This four-course Specialization introduces you to the world of blockchain technology— explaining what blockchain is, how it works, and why it’s revolutionary. You will learn about various categories of cryptoassets, and the ways they can be transacted on a blockchain. You will learn how blockchain is disrupting business models and financial services, offering organizations new choices in how they create and manage value.

The Program

1. Introduction to Blockchain Technologies
   In this first course of the specialization, you will discuss the limitations of the Internet for business and economic activity, and explain how blockchain technology represents the way forward. After completing this course, you will be able to explain what blockchain is, how it works, and why it is revolutionary. You will learn key concepts such as mining, hashing, proof-of-work, public key cryptography, and the double-spend problem.
2. Transacting on the Blockchain
   You’ll learn how blockchain technology empowers individuals, entrepreneurs, and businesses with the tools they need to help level the playing field and to participate in the value they create. By the end of this course, you’ll learn how and why transacting on the blockchain can help us bring about a future that is faster, fairer, and more distributed than the world we inhabit today.
3. Blockchain and Business: Applications and Implications
   You will explore how blockchain will transform the roles of the C-Suite, and how a blockchain can be used to manage and protect intellectual property. You will be able to identify the different layers of the blockchain technology stack, and explain how these affect the governance of blockchain systems. As well, you will be able to identify seven qualities that a region in the world needs in order to attract technology startups and to build a vibrant blockchain ecosystem.
4. Blockchain Opportunity Analysis
   You will accomplish different project milestones each week, and will be introduced to several tools that entrepreneurs use to organize their findings. Throughout this process, you will hear from real-world practitioners who have hands-on experience in the blockchain ecosystem. 

What you will learn

• Seven design principles for the «Blockchain Revolution».

• Top 10 challenges for implementing blockchain technology.

• Terms such as miner, hash, nonce, consensus mechanism, public key cryptography, cryptoasset, smart contract, DApp, and self-sovereign identity.

• Blockchain use-cases within your industry, and business model decisions to assess feasibility.