Cüneyt Gürcan Akçora is Associate Professor of Finance with a joint appointment in Computer Science at the University of Central Florida in Orlando. He is also a member of the university's AI Institute. His research focuses on data science for blockchains, integrating graph machine learning, temporal modeling, and network theory to study risk, fraud, and systemic behavior in decentralized finance. Murat Kantarcioglu is Professor and CCI Faculty Fellow in the Department of Computer Science at Virginia Tech. He is also a Faculty Associate at Harvard University's Data Privacy Lab. He is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. His research focuses on AI for cybersecurity and cybersecurity for AI, integrating data science and blockchain technologies to design secure and efficient data systems. Yulia R. Gel is Professor of Statistics at Virginia Tech. She is a Fellow of the American Statistical Association and a recipient of the NSF Director's Award for Superior Accomplishment. Her research focuses on the mathematical and statistical foundations of data science, risk quantification, and topological and geometric methods for blockchain data analytics.

‘This book provides a lucid and concise introduction to blockchain technology and how it is revolutionizing the world of payments, investing and other areas of finance. The authors provide thorough introductions to the Bitcoin and Ethereum blockchains and take the reader up to the present with material on smart contracts, decentralized finance and emerging issues of privacy, cybersecurity, and crime. The book is suitable for university courses at both the undergraduate and graduate levels and should also be a valuable reference for practitioners.’ David L. Yermack, Leonard N. Stern School of Business, New York University

• 1. Money and cryptocurrencies; 2. Bitcoin: the first blockchain; 3. Ethereum: the world computer; 4. Solidity coding for Ethereum; 5. Ripple: the currency exchange; 6. Privacy coins; 7. Blockchain – next generation; 8. Decentralized finance; 9. Blockchain transaction networks; 10. Analyzing blockchain entities: clustering, mixing, and centrality; 11. Privacy and security on blockchain; 12. E-crime on blockchains; 13. Temporal analysis; 14. Conclusion; References; Index.

Cüneyt Gürcan Akçora is Associate Professor of Finance with a joint appointment in Computer Science at the University of Central Florida in Orlando. He is also a member of the university's AI Institute. His research focuses on data science for blockchains, integrating graph machine learning, temporal modeling, and network theory to study risk, fraud, and systemic behavior in decentralized finance. Murat Kantarcioglu is Professor and CCI Faculty Fellow in the Department of Computer Science at Virginia Tech. He is also a Faculty Associate at Harvard University's Data Privacy Lab. He is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. His research focuses on AI for cybersecurity and cybersecurity for AI, integrating data science and blockchain technologies to design secure and efficient data systems. Yulia R. Gel is Professor of Statistics at Virginia Tech. She is a Fellow of the American Statistical Association and a recipient of the NSF Director's Award for Superior Accomplishment. Her research focuses on the mathematical and statistical foundations of data science, risk quantification, and topological and geometric methods for blockchain data analytics.

‘This book provides a lucid and concise introduction to blockchain technology and how it is revolutionizing the world of payments, investing and other areas of finance. The authors provide thorough introductions to the Bitcoin and Ethereum blockchains and take the reader up to the present with material on smart contracts, decentralized finance and emerging issues of privacy, cybersecurity, and crime. The book is suitable for university courses at both the undergraduate and graduate levels and should also be a valuable reference for practitioners.’ David L. Yermack, Leonard N. Stern School of Business, New York University

• 1. Money and cryptocurrencies; 2. Bitcoin: the first blockchain; 3. Ethereum: the world computer; 4. Solidity coding for Ethereum; 5. Ripple: the currency exchange; 6. Privacy coins; 7. Blockchain – next generation; 8. Decentralized finance; 9. Blockchain transaction networks; 10. Analyzing blockchain entities: clustering, mixing, and centrality; 11. Privacy and security on blockchain; 12. E-crime on blockchains; 13. Temporal analysis; 14. Conclusion; References; Index.

Cüneyt Gürcan Akçora is Associate Professor of Finance with a joint appointment in Computer Science at the University of Central Florida in Orlando. He is also a member of the university's AI Institute. His research focuses on data science for blockchains, integrating graph machine learning, temporal modeling, and network theory to study risk, fraud, and systemic behavior in decentralized finance. Murat Kantarcioglu is Professor and CCI Faculty Fellow in the Department of Computer Science at Virginia Tech. He is also a Faculty Associate at Harvard University's Data Privacy Lab. He is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. His research focuses on AI for cybersecurity and cybersecurity for AI, integrating data science and blockchain technologies to design secure and efficient data systems. Yulia R. Gel is Professor of Statistics at Virginia Tech. She is a Fellow of the American Statistical Association and a recipient of the NSF Director's Award for Superior Accomplishment. Her research focuses on the mathematical and statistical foundations of data science, risk quantification, and topological and geometric methods for blockchain data analytics.

‘This book provides a lucid and concise introduction to blockchain technology and how it is revolutionizing the world of payments, investing and other areas of finance. The authors provide thorough introductions to the Bitcoin and Ethereum blockchains and take the reader up to the present with material on smart contracts, decentralized finance and emerging issues of privacy, cybersecurity, and crime. The book is suitable for university courses at both the undergraduate and graduate levels and should also be a valuable reference for practitioners.’ David L. Yermack, Leonard N. Stern School of Business, New York University

• 1. Money and cryptocurrencies; 2. Bitcoin: the first blockchain; 3. Ethereum: the world computer; 4. Solidity coding for Ethereum; 5. Ripple: the currency exchange; 6. Privacy coins; 7. Blockchain – next generation; 8. Decentralized finance; 9. Blockchain transaction networks; 10. Analyzing blockchain entities: clustering, mixing, and centrality; 11. Privacy and security on blockchain; 12. E-crime on blockchains; 13. Temporal analysis; 14. Conclusion; References; Index.