Bitcoin & Blockchain Basics: Dive into Cryptocurrency

In this lecture I will present to you the theory behind the Bitcoin blockchain and how it works, as simply as possible, without getting into too much technical details, as it is not necessary to understand everything about BTC to use it properly.

Do you want to know what made Bitcoin the first successful implementation of a truly decentralized network allowing irrevocable transactions between its users? Discover the Proof of Work consensus mechanism, most certainly the most revolutionary aspect of the Bitcoin protocol.

In this lecture we’ll study how the Bitcoin blockchain processes transactions on a more practical level. More specifically we'll see how users can send and receive bitcoin by setting up a wallet holding public and private keys.

This lecture is dedicated to getting into more detail on how to use a wallet to send and receive transactions on the Bitcoin blockchain. We'll see how wallets manage your Bitcoin adresses but also create and sign a transaction when you want to send some bitcoin.

Let's see what it means to "lose your bitcoin", how it can happen and most importantly how it can be avoided. There are a few practices a Bitcoin user simply can not ignore!

In this lecture we'll tackle the topic of the Bitcoin blockchain security. Should I be nervous storing my btc? How can someone steal them? Could the Bitcoin network be attacked by quantum computers?

Bitcoin transactions are irreversible when settled, but when is a transaction settled? How can I verify the status of a transaction and if everything is in order. That's what we'll find out in this lecture. We'll also discuss the level of anonymity of the Bitcoin blockchain, and what information is available for everyone to see. 

We'll end this section with two controversial topics, Bitcoin's scalability and energy consumption. Bitcoin's decentralization and security comes with a price, and trade-offs have to be made. Let us understand why Bitcoin was designed the way it is and most importantly clear some misconception regarding the impact of the number of transactions processed on energy consumption.

In this lecture we'll review the most common definitions and terminology associated with the Bitcoin market. It also serves as a prerequisite to ensure a propre understanding for the rest of the course. 

In this lecture we’ll study the most important properties of Bitcoin. We'll use comparisons with another, more commonly known asset, gold, to illustrate what makes Bitcoin valuable and also unique. 

In this lecture we'll study the Bitcoin market's 12 year history and what we can make of it. How Bitcoin grew from 0 to a trillion dollar asset, what patterns dit it follow, how supply and demand impacted the market, and what can we expect in the future?

Consider buying Bitcoin? A thousand questions are most certainly going through your head, the first one probably being: "Am I too late?". In this lecture we'll discuss how to tackle the decision of buying into this volatile market, and as importantly how not to tackle it! I will also explain in details what is generally recognized as the best investment strategy for a long time frame approach, to maximize return but also to reduce anxiety.

It is no secret volatility goes both ways and Bitcoin's drawdowns can be brutal. As a result you might consider to exit, at least partially, your Bitcoin allocation when certain indicators are flashing. But above all else, preparation is key, we'll see why and how to prepare an exit strategy or simply take some profits with your Bitcoin investment.

There are many reasons why someone might want to buy Bitcoin, each person's situation is different and we all have different objectives. Let us discuss the most common incentives that drives people to buy Bitcoin. We'll also see how you can answer the question of whether or not you are too late to buy Bitcoin.

In this lecture we'll discuss if Bitcoin can become the currency of the world, and does it have to be? Bitcoin is often criticized for having no intrinsic value, what does it mean? Does it really matter? A bunch of delicate questions we'll tackle as factually as possible.

Bitcoin is sometimes presented as a safe haven asset, uncorrelated to most traditional assets like stocks, let us study how it behaved in the past and what can we expect in the future. Bitcoin is the first cryptocurrency, but certainly not the only one. Let's discuss a brief overview of what differentiates Bitcoin from the Altcoins.

In this final lecture, we'll tackle three topics. First, we'll try to analyse the reasons behind Bitcoin's price volatility. Secondly, we'll see what to consider when buying Bitcoin from an exchange and how to choose a wallet to store your Bitcoin. Finally, we'll discuss the most common fiscal policies around buying and selling cryptocurrencies.