Our book explains the movement to establish online trust through the decentralization of value, identity, and data ownership. This movement is part of ‘Web 3.0’, the idea that individuals rather than institutions will control and benefit from online social and economic activities. Blockchain technologies are the digital infrastructure for Web 3.0. While there are many books on blockchains, crypto, and digital assets, we focus on blockchain applications for Web 3.0. Our target audience is students, professionals, and managers who want to learn about the overall Web 3.0 landscape—the investments, the size of markets, major players, and the global reach—as well as the economic and social value of applications.
We present applications that use Web 3.0 technologies to unlock value in DeFi, NFTs, supply chains, media, identity, credentials, metaverses, and more. Readers will learn about the underlying technologies, the maturity of Web 3.0 today, and the future of the space from thought-leaders. This textbook is used by undergraduate and graduate Blockchain Fundamentals courses at the University of Arkansas, the University of Wyoming, and other universities around the world. Professors interested in adopting this book for instructional purposes are welcome to contact the authors for supporting instructional materials.
Mary C. Lacity is a Distinguished Professor of Information Systems and Director of the Blockchain Center of Excellence in the Sam M. Walton College of Business at The University of Arkansas. She was previously Curators’ Distinguished Professor at the University of Missouri. She has held visiting positions at MIT, the London School of Economics, Washington University, and Oxford University.
Steven C. Lupien is Director of the University of Wyoming Center for Blockchain & Digital Innovation and lecturer of blockchain and cryptocurrency at the University of Wyoming’s College of Business’ Accounting and Finance Department. In addition, Steve is also the Founder of American Certified Brands, LLC (ACB), owners of Wyoming Certified Beef, LLC and the creator of BeefChain.
“If blockchain is the foundation for Web 3.0 and with peer-to-peer technology and smart contracts as some of its killer apps, one of the key lingering questions is, ‘What value will you provide?’ Mary and Steve’s book makes the case that, where authenticity matters, Web 3.0 will be transformative to the world as we know it.”
—Dale Chrystie, Blockchain Strategist at FedEx
“Blockchain is a transformative technology that is fundamentally changing the way businesses operate and how resources are digitally moved.”
—The Honorable Mark Gordon, Governor of the State of Wyoming
“Dr. Lacity and Professor Lupien are two top experts on blockchain and enterprise use cases out there. They have had key ring-side seats as the world of blockchain has started to mature from small-scale innovation examples to large-scale implementation. Mary is a regular in the expert forums we run at EY.”
—Paul Brody, EY Global Blockchain Leader
Distributed for Epic Books.
