Out of the Ether

Discover how $55 million in cryptocurrency vanished in one of the most bizarre thefts in history

Out of the Ether: The Amazing Story of Ethereum and the $55 Million Heist that Almost Destroyed It All tells the astonishing tale of the disappearance of $55 million worth of the cryptocurrency ether in June 2016. It also chronicles the creation of the Ethereum blockchain from the mind of inventor Vitalik Buterin to the ragtag group of people he assembled around him to build the second-largest crypto universe after Bitcoin.

Celebrated journalist and author Matthew Leising tells the full story of one of the most incredible chapters in cryptocurrency history. He covers the aftermath of the heist as well, explaining the extreme lengths the victims of the theft and the creators of Ethereum went to in order to try and limit the damage. The book covers:

• The creation of Ethereum
• An explanation of the nature of blockchain and cryptocurrency
• The activities of a colorful cast of hackers, coders, investors, and thieves

Perfect for anyone with even a passing interest in the world of modern fintech or daring electronic heists, Out of the Ether is a story of genius and greed that's so incredible you may just choose not to believe it.

MATTHEW LEISING is one of the foremost blockchain reporters in the world who has been covering the emerging technology for Bloomberg News since 2015. His understanding of the underlying systems allows him to translate complicated topics into easy to understand narratives, whether they're about the intersection of blockchain and Wall Street or the many scams and questionable practices that pervade crypto. Out of the Ether was born from his 2017 story 'The Ether Thief' for Bloomberg Markets Magazine.