and Steven Elleman

The myth of the irrational token holder — why

blockchain governance doesn’t fit squarely into any
existing model
by Kathleen Breitman
https://medium.com/@kathleenbreit/the-myth-of-the-
irrational-token-holder-c12438709afd

Blockchain governance/ governance 101 — talk from

Ethereum Foundation at BeyondBlock Taipei 2017
by Vlad Zamfir
https://youtu.be/9RtSod8EXn4

Blockchain governance — design components,

https://a16z.com/2018/02/10/crypto-readings-resources/ Page 9 of 32
Crypto Canon | Andreessen Horowitz 08/09/22, 4:33 PM

approaches, suggestions
by Fred Ehrsam
https://medium.com/@FEhrsam/blockchain-gover-
nance-programming-our-future-c3bfe30f2d74

Against on-chain governance — refuting (and

rebuking) the above post
by Vlad Zamfir
https://medium.com/@Vlad_Zamfir/against-on-chain-
governance-a4ceacd040ca

On-chain vote buying and the rise of dark DAOs — on

on-chain voting and governance
by Philip Daian, Tyler Kell, Ian Miers, and Ari Juels
http://hackingdistributed.com/2018/07/02/on-chain-
vote-buying/

Thoughts on governance and network effects

Luke Duncan
https://blog.aragon.one/thoughts-on-governance-and-
network-effects-f40fda3e3f98

Notes on blockchain governance

by Vitalik Buterin
http://vitalik.ca/general/2017/12/17/voting.html

Tezos position paper — a self-amending crypto-ledger

by Arthur and Kathleen Breitman
https://www.tezos.com/static/papers/position_paper.pdf

An Overview of Cosmos Hub Governance — how a

proposal is submitted, how deposits are collected, how
the voting happens and how the final outcome is
determined
by Felix Lutsch

https://a16z.com/2018/02/10/crypto-readings-resources/ Page 10 of 32
Crypto Canon | Andreessen Horowitz 08/09/22, 4:33 PM

https://blog.chorus.one/an-overview-of-cosmos-hub-
governance/

Privacy and Security

Privacy on the blockchain

by Vitalik Buterin
https://blog.ethereum.org/2016/01/15/privacy-on-the-
blockchain/

Securing smart contracts (series) — 6 Solidity

vulnerabilities and how to avoid them
from Loom
https://medium.com/loom-network/how-to-secure-your-
smart-contracts-6-solidity-vulnerabilities-and-how-to-
avoid-them-part-1-c33048d4d17d
https://medium.com/loom-network/how-to-secure-your-
smart-contracts-6-solidity-vulnerabilities-and-how-to-
avoid-them-part-2-730db0aa4834

Ethereum smart contract best practices

by ConsenSys Diligence
https://consensys.github.io/smart-contract-best-
practices/

Town Crier: an authenticated data feed for smart

contracts
by Fan Zhang, Ethan Cecchetti, Kyle Croman, Ari Juels,
and Elaine Shi
https://eprint.iacr.org/2016/168.pdf

Devcon3 panel on formal verification

Phil Daian, Everett Hildenbrandt, Yoichi Hirai, and Loi
Luu, moderated by Reto Trinkler

https://a16z.com/2018/02/10/crypto-readings-resources/ Page 11 of 32
Crypto Canon | Andreessen Horowitz 08/09/22, 4:33 PM

https://youtu.be/DrDIcirrhWM

What are zk-SNARKs?

by Jay Graber
https://z.cash/technology/zksnarks.html

Introduction to zero-knowledge proofs — Zero

Knowledge podcast episode 21, examples and
underlying concepts
by Fredrik Harrysson and Anna Rose
https://www.zeroknowledge.fm/21

Understanding zero-knowledge proofs — a summary

based on the above episode of Zero Knowledge (with
Fredrik Harrysson and Anna Rose)
by Nicole Zhu
https://blog.goodaudience.com/understanding-zero-
knowledge-proofs-through-simple-examples-
df673f796d99

