Beginner's Guide to Bitcoin and Cryptocurrencies

Congratulations, by reading this sentence I presume you are part of a very select minority who is interested in learning what Bitcoin is and how it can make you a lot of money. I’ve compiled a selection of many of the best resources I’ve used in my crypto journey to gain a base understanding of cryptocurrencies quickly. Please note that some of the videos below are over 20 minutes long but I assure you that the information contained is very valuable.

I suggest watching the videos at 1.5x - 2x speed. Just click the gear icon in the bottom right of the video player to access speed settings.

By the end of this guide I hope you:

Have a good understand of Bitcoin, its underlying technology (Blockchain)

Understand how it can solve the worlds biggest problems (and make you a boatload of money along the way)
Know how you can get started investing in this new and emerging technology while understanding the risks involved.

What is Bitcoin?

The video below provides a quick overview of what Bitcoin is

This next video goes into a more in-depth (non-technical) explanation of:

The basic principles of how Bitcoin works
Why Bitcoin works as a method of transferring value
How Bitcoin and other Cryptocurrencies can be applied to every day financial transactions
How it removes the need for their parties (banks, etc) in financial transactions
Potential uses for Blockchain technology

Hopefully you have a good understanding of what Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies are and some of their basic uses. Next lets take a look at how cryptocurrencies fit within our current and future global economy.

Below is a talk given by Thomas Lee, Head of Research at Fundstrat Global Advisors (http://www.fundstrat.com/firm/team/), that explains in detail what his company's research shows regarding Bitcoin's and Crypto's place within the global economy.