About The Course:

This course is designed for students who want to explore the transformative potential of blockchain technology on financial systems. The course begins with early applications such as Bitcoin and focuses on understanding the technical, commercial, and public-policy dimensions of distributed ledger technologies and smart contracts. Participants learn the fundamental building blocks of both open-source and permissioned blockchain systems.

In the advanced stages of the course, blockchain applications across the financial services sector are examined comprehensively—from payment systems to central banking, venture capital to secondary markets, trade finance to digital identity. In addition, regulatory frameworks related to cryptocurrency markets, ICOs, token types, and crypto derivatives are also covered.

This course provides a strategic learning pathway that offers both entrepreneurs and existing industry players a perspective on reshaping digital financial infrastructure.

Prerequisites:

There are no prerequisites for this course.

Instructor:

Prof. Gary Gensler is an American academic, policymaker, and finance expert. He currently serves as the Chair of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Previously, he served as the Chair of the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), and he is also a professor at the MIT Sloan School of Management, where he teaches courses on blockchain, digital currencies (cryptocurrencies), and financial technologies (FinTech).

He is widely regarded as one of the leading experts in crypto assets and blockchain technology. During his tenure as SEC Chair, he has been recognized for efforts to establish new regulatory frameworks aimed at enhancing market transparency and protecting investors.