Cryptocurrency Courses

Cryptocurrency is a digital currency or decentralized system of exchange that uses advanced cryptography for security. Common examples of cryptocurrencies used include Ethereum, Ripple, Litecoin, and the popular Bitcoin. Though not considered a mainstream form of currency, some tout the business benefits of cryptocurrency over traditional forms of payment such as lower fees, fraud reduction, instant payments, and other advantages.

Cryptocurrency is important to learn for various reasons, including to help businesses adopt the form of payment to attract new customers. It’s also critical for learners interested in helping to expand digital currency and its benefits to developing nations.‎

Bitcoin-, blockchain-, and other enthusiasts will be excited to learn that their cryptocurrency interests can translate into exciting careers. In fact, job postings that contained the words “blockchain”, “bitcoin”, or “cryptocurrency” increased by 621 percent from 2015 through 2017.

Various fields, industries, and sectors are looking for specialists in cryptocurrency—including banking, accounting, oil and gas, insurance, and retailers, with particular growth in media, logistics, and legal compliance. As for specific titles related to cryptocurrency, learners can look forward to becoming Blockchain Developers, Splunk Developer, Crypto Community Manager, Cryptocurrency Researcher, and others.‎

Cryptocurrency courses offered through Coursera equip learners with knowledge in myths versus facts about the technology; key concepts of blockchain technology; investment options in cryptocurrency; fundamentals of blockchain technology; business cases in which blockchain does or doesn’t make sense; and more.

Lessons on cryptocurrency are taught by instructors from major tech names and universities, including Princeton University, Wharton, INSEAD, University of Michigan, and other institutions. Learners can enjoy exploring cryptocurrency with instructors specializing in Computer Science, Financial Management, Business, and other disciplines. Course content on cryptocurrency is delivered via video lectures, readings, quizzes, and other types of assignments.‎

The skills or experience you need to already have before starting to learn cryptocurrency may include a knowledge of financial currencies, both physical and digital, as well as an understanding of financial trading, stock markets, and market volatility. Cryptocurrency in its basic form is a form of digital currency, a type of payment that is increasingly used online and exchanged for goods and services. Because of this, you might want to have experience in using digital payments over the internet. You might also want to have experience in knowing how businesses pay for goods and services from another company. More often, online payments are used. Soon, paying in cryptocurrency rather than a national country-backed currency will be how digital payments will be made.‎

You may find that learning cryptocurrency is right for you if you have a keen interest in digital payments, financial news, and blockchain, and you want to see the next evolution in internet processes. Cryptocurrency is also seen as an investment in a future type of business model, in which retail and institutional investors invest in the future of cryptocurrency. Cryptocurrencies work using a technology called blockchain, which is a decentralized technology that is not overseen by one central entity but is allocated across many computers that record cryptocurrency transactions. If you are passionate about how money and markets are moving toward a new payment future, then learning about cryptocurrency might be a good move for you to take.‎

Some of the topics that you can study that are related to cryptocurrency include blockchain, decentralized finance, NFTs, and fiat money, like the U.S. dollar and other paper currencies. In learning about cryptocurrency, studying these other topics can give you a much better focus on why this new digital payments area is growing and what it means for our modern banking system.‎

Common career paths for someone in cryptocurrency may include working in finance, treasury bonds, stock markets, digital payments, or business operations. These areas, among others, are the ones that will likely be transformed by the impact of cryptocurrency. As more businesses start to either make payments in cryptocurrencies to save time and money on transaction costs, or to invest their capital reserves in this new market, there may be other career paths that open up in sales and marketing, systems development, and IT/technology.‎