The Greatest Show on Earth

A deftly-reported account of the history of the bond market by Financial Times writer and author of Trillions, Robin Wigglesworth

The global bond market is bigger than the stock market, standing at about $133tn at the end of 2022, making it bigger than the whole global banking system which in comparison is only worth $100tn. The Greatest Show on Earth will be the first book to truly knit together the full 1000-year history of the original ‘decentralised finance’. Wigglesworth will explore how it shaped the world and slowly but surely supplanted banks as the dominant engine of modern credit-based capitalism. Through a vivid and personality-driven narrative with a cast of characters going back to 12^th century Venice – featuring everyone from the first Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton to toupeed junk bond maestro Mike Milken – this book will explore the story of the bond market right through to the present day and examine the pressing implications it has for us all. Wigglesworth will bring an often-recondite corner of the world to light accessibly for people both inside and outside the financial realm.