Scott Belsky

“Balaji has the highest rate of output per minute of good new ideas of anybody I’ve ever met, and The Network State may be his best.” — Marc Andreessen, cofounder of Andreessen Horowitz "We've started new currencies. Now The Network State shows us how to start new cities and new countries." — Vitalik Buterin, cofounder of Ethereum "Balaji is a visionary, and one of the most original thinkers of our time. Many have had the experience of hearing him say something, thinking it was crazy, and then a year or two later realizing 'Balaji was right.' I think Balaji will be right about The Network State." — Brian Armstrong, cofounder and CEO of Coinbase "The future convergence of networks and governments, from one of the most brilliant thinkers alive." — Naval Ravikant, cofounder of AngelList When the brand new is unthinkable, we fight over the old. That’s where we are today with governments, with politics, and with much of the physical world. But perhaps we can change that. This book introduces the concept of the network state: a country you can start from your computer, a state that recruits like a startup, a nation built from the internet rather than disrupted by it. The fundamental concept behind the network state is to assemble a digital community and organize it to crowdfund physical territory. But that territory is not in one place — it’s spread around the world, fully decentralized, hooked together by the internet for a common cause, much like Google’s offices or Bitcoin’s miners. And because every citizen has opted in, it’s a model for 100% democracy rather than the minimum threshold of consent modeled by 51% democracies. Of course, there are countless questions that need to be answered to build something of this scope. How does a network state work socially, technically, logistically, legally, physically, financially? How could such a thing even be viable? That’s why you should read this book.

Discover the profitable business opportunities within the metaverse and learn how you can and why you should get your company involved today. In Decoding the Metaverse, Creative Cloud strategist and Web3 expert Chris Duffey establishes a roadmap for entry to the metaverse. Written to help businesses get a handle on a complex new business opportunity, the book begins by explaining how previous iterations of the internet led to the creation of immersive digital technology with Web3 before detailing the building blocks of the metaverse. The book takes readers through the future of digital spaces, offering insight into immersive experiences, customer engagement, product-led growth and profitability. The chapters focus on the building blocks of the metaverse, including NFTs, blockchain, tokenomics, gaming and virtual real estate. Each chapter is paired with a corresponding case study from well-known brands currently working in the metaverse. Decoding the Metaverse ends with guiding principles about the ethical ramifications of immersive experiences and digital governance. Throughout Decoding the Metaverse, Duffey highlights the importance of reaching customers through shared immersive experiences. Showcasing the potential impact of working with Web3, he explains how companies can use these opportunities to further their reach and grow their revenue. Readers will step away from the book eager to get their companies involved today.