Andreas M. Antonopoulos

Andreas M. Antonopoulos is a best-selling author, speaker, educator, and expert in Bitcoin and open blockchain technologies. He is an educator and has served as a teaching fellow for the free ‘Introduction to Digital Currencies’ course offered to the public at the University of Nicosia. Along with co-authoring the course curriculum, Andreas has also written two best-selling technical books for programmers, Mastering Bitcoin and Mastering Ethereum. 

He has published ‘The Internet of Money’ series of books, which focus on the social, political, and economic importance and implications of these technologies. In addition to these books, he has authored hundreds of syndicated articles on security, cloud computing, and data centers; and is a frequent speaker at technology and security conferences worldwide. 

Andreas has been interviewed by ABC, BBC, Bloomberg, CBS, CNBC, CNN, NBC, and Financial Times for his industry expertise. He has been a repeat guest on The Joe Rogan Experience and London Real. He has been featured in numerous documentary films and is a permanent host on the Let’s Talk Bitcoin podcast with more than 400 episodes recorded to date. He also released his own podcast called Unscripted which was taken from his most popular talks. 

Andreas has appeared as an expert witness in legal cases and regulatory hearings around the world, including the Australian Senate Banking Committee and the Canadian Senate Commerce, Banking and Finance Committee.

Currently, Antonopoulos is working on his sixth book and third technical work, Mastering the Lightning Network. 

Andreas M. Antonopoulos was born in 1972 in London, UK, and moved to Athens, Greece during the Greek Junta. He spent his childhood there, and at the age of 17 returned to the UK. Antonopoulos obtained his degrees in Computer science and Data Communications, Networks and Distributed Systems from University College London. 

He was Senior Vice President and a Founding Partner with Nemertes Research, from 2003 until 2011. While there, Andreas M. Antonopoulos researched computer security, stating that the greatest threat to computer security was not experienced hackers, but overly complex systems that resulted from rapid changes in business. 

In 2012, Andreas M. Antonopoulos started advocating Bitcoin. He eventually abandoned his job as a freelance consultant and started speaking at conferences about Bitcoin, consulting for startups, and writing articles free of charge. 

According to his podcast, Andreas M. Antonopoulos is a consultant on several Bitcoin-related startups. 

In January 2014, Andreas M. Antonopoulos joined Blockchain.info as chief security officer. In September 2014 he left the CSO role. In April 2014, Antonopoulos organised a fundraising campaign for Dorian Nakamoto, raising 50 bitcoins, worth US$23,000 at the time.  

On 8 October 2014, Andreas M. Antonopoulos spoke in front of the Banking, Trade and Commerce Committee of the Senate of Canada to address the senators' questions on how to regulate Bitcoin in Canada. 

In March 2016, the first edition of Mastering Bitcoin was released by Andreas M. Antonopoulos, in print and online, followed by a second edition in June 2017.

Since 2017, Andreas M. Antonopoulos has continued to contribute significantly to the cryptocurrency space. He published Mastering Ethereum in 2018, which provides in-depth knowledge for developers on building smart contracts and decentralised applications.

In 2019, he released The Internet of Money Volume 3, continuing to explore the broader implications of Bitcoin and blockchain technology. Andreas M. Antonopoulos also expanded his educational efforts by conducting online courses and webinars on blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies.

Between 2020 and 2023, he became a prominent voice in the discussion on the regulation and future of digital currencies. He has spoken at numerous international conferences, offering insights into how blockchain can drive innovation and change.

Andreas M. Antonopoulos is currently working on his latest book, Mastering the Lightning Network, which focuses on the technical aspects of the Bitcoin Lightning Network, a layer that enables faster and cheaper transactions on the Bitcoin blockchain. His educational and advocacy work remains influential as he continues to teach, speak, and write about the potential of open blockchain technologies to transform the global economy. 

Andreas Antonopoulos envisions a world where financial freedom and opportunity are available to everyone, regardless of their background or location. He believes that blockchain and decentralised technologies can empower individuals, providing secure, transparent, and accessible financial systems. His vision is to educate and inspire people to embrace these technologies, enabling them to build a future where economic inclusion and innovation flourish. Through his books, talks, and educational work, Andreas aims to demystify complex concepts and make them accessible, helping people understand the true potential of cryptocurrencies and blockchain to transform society positively.

Andreas M. Antonopoulos has received wide recognition for his contributions to the blockchain and cryptocurrency space. His books, such as Mastering Bitcoin and Mastering Ethereum, are bestsellers and widely considered foundational texts for developers and enthusiasts alike. He is also known for his Internet of Money series, which highlights the impact of cryptocurrencies on society. Andreas has taught at the University of Nicosia and served as a guest speaker at various global forums and regulatory hearings.