Editor’s note: This post originally appeared in our web3 newsletter — a guide to trending topics in crypto with insights and resources from engineers, researchers, and others on the a16z crypto team. Subscribe to see it in your inbox every other week.Our most popular posts and themes2024 has been a momentous year for crypto — and we’ve covered it all, from stablecoins to AI. Here’s a roundup of our most popular pieces (and themes) from this year, including podcasts, videos, and articles. We also included a few bonus picks from the a16z crypto editorial team. The end of the year is a great time to catch up on something you missed and to see what others found most interesting.See the whole listMore top picks…Winter readingWe’re big readers here on the a16z crypto team, so we’ve got lots of recommendations this season — everything from spherical geometry to celebrity autobiographies, and from supervolcanoes to retellings of Greek mythology. Here’s a selection of our top book picks this winter.The Caves of Steel by Isaac AsimovAsimov explores humanity as it transitions to a robotic world, leading to anxieties and a new economic order. This mirrors some of the same concerns people are having with the proliferation of AI today. — Noah Citron, engineering teamBiohack Like a Woman by Aggie LalI’ve been interested in biohacking, but most articles and books I’ve come across don’t take the female body and hormones into account. This book was a game changer for me. It has all the biohacking tips and tricks with the added element of catering to women and our biology. — Anna Semenova, marketing teamBoom: Bubbles and the End of Stagnation by Byrne Hobart and Tobias HuberThis book provides a blueprint for how society can accelerate technological and scientific progress. It emphasizes the importance of risk-taking (something I’ve long been very passionate about), and explains how “bubbles” — while often maligned as destructive to society — might actually be the key to unlocking new innovation and global prosperity. Anyone interested in emerging technologies should definitely read this! — Daren Matsuoka, deal teamSee the full list of booksLast minute gift ideasStill scrambling for holiday gifts? It’s not too late.We gathered 80+ recommendations across a variety of categories — from computer accessories and smart AI-powered devices to beauty, health, and wellness products — for you to consider. Here are some picks, sourced from members of our tech-loving team:AI kit: Mac mini (link), with Exo LabsThe price/performance for Mac mini is wild. If you use Exo Labs you can do AI inference using multiple of these simply hooked up to your home network. It’s crazy easy and a lot of fun for someone who wants to dive deep into an AI homelab on easy mode. — Eddy Lazzarin, CTOFocus Timer adjustable hourglass (link)An elegant and adjustable hourglass without the sand — perfect for segmenting project blocks, writing sessions, or even morning meditation. — Scott Duke Kominers, research teamDappnode (link)Perfect for the crypto enthusiast who is interested in becoming a solo staker and running a validator node at home. I set one up during the holidays last year and have since recouped my investment through staking rewards. — Robert Hackett, editorial teamSee the full gear guideHow stablecoins winSam BronerStablecoins are already the cheapest way to send a dollar — and they are poised to replace existing payment solutions, quickly and definitively.Because stablecoins reduce the cost of transactions to nearly zero, they will free businesses from the friction of existing alternatives. This will disrupt the payments industry and benefit incumbent businesses that are most harmed by current payments options, including restaurants, retailers, enterprises, payment processors, and others.This post analyzes the damage payment fees can wreak on businesses like coffeeshops or during international transfers, and shows the radical improvements to margins that businesses like Walmart, Chipotle, and Krogers could see if they were to adopt stablecoins.Numbers like that will drive adoption, and as stablecoin adoption grows, more users, businesses, and products will come onchain.Read about how stablecoins will eat paymentsHow to talk crypto over the holidaysCrypto was an important political issue this past year, even playing a role in the recent U.S. elections. (You can see more in our 2024 State of Crypto Report.) What may be less appreciated is that there’s growing bipartisan consensus about the importance of blockchain networks and the guide rails the industry needs to thrive, spur innovation, and protect consumers.So to help equip you for an inevitable topic of conversation at your holiday gatherings, we’ve put together a list of five top areas of crypto policy that both parties agree on.Read our guideCrypto explained (in 30 seconds)Tim Roughgarden, Columbia University computer science professor and head of a16z crypto research, has been releasing bite-sized chunks from his talk on mental models for blockchain protocols and web3. The full video (53:55) focuses on how blockchains can combine “the general-purpose functionality of a computer with the decentralization of the internet — in effect, a global shared computer with the internet as its hardware.” Now, he’s made available shorter clips to help anyone grasp the potential of web3:Get ready! We will begin accepting applications for our next CSX crypto startup accelerator cohort starting on January 8th. Sign up to be the first to hear about them.…muffin viable product— a16z crypto editorial team***The views expressed here are those of the individual AH Capital Management, L.L.C. (“a16z”) personnel quoted and are not the views of a16z or its affiliates. Certain information contained in here has been obtained from third-party sources, including from portfolio companies of funds managed by a16z. While taken from sources believed to be reliable, a16z has not independently verified such information and makes no representations about the current or enduring accuracy of the information or its appropriateness for a given situation. In addition, this content may include third-party advertisements; a16z has not reviewed such advertisements and does not endorse any advertising content contained therein.This content is provided for informational purposes only, and should not be relied upon as legal, business, investment, or tax advice. You should consult your own advisers as to those matters. References to any securities or digital assets are for illustrative purposes only, and do not constitute an investment recommendation or offer to provide investment advisory services. Furthermore, this content is not directed at nor intended for use by any investors or prospective investors, and may not under any circumstances be relied upon when making a decision to invest in any fund managed by a16z. (An offering to invest in an a16z fund will be made only by the private placement memorandum, subscription agreement, and other relevant documentation of any such fund and should be read in their entirety.) Any investments or portfolio companies mentioned, referred to, or described are not representative of all investments in vehicles managed by a16z, and there can be no assurance that the investments will be profitable or that other investments made in the future will have similar characteristics or results. A list of investments made by funds managed by Andreessen Horowitz (excluding investments for which the issuer has not provided permission for a16z to disclose publicly as well as unannounced investments in publicly traded digital assets) is available at https://a16z.com/investment-list/.Charts and graphs provided within are for informational purposes solely and should not be relied upon when making any investment decision. Past performance is not indicative of future results. The content speaks only as of the date indicated. Any projections, estimates, forecasts, targets, prospects, and/or opinions expressed in these materials are subject to change without notice and may differ or be contrary to opinions expressed by others. Please see https://a16z.com/disclosures/ for additional important information.
