Bitcoin is not another payment processor. Like the Internet, Bitcoin is a technology that runs through a distributed network. No one controls it, and no one can shut it down. Bitcoin has been called the currency of the Internet, but it is much more powerful than that--more astute observers have called it the Internet of currency. The Bitcoin Guidebook is for anyone who doesn't want to be left behind in the next technological revolution. It is an easy-to-read, easy-to-understand guide that explains everything the reader needs to know about how Bitcoin and other digital currencies work, what they can be used for, and how they will shape our society in the future. Topics covered include: The digital currency's origins, past, present, and future The revolutionary blockchain technology behind Bitcoin How to obtain and invest in Bitcoin How and where to spend Bitcoin Bitcoin's relationship with the seedy Internet underground Alternative digital currencies