Free online course Cryptocurrencies and Blockchains
Duration of the online course: 4 hours and 42 minutes
4.8
(4)
Build crypto confidence fast with a free online course on blockchains, wallets, mining, and regulation—learn how the ecosystem works and invest smarter.
In this free course, learn about
What blockchains are and their core properties: decentralization, immutability, consensus, transparency
How Bitcoin works: blocks, transactions, UTXO model, and the blockchain’s role as a shared ledger
Digital signatures, public/private keys, and why they secure authorization of crypto transactions
What crypto wallets do: key management, addresses, signing, and what happens when you press “send”
How to protect crypto assets: common theft vectors and why cold storage/hardware wallets are safest
What cryptocurrencies are for: money properties, crisis use cases, and pros/cons vs gold and fiat
Decentralized apps (dApps) and digital ownership; examples like CryptoKitties and on-chain assets
Privacy on public chains: pseudonymity vs anonymity and methods for confidential yet verifiable txns
Proof of Work basics: miner selection, cryptographic puzzles, and why PoW provides security
Tokens vs cryptocurrencies vs ICOs, and typical ICO fraud patterns and red flags
US crypto regulation overview: SEC role, CFTC for commodities, and complexities of oversight
Howey Test and when a crypto asset is a security; SEC views on Bitcoin and Ether (as of 2018)
How to think about Web3 futures: decentralization tradeoffs and possible paths for digital ownership
About the free online course
Understanding cryptocurrencies goes far beyond tracking prices or chasing the next trend. This free online course helps you build a clear mental model of how blockchains and crypto systems actually function, so you can evaluate opportunities with more confidence and less hype. You will connect the core ideas behind distributed ledgers to the real-world behaviors that shape markets, user adoption, and risk.
Starting with the foundations of blockchain technology, you will learn why decentralization matters, what makes a blockchain trustworthy, and how transactions are created, signed, validated, and recorded. As the course progresses, everyday topics such as wallets and sending funds become practical lessons in how digital ownership works, what can go wrong, and how to protect assets with safer habits. You will also explore why privacy and transparency coexist in blockchain designs, and what trade-offs emerge as networks scale.
Because this course sits in the Investments space, it does not stop at the technology. You will gain the vocabulary to distinguish cryptocurrencies from tokens and token sales, recognize common forms of fraud and theft, and better understand ideas like pseudonymity and trustlessness without falling for misconceptions. You will also see how consensus mechanisms such as proof of work tie incentives to security, and why mining, validation, and network rules influence the reliability of a crypto asset.
A major advantage of learning crypto today is understanding the regulatory environment that can redefine a project overnight. This course walks you through the role of regulators and the logic used to classify assets, giving you a grounded framework for interpreting headlines about enforcement, securities questions, and compliance. Along the way, short exercises reinforce key concepts so you can check your understanding and apply it when assessing crypto narratives, products, and risks.
By the end, you will be better prepared to discuss blockchain and cryptocurrency in a business context, make more informed investment-related decisions, and evaluate new Web3 and digital ownership ideas with a sharper, more critical perspective.
Course content
Video class: Introduction to Blockchain and Cryptocurrency Course: What is Blockchain Technology | 201901m
Exercise: What is the primary goal of the blockchain and cryptocurrencies course mentioned?
Video class: This is Not A How To Course | Blockchain and Cryptocurrency Course: What You Need to Know | 201900m
Exercise: What is the main focus of the described crypto course?
Video class: Debrief #1: SEC Press Release | Blockchain and Cryptocurrency: What You Need to Know | 201900m
Exercise: What is the primary benefit of using cryptocurrency in a crisis situation like Venezuela's?
Video class: What to Expect | Blockchain and Cryptocurrency: What You Need to Know | 201900m
Exercise: What is the best approach to understanding the future of crypto according to the course?
Video class: Blockchains Introduction | Blockchain and Cryptocurrency: What You Need to Know | 201900m
Exercise: What is the focus of the presented module on blockchain technology?
Video class: What is Blockchain? | Stanford Blockchain and Cryptocurrency Course | 201906m
Exercise: What are the fundamental properties of a blockchain?
Video class: The Bitcoin Blockchain | Blockchain and Cryptocurrency: What You Need to Know | 201908m
Exercise: What is a unique feature of blockchain in the Bitcoin network?
Video class: Implementing Currency Using Blockchain | Blockchain and Cryptocurrency: What You Need to Know | 201906m
Exercise: What is a key component for implementing cryptocurrency using blockchain?
Video class: Transactions | Blockchain and Cryptocurrency: What You Need to Know | 201905m
Exercise: What is a UTXO in Bitcoin transactions?