Zk-SNARKs: under the hood (series) — assumes basic

knowledge of zk-SNARKs (zero-knowledge succinct
non-interactive argument of knowledge)
by Vitalik Buterin
https://medium.com/@VitalikButerin/zk-snarks-under-
the-hood-b33151a013f6

STARKs, part I: proofs with polynomials — general-

purpose technology that can be used for all sorts of
use cases ranging from verifiable computation to
privacy-preserving cryptocurrency
by Vitalik Buterin
https://vitalik.ca/general/2017/11/09/starks_part_1.html

Scalable, transparent, and post-quantum secure

https://a16z.com/2018/02/10/crypto-readings-resources/ Page 12 of 32
Crypto Canon | Andreessen Horowitz 08/09/22, 4:33 PM

computational integrity — on transparent zk-SNARKs

(zk-STARKs) as a solution to the tension between
personal privacy and institutional integrity
by Eli Ben-Sasson, Iddo Bentov, Yinon Horesh, and
Michael Riabzev
https://eprint.iacr.org/2018/046.pdf

Succinct non-interactive zero knowledge for a von

Neumann Architecture
by Eli Ben-Sasson, Alessandro Chiesa, Eran Tromer,
and Madars Virza
https://eprint.iacr.org/2013/879.pdf

Scaling

Blockchains don’t scale — not today, at least… but

there’s hope
by Preethi Kasireddy
https://hackernoon.com/blockchains-dont-scale-not-to-
day-at-least-but-there-s-hope-2cb43946551a

The decentralized-consistent-scale (DCS) triangle —

on the “trilemma” of scalability, tradeoffs between
decentralized, consistent, or scalable
by Trent McConaghy
https://blog.bigchaindb.com/the-dcs-triangle-
5ce0e9e0f1dc

Models for scaling trustless computation — on the

“trilemma” of scalability, tradeoffs between safety,
scalability, and decentralization of block production
by Kyle Samani
https://multicoin.capital/2018/02/23/models-scaling-
trustless-computation/

https://a16z.com/2018/02/10/crypto-readings-resources/ Page 13 of 32
Crypto Canon | Andreessen Horowitz 08/09/22, 4:33 PM

What are zk-SNARKs and why do they matter? (a

fable) — a tale of Ethereum scalability
by Eric Gorski
https://blog.gnosis.pm/the-parrot-and-the-viper-a-tale-
of-ethereum-scalability-3d121df3de87

Platform currencies may soon be obsolete — here is

my claim: within 5 years the biggest cryptocurrency by
market cap will be an application token
by Aleksandr Bulkin
https://blog.coinfund.io/platform-currencies-may-soon-
be-obsolete-78d9b263d902

The importance of layer two — an HTTP of bitcoin and

blockchains
by Elizabeth Stark
https://youtu.be/3PcR4HWJnkY

What is the Lightning Network and how can it help

bitcoin scale?
by Elizabeth Stark
https://coincenter.org/entry/what-is-the-lightning-
network

Making sense of Ethereum’s Layer 2 scaling

solutions: state channels, Plasma, and Truebit
by Josh Stark
https://medium.com/l4-media/making-sense-of-
ethereums-layer-2-scaling-solutions-state-channels-
plasma-and-truebit-22cb40dcc2f4

On managing tradeoffs between Layer 1 and Layer 2

innovations
by Vitalik Buterin
https://vitalik.ca/general/2018/08/26/layer_1.html

https://a16z.com/2018/02/10/crypto-readings-resources/ Page 14 of 32
Crypto Canon | Andreessen Horowitz 08/09/22, 4:33 PM

Scaling Tezos — scaling with recursive SNARKs

(succinct non-interactive zero-knowledge proofs of
knowledge)
by Arthur Breitman
https://hackernoon.com/scaling-tezo-8de241dd91bd

Ethereum Foundation research initiatives — primary

topics in both pure and applied research
by Ethereum Foundation
http://notes.eth.sg/CwIwZgbAjADAxgUwLQEMUIKxOC-
sWCcIEwShAHCgEwJj4qyVA

Ethereum scalability research and development

subsidy programs
by Vitalik Buterin
https://blog.ethereum.org/2018/01/02/ethereum-scala-
bility-research-development-subsidy-programs/

