Overview

This eCourse covers four essential areas of modern financial technology: Digital Assets, Cryptography, Blockchain, and DeFi. Each module builds foundational knowledge for understanding digital finance.

Module 1 covers digital assets, which are anything of value that is stored digitally such as digital art, digital money, or physical assets represented by a digital token. Crypto assets, including cryptocurrencies, are also a type of digital asset. This module provides a high-level overview of digital assets.

Module 2 covers cryptography. It plays a critical role in many contemporary financial technologies, underpinning a wide range of applications from secure cash transfers to blockchain. Therefore, it is important for financial professionals to understand at least the basics of modern cryptography. This module provides an overview of cryptography, covering three key cryptographic tools, and examining the role of cryptography in financial technology (FinTech).

Module 3 covers blockchain. A blockchain is a digital ledger that records transactions on a public or private peer-to-peer network. Blockchain technology is best known for facilitating cryptocurrency transactions, but it has many applications beyond financial circles. This module provides a high-level overview of blockchain technology.

Module 4 covers decentralized finance (DeFi). DeFi is a new way of transacting in financial markets, powered by blockchain technology and requiring no intermediaries or central authority. This module provides a high-level overview of DeFi and the ways in which it differs from the traditional financial system.

Objective

On completion of this course, you will be able to:
- Explain what a digital asset is
- Recognize why cryptocurrencies do not fulfill any of the core functions of money
- Describe central bank digital currencies
- Define secret key cryptography and identify its uses
- Define public key cryptography and list its function
- Define hash functions and recognize their role in secure messaging systems
- Explain how a blockchain works
- Describe the contents of a block
- Outline the four types of blockchain:
o Public
o Private
o Hybrid
o Consortium
- List the applications of blockchain technology
- Explain how decentralized finance, or DeFi, differs from the traditional financial system
- Describe the Ethereum ecosystem
- List the potential benefits of DeFi as well as the challenges it faces

Content

Module 1 – Digital Assets

Module 2 - Cryptography
Topic 1: Cryptography Overview
Topic 2: Secret Key Cryptography
Topic 3: Public Key Cryptography
Topic 4: Hash Functions

Module 3 - Blockchain

Module 4 - DeFi