Video class: Blockchain Properties | Blockchain and Cryptocurrency Course: What You Need to Know | 201903m
Exercise: What is the significance of a digital signature in cryptocurrency transactions?
Video class: What is a Wallet? | Blockchain and Cryptocurrency Course: What You Need to Know | 201904m
Exercise: What is a key function of a crypto wallet?
Video class: Sending and Depositing Funds | Blockchain and Cryptocurrency: What You Need to Know | 201906m
Exercise: What happens after pressing the send button in a crypto wallet?
Video class: Crypto Protection, Protecting Your Crypto Assets | Blockchain and Cryptocurrency | 201904m
Exercise: Which option is considered the safest for managing crypto assets?
Video class: What Are Crypto Currencies For? | Blockchain and Cryptocurrency Courses | 201903m
Exercise: What is a potential advantage of using Bitcoin over gold?
Video class: Decentralized Apps | Blockchain and Cryptocurrency: What You Need to Know | 201909m
Exercise: What is a decentralized app (dApp)?
Video class: Successful Examples Decentralized Apps | Blockchain and Cryptocurrency Course | 201906m
Exercise: What is unique about CryptoKitties as a game?
Video class: Record Asset Ownership on a Blockchain | 201904m
Exercise: What is a speculative application of blockchain technology mentioned in the passage?
Video class: Confidential Transactions and Validation | Blockchain and Cryptocurrency Courses | 201908m
Exercise: How can privacy be preserved on the blockchain while maintaining public verifiability?
Video class: How to Choose Miner | Blockchain and Cryptocurrency: What You Need to Know | 201904m
Exercise: What ensures miner selection in proof of work?
Video class: Proof of Work (PoW) Blockchain and Cryptocurrency: What You Need to Know | 201911m
Exercise: What is the purpose of a cryptographic puzzle in Bitcoin's proof of work?
Video class: Blockchains Summary | Blockchain and Cryptocurrency: What You Need to Know | 201907m
Exercise: What is one of the primary uses of a blockchain?
Video class: Introducton of Joe Grundfest | Blockchain and Cryptocurrency: What You Need to Know | 201900m
Exercise: What is one of the main areas of interest for the speaker?
Video class: What is Crypto? | Blockchain and Cryptocurrency: What You Need to Know | 201903m
Exercise: What is the primary function of the blockchain in the context of cryptocurrency?
Video class: Crypto vs. Tokens vs. ICO | Blockchain and Cryptocurrency Course: What You Need to Know | 201905m
Exercise: What distinguishes cryptocurrencies, tokens, and initial coin offerings?
Video class: Theft | Blockchain and Cryptocurrency Course: What You Need to Know | 201903m
Exercise: What are common ways through which cryptocurrency can be stolen?
Video class: Anonymity vs. Pseudonymity | Blockchain and Cryptocurrency Course: What You Need to Know | 201902m
Exercise: What is the accurate description of Bitcoin transactions?
Video class: Trustlessness | Blockchain and Cryptocurrency Course: What You Need to Know | 201904m
Exercise: What is a common misconception about Bitcoin's operational nature?
Video class: Fraud | Blockchain and Cryptocurrency Course: What You Need to Know | 201906m
Exercise: What were some key findings of the Wall Street Journal's analysis on initial coin offerings (ICOs)?
Video class: What is the SEC? | Blockchain and Cryptocurrency Course: What You Need to Know | 201906m
Exercise: Why might the SEC be perceived as inactive in enforcing actions against fraudulent Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs)?
Video class: Complexities in Regulatory Structure | Blockchain and Cryptocurrency: What You Need to Know | 201906m
Exercise: Which regulatory body is responsible for overseeing commodities like crypto in the US?
Video class: Defining a Security: The Howey Test | Blockchain and Cryptocurrency: What You Need to Know | 201903m
Exercise: What determines a crypto asset as a security under SEC regulations?
Video class: Applying Howey to ICOs | Blockchain and Cryptocurrency: What You Need to Know | 201903m
Exercise: What is the primary purpose of purchasing coins during an initial coin offering (ICO)?
Video class: Are They Securities? | Blockchain and Cryptocurrency Course: What You Need to Know | 201912m
Exercise: What is the SEC's position on Bitcoin and Ether as of June 2018?
Video class: Course Summary | Blockchain and Cryptocurrency: What You Need to Know | 201900m
Exercise: What is highlighted as a key aspect of the blockchain and cryptocurrency space in the conclusion?
Video class: Stanford Webinar - Cryptocurrencies and Blockchains: The Science Behind the Technology, Dan Boneh1h00m
Exercise: What is the main focus of cryptography in blockchain systems?
Video class: Stanford Webinar - Web3 Considered: Possible Futures for Decentralization and Digital Ownership58m