Duration: 3 hours per week - 13 weeks [ECTS: 6]

Course outline

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The purpose of this course is to introduce students to Cryptoeconomics, Blockchain, and Decentralized Finance (DeFi), exploring both fundamental concepts and practical applications. During the course, students will become familiar with cryptocurrencies, cryptoassets, and the technologies that support them, with a particular focus on Bitcoin and Ethereum.

The mechanisms enabling secure decentralized transactions through Blockchain technology will be examined. Additionally, techniques for creating Smart Contracts and their fundamental applications will be presented, including Digital Tokens, Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs), Decentralized Applications (Dapps), and Data Bridges (Oracles).

Furthermore, methods of fundamental and technical analysis for assessing the value of cryptoassets will be analyzed. Finally, practical examples of cryptoeconomics applications across various fields beyond cryptocurrencies will be showcased, providing a comprehensive overview of the technology and its dynamics in the modern economic landscape.

The main topics of the course are:
•    Fundamental principles of Cryptoeconomics and Decentralized Finance (DeFi).
•    Blockchain technology: its functionality and applications across various sectors of economic activity.
•    Introduction to cryptography and the security of Bitcoin and Ethereum.
•    Addresses, Keys, and Wallets in Bitcoin and Ethereum.
•    Transactions, Consensus, and Security in Bitcoin and Ethereum.
•    Analysis of the mining mechanism and the environmental impacts of cryptocurrency mining, with emphasis on Proof of Work (PoW) and Proof of Stake (PoS) algorithms.
•    Programming Smart Contracts and Decentralized Applications (DApps) on Ethereum.
•    Cryptoassets and alternative cryptocurrencies (Altcoins).
•    Digital tokens and their various types, such as utility tokens and security tokens.
•    Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs): their use in art, the digital realm, and other fields.
•    Prospects and challenges for the future of DeFi, as well as their potential impact on the financial system.

Learning outcomes:

Upon completion of the course, students will be able to:
• Fully understand the operation of cryptocurrencies, recognizing both their potential and limitations.
• Design and program smart contracts and decentralized applications (DApps).
• Utilize blockchain technology to create innovative decentralized financial services (DeFi).
• Evaluate and assess cryptoassets using fundamental and technical analysis.