A beginner’s guide to Ethermint

by Tendermint
https://blog.cosmos.network/a-beginners-guide-to-
ethermint-38ee15f8a6f4

Construction of a plasma chain 0x1

by David Knott
https://blog.omisego.network/construction-of-a-plasma-
chain-0x1-614f6ebd1612

Accounts, transactions, gas, and block gas limits in

Ethereum
by Hudson Jameson
https://hudsonjameson.com/2017-06-27-accounts-
transactions-gas-ethereum/

Interplanetary linked computing: separating Merkle

https://a16z.com/2018/02/10/crypto-readings-resources/ Page 15 of 32
Crypto Canon | Andreessen Horowitz 08/09/22, 4:33 PM

Computing from blockchain computational courts

by Simon de la Rouviere
https://media.consensys.net/interplanetary-linked-com-
puting-separating-merkle-computing-from-blockchain-
computational-courts-1ade201ecf8a

Ethereum sharding: overview and finality

by Hsiao-Wei Wang
https://medium.com/@icebearhww/ethereum-sharding-
and-finality-65248951f649

Consensus

What it means to have consensus in a distributed

system — brief basics of distributed systems and
distributed “consensus”
by Preethi Kasireddy
https://medium.com/@preethikasireddy/lets-take-a-
crack-at-understanding-distributed-consensus-
dad23d0dc95

Decentralization in bitcoin and ethereum

by Adem Efe Gencer, Soumya Basu, Ittay Eyal, Robbert
van Renesse, and Emin Gün Sirer
http://hackingdistributed.com/2018/01/15/decentraliza-
tion-bitcoin-ethereum/

A proof of stake design philosophy

by Vitalik Buterin
https://medium.com/@VitalikButerin/a-proof-of-stake-
design-philosophy-506585978d51

Delegrated proof of stake: Features and tradeoffs

by Myles Snider

https://a16z.com/2018/02/10/crypto-readings-resources/ Page 16 of 32
Crypto Canon | Andreessen Horowitz 08/09/22, 4:33 PM

https://multicoin.capital/2018/03/02/delegated-proof-
stake-features-tradeoffs/

Seeking consensus on consensus — DPOS (delegated

proof of stake) and the Two Generals’ problem
by Ian Grigg
https://steemit.com/eos/@iang/seeking-consensus-on-
consensus-dpos-or-delegated-proof-of-stake-and-the-
two-generals-problem

Consensus Compare: Casper vs. Tendermint;

Tendermint BFT vs. EOS dPoS
from Tendermint
https://blog.cosmos.network/consensus-compare-
casper-vs-tendermint-6df154ad56ae
https://blog.cosmos.network/consensus-compare-ten-
dermint-bft-vs-eos-dpos-46c5bca7204b

Ethereum Casper 101

by Jon Choi
https://medium.com/@jonchoi/ethereum-casper-101-
7a851a4f1eb0

The history of Casper  (series)

by Vlad Zamfir
https://medium.com/@Vlad_Zamfir/the-history-of-
casper-part-1-59233819c9a9

Inflation and participation in stake-based token

protocols
by Doug Petkanics
https://medium.com/@petkanics/inflation-and-participa-
tion-in-stake-based-token-protocols-1593688612bf

https://a16z.com/2018/02/10/crypto-readings-resources/ Page 17 of 32
Crypto Canon | Andreessen Horowitz 08/09/22, 4:33 PM

Cryptoeconomics, Cryptoassets, and

Investing

Making sense of cryptoeconomics — the term and the

concept
by Josh Stark
https://hackernoon.com/making-sense-of-cryptoeco-
nomics-5edea77e4e8d

A crash course in mechanism design for

cryptoeconomic applications — understanding the
basic fundamentals of cryptoeconomics
from BlockChannel
https://medium.com/blockchannel/a-crash-course-in-
mechanism-design-for-cryptoeconomic-applications-
a9f06ab6a976

The security token thesis — when a broad array of

assets moves to blockchain records of ownership
(represented by tokens)
by Stephen McKeon
https://hackernoon.com/the-security-token-thesis-
4c5904761063

