Top 5 crypto documentaries to watch if you're interested in web3
- Girikrishna GP
- 10 hours ago
- 2 min read
The world of Web3 is expanding at an unprecedented rate, encompassing DeFi, NFTs, blockchain governance, and digital identity. But probably the best way to understand how we got here is through stories. These five crypto documentaries delve into the history, the innovation, scandals, and social impact that built Web3. Whether you're a wide-eyed newbie or a crypto veteran, they'll give you a front-row seat to the revolution and its consequences.
Trust Machine: The Story of Blockchain (2018)
Directed by Alex Winter, Trust Machine is among the first comprehensive looks at the rise of blockchain-from the 2008 financial crisis right through to the invention of Bitcoin and beyond. It analyzes how decentralized systems challenge traditional power structures, with commentary from major crypto thinkers.
Why watch it: It's the perfect starting point for understanding why blockchain matters, not just how it works.
Deep Web: The Untold Story of Bitcoin and the Silk Road (2015)
Deep Web is another documentary by Alex Winter that traces Bitcoin's very first real-world use case, the notorious Silk Road marketplace. Part-thriller, part-tech history, it delves into how a radical idea about financial freedom collided with crime, anonymity, and regulation.
Why to watch: It shows Bitcoin's beginnings of being messy, rebellious, and idealistic. It shows the tension between innovation and legality.
Cryptopia: Bitcoin, Blockchains, and the Future of the Internet (2020)
From money to the future of the internet, Cryptopia examines how blockchain might change everything from data storage to governance online. With interviews from key crypto pioneers, this is an accessible, well-rounded entry point into the ideals and contradictions of Web3.
Why watch it: It's about the next phase - how blockchain aims to rebuild the web itself.
Bitconned (2024)
If you love stories about true crime, Bitconned is crypto's version of The Wolf of Wall Street. It covers the Centra Tech scandal sham startup that used an ICO to raise millions with the help of celebrity endorsements like that of Floyd Mayweather, before collapsing in fraud.
Why watch: It is a cautionary tale regarding the darker side of hype-driven investing and the need for due diligence.
Line Goes Up – The Problem with NFTs (2022)
Created by filmmaker Dan Olson, this critical documentary breaks down the NFT boom: its culture, economics, and ethical grey areas. Rather than celebrating Web3, Olson dissects the speculative frenzy behind digital collectibles and token economies.
Why watch it: It's smart, sceptical, and essential viewing for anyone who wants a grounded view of what drives the Web3 hype machine.
Why These Crypto Documentaries Matter
Web3 is more than a set of code and coins; it's a movement about trust, decentralization, and digital identity. But to see where it is going, you first need to understand where it came from.
Each of these crypto documentaries captures one more piece of that puzzle: from blockchain's promise of freedom down to scandals that tested its integrity. Together, they tell the story of a technology trying to reinvent the future, one block at a time.
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