To most people, attention has always been on the cryptocurrencies such as bitcoins, ripples, litecoins…etc. However, what is behind all the hype and euphoria on these “new new” things is a much deeper and more meaningful technology, which is the blockchain. This course will explore some of the technologies behind the bitcoin and its blockchain.
Course Objectives
- Potential disruptions from blockchain technology in financial services sector
- Proposed use cases of blockchain in financial services sector
- Cryptocurrencies and validity as currencies
- Different types of blockchain
- Blockchain structure
- Cryptographic foundations
- Miners and proof-of-work
- Storing cryptocurrencies
- Smart contracts
Course Outline
Module 1: The Blockchain Disruption
- Reduction of Fraud
- Payments
- KYC
- Syndicated Lending
- Trade Finance
- Trading Platforms
- Insurenace
- Challenges
Module 2: Cryptocurrencies: The Rise of Decentralised Money
- What are Cryptocurrencies?
- What is Money?
- Are Cryptocurrencies Money?
- What is the Economic Signifcance of Cryptocurrencies?
- Challenger to the Traditional Pillars of the Financial System
Module 3: Different Types of Blockchain
- Distributed Network
- Immutable Data
- The Blockchain Structure
- Evolution of Blockchain
Module 4: Technologies Behind the Bitcoin and Its Blockchain
- Bitcoin Blockchain
- Cryptography and Cryptocurrencies
- Cryptographic Hash Functions and Blockchain
- Hash Pointers and Data Structures
- Miners and the Proof-of-Work
- Digital Signatures
Module 5: Storing and Using Bitcoins
- Simple Local Storage
- Hot and Cold Storage
- Online Wallets
- Bitcoin Exchanges
Module 6: Smart Contracts
- Common Use Cases of Smart Contracts