Cryptoasset valuations — a theory and framework for

evaluating
by Chris Burniske
https://medium.com/@cburniske/cryptoasset-valua-
tions-ac83479ffca7

An (institutional) investor’s take on cryptoassets

by John Pfeffer
https://s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/john-
pfeffer/An+Investor%27s+Take+on+Cryptoassets+v6.pd

https://a16z.com/2018/02/10/crypto-readings-resources/ Page 18 of 32
Crypto Canon | Andreessen Horowitz 08/09/22, 4:33 PM

Comments on the above (tweetstorm) — network

effects?; programmability as feature of money
by Kyle Samani
https://twitter.com/KyleSamani/sta-
tus/943277077037506560

On value, velocity, and monetary theory — a new

approach to cryptoasset valuations
by Alex Evans
https://medium.com/blockchannel/on-value-velocity-
and-monetary-theory-a-new-approach-to-cryptoasset-
valuations-32c9b22e3b6f

On the quantity theory of money for tokens — take

from a former research officer at Federal Reserve Bank
(Minneapolis)
by Warren Weber
https://blog.coinfund.io/the-quantity-theory-of-money-
for-tokens-dbfbc5472423

On medium-of-exchange token valuations

by Vitalik Buterin
http://vitalik.ca/general/2017/10/17/moe.html

Understanding token velocity

by Kyle Samani
https://multicoin.capital/2017/12/08/understanding-to-
ken-velocity/

A process for evaluating new tokens

by Nick Tomaino
https://thecontrol.co/our-process-for-evaluating-new-
tokens-4627ed97f500

https://a16z.com/2018/02/10/crypto-readings-resources/ Page 19 of 32
Crypto Canon | Andreessen Horowitz 08/09/22, 4:33 PM

Token classification framework — a multi-dimensional

tool for understanding and classifying crypto tokens
by Thomas Euler
http://www.untitled-inc.com/the-token-classification-
framework-a-multi-dimensional-tool-for-understanding-
and-classifying-crypto-tokens/

On cryptocurrency communities
by Nick Tomaino
https://thecontrol.co/on-cryptocurrency-communities-
f592b5ce6b0b

Fat protocols are not an investment thesis

by Jake Brukhman
https://blog.coinfund.io/fat-protocols-are-not-an-invest-
ment-thesis-17c8837c2734

Skin-in-the-game coins
by Ryan Selkis
https://medium.com/tbis-weekly-bits/skin-in-the-game-
coins-da0afdfdc650

Fundraising and Token Distribution

Thoughts on tokens
by Balaji Srinivasan
https://news.earn.com/thoughts-on-tokens-
436109aabcbe

Funding the evolution of blockchains

by Fred Ehrsam
https://medium.com/@FEhrsam/funding-the-evolution-
of-blockchains-87d160988481

https://a16z.com/2018/02/10/crypto-readings-resources/ Page 20 of 32
Crypto Canon | Andreessen Horowitz 08/09/22, 4:33 PM

The bitcoin model for crowdfunding

by Naval Ravikant
https://startupboy.com/2014/03/09/the-bitcoin-model-
for-crowdfunding/

How to make bonding curves for continuous token

models — a novel token distribution mechanism for
building healthy communities, a technical primer
by Slava Balasanov
https://blog.relevant.community/how-to-make-bonding-
curves-for-continuous-token-models-3784653f8b17

Separating the staking token from the fee token

— introducing the Photon (the Hard Spoon explained)
by Tendermint
https://blog.cosmos.network/cosmos-fee-token-intro-
ducing-the-photon-8a62b2f51aa

Explanation of DAICOs
by Vitalik Buterin
https://ethresear.ch/t/explanation-of-daicos/465

The SAFT Project

https://saftproject.com/

Regulatory environment and considerations —

updates and explainers
from Coin Center
https://coincenter.org/our-work

Decentralized Exchanges

State of decentralized exchanges, 2018

by Nathan Sexer

https://a16z.com/2018/02/10/crypto-readings-resources/ Page 21 of 32
Crypto Canon | Andreessen Horowitz 08/09/22, 4:33 PM

https://media.consensys.net/state-of-decentralized-ex-
changes-2018-276dad340c79

Networked liquidity — projects solving the chicken

and egg problem
by Radar Relay
https://medium.com/radarrelay/networked-liquidity-
2030d85af897

