The sudden rise in the value of Bitcoin (and its subsequent decline) focused the world’s attention on using cryptocurrencies for payment admist other financial operations. Blockchain technology powers Bitcoin and has been hyped as the next new, transformative technology.

On this course, participants will uncover the technology that underpins blockchain and review its key concepts, such as decentralization and consensus algorithms.

They will assess and critique blockchain as an asset, and review the dynamics of the cryptocurrency markets. You will also explore the use of blockchain as a business solution.

By the end of the course, participants will be able to…

• Explain how blockchain works
• Describe the key technical aspects, such as decentralization and consensus algorithms
• Describe the strengths and weaknesses of cryptocurrency as an asset and a payment mechanism.

Evaluate the tradeoffs of blockchain as a business solution

This course is designed for anyone interested in understanding cutting edge financial technologies.

This course will be of particular interest to learners with a background in finance, development, or business leadership and learning how to develop and use new financial technologies in their own context.

• Introduction to Fintech
• Introduction to Blockchain and Cryptocurrency
• Blockchain as an Asset
• Blockchain as a Business