Publishers Weekly
07/31/2023
User ownership of digital assets is the future of the internet, according to this thought-provoking treatise. Tapscott (coauthor of Blockchain Revolution), a managing director at the Ninepoint Partners investment firm, explores the possibilities presented by Web3, a proposed vision for how the internet might evolve to become decentralized and grant users greater control over their data. According to Tapscott, tokens, or “digital assets,” are the heart of this new system because they can be programmed to serve a variety of purposes (tokens representing a digital dollar, he notes, can be designed to break down into smaller units, but tokens can also be designed to remain indivisible for, say, recording a vote in an election). Web3 offers new economic opportunities, Tapscott argues, discussing how non-fungible tokens, aka NFTs—“unique digital goods” that can be bought, sold, and owned—allow artists to earn royalties on resales. The author highlights companies at the forefront of Web3, such as Decentraland, “a decentralized 3D reality platform collectively owned by its users.” Tapscott excels at drawing out the wide-ranging potential of the burgeoning technology, and the straightforward explanations of how it works will be appreciated by those who don’t know bitcoin from blockchains (the latter of which, he explains, are “distributed ledgers of transactions that everyone can see but no single party can alter”). This will ignite readers’ curiosity. (Sept.)
From the Publisher
"Web3 will have a profound impact on the global economy and our society. Alex Tapscott has once again stepped up with timely and essential guidance to help us navigate the tremendous change underway —and the challenges and opportunities ahead." — Dan Schulman, CEO of PayPal
"Web3 is a breathtaking innovation that holds great promise but also peril for those who dismiss the future. Tapscott has written a book we need as we enter a new epoch for computing and for society." — Larry Summers, Former United States Secretary of the Treasury
"With Web3, Tapscott has captured the zeitgeist. We are on the brink of an extraordinary new epoch where technology can reimagine everything. With clarity of thought and deep insights, this book explores Web3's immense potential." — Steve Wozniak, Co-Founder of Apple Inc.
"Tapscott has shown again why he is one of the leading thinkers in the world of blockchain. Web3 is an erudite, plugged-in tour of an emerging future world where Internet users will be free of the shackles of big tech. An insightful, engaging read." — Jeff John Roberts, Crypto Editor at Fortune magazine
"An indispensable guide to the internet's next frontier." — Jeremy Allaire, Co-Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Circle
“With the rise of generative AI, the metaverse and the next generation of blockchain, Web3 is now a breakthrough platform for innovators to rebuild the world of business and the global economy for a new era of prosperity. This extraordinary book shows how.” — Klaus Schwab, Chairperson of the World Economic Forum
“This book will surely become an indispensable tool for understanding Web3 at a time when the dream of a more decentralized, user-controlled internet is on the cusp of becoming a mainstream reality.” — Camila Russo, Founder of The Defiant, Author of The Infinite Machine
“Insightful, lively and fun to read. This book is a wonderful guide to Web3. Every person who is curious and cares about the future of commerce, culture and society should read this book.” — Yat Siu, Co-Founder of Animoca Brands
“Web3 has the potential to disrupt the experience economy by merging the digital and physical worlds, enabling fast-moving companies to WIN. Tapscott's vision for the future empowers leaders to put technology to work as Web3 matures in the years to come.” — Bill McDermot, CEO of ServiceNow
"Alex Tapscott does a brilliant job of dissecting the impact of Web3—how it will change power dynamics, its implications for the next generation, and where innovation must be understood rather than vilified. From one of the leading voices and thinkers in blockchain technology, this is a must-have in any library: digital or otherwise." — Angie Lau, Editor in Chief, Co-CEO of Forkast Labs
CEO of PayPal Dan Schulman
Tapscott has once again stepped up with timely and essential guidance to help us navigate the tremendous change underway —and the challenges and opportunities ahead.”
co-founder of Apple Inc. Steve Wozniak
With Web3, Tapscott has captured the zeitgeist. We are on the brink of an extraordinary new epoch where technology can reimagine everything. With clarity of thought and deep insights, this book explores Web3’s immense potential.”
