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DeFi and the Future of Finance Audible Audiobook – Unabridged

Campbell R. Harvey (Author), Ashwin Ramachandran (Author), Joey Santoro (Author),
4.2 out of 5 stars 417 ratings

During the Global Financial Crisis in 2008, our financial infrastructure failed. Governments bailed out the very institutions that let the economy down. This episode spurred a serious rethink of our financial system.

In DeFi and the Future of Finance, Campbell R. Harvey, Ashwin Ramachandran, and Joey Santoro introduce the new world of decen­tralized finance. The book argues that the current financial landscape is ripe for dis­ruption and we are seeing, in real time, the reinvention of finance.

The authors provide listeners with a clear assessment of the problems with the current financial system and how DeFi solves many of its issues. The essence of DeFi is that we interact with peers - there is no brick and mortar and all of the associated costs. Savings and lending are reinvented. Trading takes place with algorithms far removed from traditional brokerages.

The book conducts a deep dive on some of the most innovative protocols such as Uniswap and Compound. Many of the companies featured in the book you might not have heard of - however, you will in the future.

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  1. Listening Length
    3 hours and 54 minutes
  2. Author
    Campbell R. Harvey, see all
  3. Narrator
    David de Vries
  4. Audible release date
    September 21, 2021
  5. Language
    English
  6. Publisher
    Ascent Audio
  7. ASIN
    B09FN5JDC8
  8. Version
    Unabridged
  9. Program Type
    Audiobook
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Product details

Listening Length 3 hours and 54 minutes
Author Campbell R. Harvey, Ashwin Ramachandran, Joey Santoro
Narrator David de Vries
Audible.com Release Date September 21, 2021
Publisher Ascent Audio
Program Type Audiobook
Version Unabridged
Language English
ASIN B09FN5JDC8
Best Sellers Rank

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
417 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book's pacing positive, with one describing it as well-written and another noting its clear assessments. Moreover, they appreciate its readability, with one customer highlighting how it takes readers on an incredible journey. Additionally, the book receives positive feedback for its balanced approach, discussing both the opportunities and risks of decentralized finance.

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PacingReadabilitySlant
4 customers mention "Pacing"3 positive1 negative

Customers appreciate the book's pacing, with one noting it is well written and very readable.

"...Very readable and suspect that there will be more written by this group on this subject as it rapidly changes!" Read more

"...Aave, Uniswap, Yield Protocol, dYdX, and Synthetix, as well as a succinct yet superb overview of the history, infrastructure, strengths, and..." Read more

"...For anyone else, it is an indecipherable, poorly explained (in practical terms), endless constellation of cumbersome buzzwords that, in their..." Read more

"Very interesting and well written description of the DeFi future." Read more

3 customers mention "Readability"3 positive0 negative

Customers find the book readable, with one describing it as an insightful journey.

"Very interesting and well written description of the DeFi future." Read more

"Well organized, walking the reader in an incredible journey of not only the underlying mechanics, but the opportunity and risk of decentralized..." Read more

"...An insightful read, but perhaps a bit myopic given the title." Read more

3 customers mention "Slant"3 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's slant on decentralized finance, covering both opportunities and risks.

"This is basically a 300-level course on the decentralized finance revolution...." Read more

"Wide and deep enough course covering Decentralized Finance (DeFi) news up to mid-2021...." Read more

"...of not only the underlying mechanics, but the opportunity and risk of decentralized finance" Read more

Disaster smh - Was really looking forward to it
1 out of 5 stars
Disaster smh - Was really looking forward to it
First, this book is a rehash of an existing publicly and freely available PDF by the same authors. The book is skimpy, I've posted a photo showing the size of a page in comparison to my airpods. Of the 193 pages, the last 40 is a glossary and index. Why did this book need to be a hardcover? Because it's skimpy and would look like a booklet otherwise. The first dozen of pages are wasted unnecessarily explaining how money used to work. The page sizes are small, the margins are large. How can THREE authors produce so little new content? There are many inaccuracies throughout the book but the middle 20-30 pages of the book does a good job of covering the basics of DeFi.
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Matthew L. Porio
    5.0 out of 5 stars Clear assessments of the problems with the current financial systems and a better way forward
    Reviewed in the United States on September 25, 2021
    Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
    This book is excellent. It is a short book but it is written in a way that is ordered, clear and easily adaptable. With so much unknown about the future of financial services, its critical to study what we have seen to be effective and what would most likely succeed in the future, and build from their. DeFi clearly marks the risk that are involved but also, what opportunities there could be in this different world.

    Very readable and suspect that there will be more written by this group on this subject as it rapidly changes!
    4 people found this helpful
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  • John
    4.0 out of 5 stars An advanced introduction to the DeFi revolution
    Reviewed in the United States on February 7, 2022
    Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
    This is basically a 300-level course on the decentralized finance revolution. It is seemingly aimed at investors already well-versed in traditional finance. It features deep dives into MakerDAO, Aave, Uniswap, Yield Protocol, dYdX, and Synthetix, as well as a succinct yet superb overview of the history, infrastructure, strengths, and weaknesses of the industry.

