"Number Go Up" exposes crypto's wild rise and spectacular collapse through Zeke Faux's globe-trotting investigation into digital gold rushes, Ponzi schemes, and human trafficking rings. Praised by The Economist as "rollicking," this eye-opening journey reveals why Matt Levine calls Faux "our great poet of crime."
Zeke Faux, author of Number Go Up: Inside Crypto’s Wild Rise and Staggering Fall, is an award-winning investigative reporter for Bloomberg Businessweek renowned for exposing financial fraud and corporate misconduct.
A Cornell University graduate, Faux has spent over a decade chronicling Wall Street’s shadowy figures, earning the Gerald Loeb Award and American Bar Association’s Silver Gavel for his work on predatory lending. His critically acclaimed debut book blends investigative journalism with dark humor to dissect cryptocurrency’s meteoric rise and collapse, exploring themes of greed, technological utopianism, and systemic risk.
Faux’s groundbreaking reporting on Sam Bankman-Fried and Tether—featured in Bloomberg Businessweek—provided unparalleled access to crypto’s inner circle, culminating in his presence at Bankman-Fried’s Bahamas penthouse days before his arrest. Number Go Up was cited as evidence in the federal trial that convicted Bankman-Fried, named a 2023 Book of the Year by The Washington Post and Financial Times, and praised for making complex financial schemes accessible to mainstream audiences.
Number Go Up by Zeke Faux is an investigative deep dive into the cryptocurrency boom and collapse, exposing scams, questionable practices, and key players like Sam Bankman-Fried. The book traces crypto’s meteoric rise, the fall of FTX, and global scams like Cambodian “pig butchering” schemes, blending sharp analysis with dark humor. It was named a 2023 Book of the Year by The Washington Post and Financial Times.
This book is ideal for investors, finance professionals, and anyone curious about crypto’s risks and realities. Faux’s accessible storytelling suits both crypto skeptics and enthusiasts seeking a critical perspective. It’s particularly valuable for readers interested in financial fraud investigations or the societal impacts of speculative markets.
Yes. Faux’s witty, gripping narrative combines intrepid reporting with punchy prose, making complex topics like Tether and blockchain wallets digestible. The book offers rare insights into crypto’s underworld, including exclusive interviews with Sam Bankman-Fried before his arrest. Critics praise it as the definitive account of crypto’s 2022 collapse.
Faux argues crypto lacks real-world utility, thrives on hype, and enables fraud. He highlights Tether’s opaque reserves, FTX’s mismanagement, and how crypto facilitated human trafficking in Cambodia. The book questions whether blockchain technology solves actual problems or merely enriches promoters.
While both cover Sam Bankman-Fried and FTX, Number Go Up is praised as more incisive and critical. Faux focuses on systemic issues and global scams, whereas Lewis centers on SBF’s persona. Critics note Faux’s investigative rigor and dark humor set it apart.
The book examines El Salvador’s troubled Bitcoin adoption, Cambodian trafficking compounds using crypto for scams, and how Tether’s stablecoin propped up volatile markets. Faux reveals how crypto’s anonymity aids criminal enterprises and destabilizes economies.
Faux’s interviews and evidence from Number Go Up were cited in SBF’s fraud trial. His access to FTX’s inner circle provided critical context for prosecutors, underscoring the book’s role as a primary source on the case.
The book was named a 2023 Book of the Year by The Washington Post, Financial Times, and Wired. Faux, a Gerald Loeb Award winner, is lauded for blending rigorous investigation with engaging storytelling.
As a Bloomberg investigative reporter, Faux spent a decade exposing financial scams. His skepticism of crypto and expertise in fraud made him uniquely positioned to dissect its hype, culminating in a two-year global investigation for the book.
Faux emphasizes due diligence, questioning promoters’ claims, and recognizing hype cycles. The book serves as a cautionary tale about speculative manias and the importance of transparency in financial systems.
Despite crypto’s 2022 crash, Faux’s exposé remains vital as new speculative bubbles emerge. Its insights into fraud patterns, regulatory gaps, and technological overpromises help readers navigate evolving financial landscapes.
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Trasforma la conoscenza in spunti coinvolgenti e ricchi di esempi
Cattura le idee chiave in un lampo per un apprendimento veloce
Goditi il libro in modo divertente e coinvolgente
We could abscond with the reserve funds.
It could be way shakier, and I wouldn't care. The whole system runs on it, and it works until it doesn't.
preserving the dollar's status as a global reserve currency
a scam, the exploitation of a whim.
Scomponi le idee chiave di Number Go Up in punti facili da capire per comprendere come i team innovativi creano, collaborano e crescono.
Distilla Number Go Up in rapidi promemoria che evidenziano i principi chiave di franchezza, lavoro di squadra e resilienza creativa.

Vivi Number Go Up attraverso narrazioni vivide che trasformano le lezioni di innovazione in momenti che ricorderai e applicherai.
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A disheveled figure sits barefoot in a Bahamian penthouse, worth $20 billion on paper, casually discussing how he plans to give it all away. This wasn't some eccentric hermit-this was Sam Bankman-Fried in February 2022, when cryptocurrencies commanded a $2 trillion market. The irony? While being interviewed as crypto's boy genius, he was secretly orchestrating one of history's most audacious frauds. When confronted about suspicions that crypto might be largely fraudulent, his response now reads like a confession hidden in plain sight: "It's like the narrative would be way sexier if it was like, 'Holy shit, this is the world's biggest Ponzi scheme,' right?" Within months, that sexy narrative became reality. The bubble burst, $2 trillion evaporated, and millions discovered their savings had vanished into digital smoke.