List of decentralized exchanges — of cryptocurrencies

and tokens (does not yet include column for degree of
decentralization)
https://github.com/PYMERVAL/decentradexchange

Stablecoins

Stablecoins: A holy grail in digital currency

by Nick Tomaino
https://thecontrol.co/stablecoins-a-holy-grail-in-digital-
currency-b64f3371e111

An overview of stablecoins
by Myles Snider
https://multicoin.capital/2018/01/17/an-overview-of-
stablecoins/

The search for a stable cryptocurrency

by Vitalik Buterin
https://blog.ethereum.org/2014/11/11/search-stable-
cryptocurrency/

Maker for dummies: a plain English explanation of the

Dai stablecoin
by Gregory DiPrisco

https://a16z.com/2018/02/10/crypto-readings-resources/ Page 22 of 32
Crypto Canon | Andreessen Horowitz 08/09/22, 4:33 PM

https://medium.com/cryptolinks/maker-for-dummies-a-
plain-english-explanation-of-the-dai-stablecoin-
e4481d79b90

Cryptoeconomic Primitives and Crypto

Goods: Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs),
Cryptocollectibles, Token Curated
Registries (TCRs), and Curation Markets

The emergence of cryptoeconomic primitives —

definitions and building blocks of a token-based
economy
by Jacob Home
https://medium.com/@jacobscott/the-emergence-of-
cryptoeconomic-primitives-14ef3300cc10

Token lexicon — buzzwords related to curation markets

and collectibles
by Billy Rennekamp
https://medium.com/@billyrennekamp/token-lexicon-
b4ed9a4ce363

Smart media tokens

from Steemit
https://smt.steem.io/smt-whitepaper.pdf

Digital pets that don’t die

by Elaine Ou
https://elaineou.com/2017/12/03/digital-pets-that-dont-
die/

Will cryptocurrencies be the art market’s next big

thing?

https://a16z.com/2018/02/10/crypto-readings-resources/ Page 23 of 32
Crypto Canon | Andreessen Horowitz 08/09/22, 4:33 PM

by Scott Reyburn
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/13/arts/cryptocurren-
cy-art-market.html

Digital collectibles and the weird future of “digibles”

by Josh Stark
https://hackernoon.com/digital-collectibles-and-the-
weird-future-of-digibles-f75f4bf0f9aa

Cryptocollectibles are XLNT, but nobody knows

what’s next
by Matt Condon
https://medium.com/xlnt-art/cryptocollectibles-are-xlnt-
but-nobody-knows-whats-next-a7892b311637

Rare pepe — what happens when you combine a

crypto-asset with a meme and a trading card
by Fred Wilson
http://avc.com/2017/05/rare-pepe/

Introducing curation markets — trade popularity of

memes and information (with code!)
by Simon de la Rouviere
https://medium.com/@simondlr/introducing-curation-
markets-trade-popularity-of-memes-information-with-
code-70bf6fed9881

Curation markets (tweetstorm) — summary and

implications of
by Fred Ehrsam
https://twitter.com/FEhrsam/sta-
tus/958388803655184386

Early UIs for curation markets (tweetstorm) —

categories and some projects using markets to curate

https://a16z.com/2018/02/10/crypto-readings-resources/ Page 24 of 32
Crypto Canon | Andreessen Horowitz 08/09/22, 4:33 PM

human readable information

by Jesse Walden
https://twitter.com/jessewldn/sta-
tus/958733889643696128

Making token curated registries (decentralized

production of high-quality lists) work in practice —
voting is the mechanism at the center, but information
environment matters too
by Alex Tabarrok
https://medium.com/wireline/when-can-token-curated-
registries-actually-work-%C2%B9-2ad908653aaf

Token curated registries — a more formal but less-

than-mathematical view of token-curated registries
by Mike Goldin
https://medium.com/@ilovebagels/token-curated-reg-
istries-1-0-61a232f8dac7