    For an investor experienced with the intricacies of traditional finance, this little book might be everything needed to get started. But for a novice looking for simplification, this book might raise more questions than answers.

    Although I’m primarily in the latter camp, I appreciated learning about DeFi from an insider perspective. I have confidence that something I learned here will contribute to future earnings. I just wish the examples chosen were more practical and accessible to retail investors from other sectors.

    Here is what I took away from the book in a nutshell.

    Pros: DeFi differs from traditional finance in the following ways: it’s permissionless, open access, global, composable (interoperable), and transparent. It allows anyone to benefit from the censorship resistance, self-sovereignty, and instant accessibility of cryptocurrency while preserving their purchasing power. DeFi minimizes the friction of the inefficiencies that plague traditional finance while maximizing the value to users.

    Cons: DeFi stability is threatened by several factors which can be categorized as follows: smart contract risk, governance risk, oracle risk, scaling risk, DEX risk, custodial risk, environmental risk, and regulatory risk. None of these risks are new to crypto investors, but the authors share their unique insight on each factor. I was especially shocked to learn about the legal front-running practices within DeFi.
    18 people found this helpful
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  • Kevin Mohler
    5.0 out of 5 stars must read and study
    Reviewed in the United States on February 12, 2024
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    This is a slightly outdated but must read for those interested in the future of finance and crypto. It needs to be updated but is still 95% relevant and excellent.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Svatoplukian
    3.0 out of 5 stars A bit technical
    Reviewed in the United States on December 18, 2023
    Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
    I got the impression that this book is better suited to someone who has already had some introduction to the subject. In other words, I don't consider it to be a good primer on DeFi or Fin Tech.
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  • Sergey Ryvkin
    5.0 out of 5 stars Paper version of Duke University course about DeFi
    Reviewed in the United States on June 25, 2022
    Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
    Wide and deep enough course covering Decentralized Finance (DeFi) news up to mid-2021. It mostly covers Etherium-relevant smart contracts and coins as a primary base for DeFi.
    4 people found this helpful
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  • William Bingham Gordon
    4.0 out of 5 stars a good but very dense Primer
    Reviewed in the United States on December 6, 2021
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    This book covers the surface of DeFi, with an Aristotelian listing of many species, and a quant’s curves of yield optimization. As the book says, this is a “Cambrian explosion” of new life forms, synthetic and digital.
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  • John K. Haynes
    5.0 out of 5 stars Cutting-edge book on DeFi for those of us who are looking for explanations for and why DeFi.
    Reviewed in the United States on November 6, 2021
    Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
    Very interesting and well written description of the DeFi future.
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  • Mehrdad Khakparaghi
    5.0 out of 5 stars A great coverage of technical underpinnings of DeFi
    Reviewed in the United States on June 9, 2023
    Format: Hardcover
    This book provides in-depth coverage of a wide range of DeFi protocols and applications, including decentralized exchanges (DEXs), lending platforms, stablecoins, and yield farming. Each protocol is thoroughly explained, with detailed discussions on liquidity pools, collateralization, and algorithmic trading strategies.

    The book also examines the emergence of decentralized governance models and decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs) in the DeFi space. It explores voting mechanisms and governance structures, emphasizing the importance of transparency and inclusivity.

    In terms of technical analysis, the book addresses the scalability challenges faced by blockchain networks. It explores layer-2 protocols, sidechains, and state channels as potential solutions to scale DeFi applications and accommodate growing user adoption and transaction volumes.

    Furthermore, the authors emphasize the significance of interoperability across different blockchain platforms. They delve into protocols like Polkadot and Cosmos, showcasing their potential to facilitate seamless communication and asset transfers between blockchains.

    Compared to other books on DeFi, "DeFi and the Future of Finance" excels in its comprehensive technical coverage. It offers detailed insights into DeFi protocols, security considerations, governance models, scalability solutions, and interoperability challenges. This book is an invaluable resource for readers seeking a deep understanding of the complex technology landscape driving the evolution of decentralized finance.
    One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Andrew
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent beginners guide to DeFi.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 30, 2022
    Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
    Excellent beginners guide to DeFi.
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  • Sasi Paul
    1.0 out of 5 stars Very Shallow
    Reviewed in India on February 12, 2022
    Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
    Very shallow
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  • Anton
    5.0 out of 5 stars las nuevas oportunidades de negocio en finanzas
    Reviewed in Spain on April 4, 2022
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Es una introducción. Base para el curso de internet que el autor da en Coursera (DUKE)
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  • Amazon Customer
    2.0 out of 5 stars For a beginner this book is too technical and not enough real world examples
    Reviewed in Canada on November 28, 2021
    Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
    As someone with a finance background and no experience in defi, I found this very hard to read and comprehend. Its very technical and just couldn’t grasp it, so after 30 pages or so I had to put it down. I would have liked to see examples and cases along side the theory…
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  • sideword
    4.0 out of 5 stars DeFinately worth reading
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 26, 2022
    Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
    It outlines the future as it may well become but for which there are still elements of uncertainty. The decentralised use cases are clearly explained. This is a space that has the potential to grow considerably and change the very mechanisms that financial activity is currently based on. This book is a necessary prerequisite to understanding this.
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