Stay tuned for the forthcoming publication of Crypto Undertow: The Hidden Forces Shaping The Market. This anthology is published by Free Word Associates in collaboration with Disruption Banking.

This book compiles the beat reporting of Tim Tolka and Laird Dilorenzo chronicling the regulatory fights and hacking scandals that plagued the crypto ecosystem from 2022 to 2025.



From the collapse of FTX to the dawn of the National Strategic Crypto Reserve, Tolka and Dilorenzo expose the state and non-state actors behind big market moves, including the government of El Salvador and the Russian intelligence service, which both use crypto for their own purposes.

Crypto Undertow: The Hidden Forces Shaping The Landscape is a raw, no-holds-barred investigation of the chaotic crypo ecosystem, focusing on hacks, rug-pulls, market manipulations, and the attempted takeovers by TradFi and regulators. Blending personal insights with hard-hitting investigative journalism, the book covers the highs and lows of the crypto industry from 2022 to 2025, taking the reader on a rollercoaster ride through the industry's most infamous recent events, as well as some that flew under the radar, like the leveraging of digital assets by small-time offshore con-men, online casinos, mafias, as well as spies and their amateur surrogates. 

Starting with the author's early days covering the "crypto winter" of 2021, the book dives into the murky waters of fraud and exploitation. From the rise of crypto giants like Changpeng Zhao and Michael Saylor to the dark underbelly of exchanges like Poloniex and Huobi, Crypto Undertow reveals how the promises of decentralization and innovation are usually overshadowed by the greed, deceit, and incompetence of industry players. 

The book delves into the notorious figures at the heart of the crypto ecosystem, particularly SBF, Justin Sun, and Do Kwon, as well as the major exchanges Kraken, Coinbase, and Binance and their respective leaders who have faced relentless scrutiny, only to vanquish their enemies by electing the first crypto president. 

Despite the chaos, we remain cautiously optimistic about the potential and promise of blockchain technology. The book underscores the idea that while many in the industry are focused on self-serving agendas, the foundational technology holds promise for future innovation. Our fraud spider sense is constantly on high alert, but this book is ultimately a tribute to the resilience and potential for growth that crypto still embodies.

If you want to understand what's up with crypto and Web3, this book is for you.

Coming soon on Amazon.