Token curated registry design patterns — design

thinking and use case exploration for these building
blocks of decentralized applications based on fungible
tokens and digital scarcity
by Matt Lockyer
https://medium.com/coinmonks/token-curated-registry-
tcr-design-patterns-4de6d18efa15

Token curated registries that don’t work — TCRs are a

holy grail of decentralized computing (all about
trustless systems), but have a number of subtle but
significant problems
by Aleksandr Bulkin
https://blog.coinfund.io/curate-this-token-curated-reg-
istries-that-dont-work-d76370b77150

https://a16z.com/2018/02/10/crypto-readings-resources/ Page 25 of 32
Crypto Canon | Andreessen Horowitz 08/09/22, 4:33 PM

Token curated registry design flaws — why blockchain

needs reputation
by Slava Balasanov
https://blog.relevant.community/tcr-design-flaws-why-
blockchain-needs-reputation-c5771d97b210

Building ‘Google for the economic web’ on the

Ethereum blockchain
by Maciej Olpinski
https://blog.userfeeds.io/building-google-for-the-eco-
nomic-web-on-the-ethereum-blockchain-de27cb3d23b

Developer Tutorials, Practical Guides,

and Maker Stories

Learn to code Ethereum dapps by building your own

game — designed for beginners to Solidity (even
if you’ve never coded with Solidity before)
https://cryptozombies.io/

How to code your own cryptokitties-style game on

Ethereum
by James Martin Duffy
https://medium.com/loom-network/how-to-code-your-
own-cryptokitties-style-game-on-ethereum-
7c8ac86a4eb3

Learning Solidity — commit-reveal voting

by Karl Floersch
https://karl.tech/learning-solidity-part-2-voting/

The hitchhiker’s guide to smart contracts in Ethereum

by Manuel Araoz
https://blog.zeppelin.solutions/the-hitchhikers-guide-to-

https://a16z.com/2018/02/10/crypto-readings-resources/ Page 26 of 32
Crypto Canon | Andreessen Horowitz 08/09/22, 4:33 PM

smart-contracts-in-ethereum-848f08001f05

Introduction to zk-SNARKs with examples — an

overview of zk-SNARKs from a practical viewpoint
Christian Lundkvist
https://media.consensys.net/introduction-to-zksnarks-
with-examples-3283b554fc3b

zkSNARKs: driver’s ed — practical beginner’s guide to

creating, proving, verifying in contracts
by Joseph Stockermans
https://github.com/jstoxrocky/zksnarks_example

Epicenter — a trove of interviews with many different

blockchain project leads
https://epicenter.tv/episodes/

The Ceremony — Radiolab podcast featuring story of

Zcash
with Morgen Peck, Peter Todd, Peter Van Valkenburgh,
Zooko Wilcox; by Molly Webster and Matt Kielty
http://www.radiolab.org/story/ceremony/

Other Resources – Newsletters/ Updates

Token Daily — place to share/discover news, launches/

product updates, articles, discussions, and deep-dive
Q&As with experts
by Soona Amhaz, Ari Paul, Ryan Selkis, Dennis
Stücken, Erik Torenberg, Ben Tossell, Linda Xie, et al
https://www.tokendaily.co/type/deep-dive
https://www.tokendaily.co/type/launches
https://www.tokendaily.co/type/discussions

https://a16z.com/2018/02/10/crypto-readings-resources/ Page 27 of 32
Crypto Canon | Andreessen Horowitz 08/09/22, 4:33 PM

Week in Ethereum News — tracking developments in

the Ethereum ecosystem
by Evan Van Ness
http://www.weekinethereum.com/

The Control — on the entrepreneurs, projects and

protocols that are putting control of power in the hands
of the people
by 1confirmation
https://www.getrevue.co/profile/control

Token Economy — tracking new developments in

distributed ledger tech
by Stefano Bernardi and Yannick Roux
https://tokeneconomy.co/

Proof of Work — projects and progress in crypto, also a

view from China
by Eric Meltzer
https://tinyletter.com/proofofwork/archive

The Defiant — daily newsletter “decrypting” the

intersection of blockchain and finance
by Camila Russo
https://thedefiant.substack.com/

Other Resources – Courses

Cryptocurrency (2018)
by Susan Athey and Kathryn Haun
http://explorecourses.stanford.edu/search?view=cata-
log&filter-coursestatus-
Active=on&q=MGTECON%20515:%20Cryptocurren-
cy&academicYear=20172018

https://a16z.com/2018/02/10/crypto-readings-resources/ Page 28 of 32
Crypto Canon | Andreessen Horowitz 08/09/22, 4:33 PM

Bitcoin and Cryptocurrency Technologies (2015)

by Arvind Narayan, Joseph Bonneau, Edward Felten,
Andrew Miller
https://piazza.com/princeton/spring2015/btctech/home

Advanced topics in computer science: Bitcoin and

cryptocurrency technologies (2014)
by Arvind Narayan
http://randomwalker.info/teaching/fall-2014-bitcoin/

A graduate course in applied cryptography (2017-

2018)
by Dan Boneh and Victor Shoup
http://toc.cryptotextbook.net/home

The views expressed here are those of the individual

AH Capital Management, L.L.C. (“a16z”) personnel
quoted and are not the views of a16z or its affiliates.
Certain information contained in here has been
obtained from third-party sources, including from
portfolio companies of funds managed by a16z. While
taken from sources believed to be reliable, a16z has
not independently verified such information and makes
no representations about the enduring accuracy of the
information or its appropriateness for a given situation.

This content is provided for informational purposes

only, and should not be relied upon as legal, business,
investment, or tax advice. You should consult your own
advisers as to those matters. References to any
securities or digital assets are for illustrative purposes
only, and do not constitute an investment
recommendation or offer to provide investment

https://a16z.com/2018/02/10/crypto-readings-resources/ Page 29 of 32
Crypto Canon | Andreessen Horowitz 08/09/22, 4:33 PM

advisory services. Furthermore, this content is not

directed at nor intended for use by any investors or
prospective investors, and may not under any
circumstances be relied upon when making a decision
to invest in any fund managed by a16z. (An offering to
invest in an a16z fund will be made only by the private
placement memorandum, subscription agreement, and
other relevant documentation of any such fund and
should be read in their entirety.) Any investments or
portfolio companies mentioned, referred to, or
described are not representative of all investments in
vehicles managed by a16z, and there can be no
assurance that the investments will be profitable or
that other investments made in the future will have
similar characteristics or results. A list of investments
made by funds managed by Andreessen Horowitz
(excluding investments for which the issuer has not
provided permission for a16z to disclose publicly as
well as unannounced investments in publicly traded
digital assets) is available at https://a16z.com/invest-
ments/.

Charts and graphs provided within are for

informational purposes solely and should not be relied
upon when making any investment decision. Past
performance is not indicative of future results. The
content speaks only as of the date indicated. Any
projections, estimates, forecasts, targets, prospects,
and/or opinions expressed in these materials are
subject to change without notice and may differ or be
contrary to opinions expressed by others. Please see
https://a16z.com/disclosures for additional important
information.

February 10, 2018

https://a16z.com/2018/02/10/crypto-readings-resources/ Page 30 of 32
Crypto Canon | Andreessen Horowitz 08/09/22, 4:33 PM

Related Stories

Crypto Tokens: Recent

Readings
by Chris Dixon

Field Notes: Devcon3 —

Ethereum Developer’s
Conference
by Michael Wee

Why I’m Interested in

Bitcoin
by Chris Dixon

https://a16z.com/2018/02/10/crypto-readings-resources/ Page 31 of 32
Crypto Canon | Andreessen Horowitz 08/09/22, 4:33 PM

Our crypto newsletter is coming soon

Sign up to be the first to get it.

Email Address* Sign Up

Software is eating the world

© 2022 Andreessen Horowitz
Contact Jobs Briefings Terms of Use & Privacy Disclosures Conduct Who We Are

https://a16z.com/2018/02/10/crypto-readings-resources/ Page 32 of 32