Introduction to Blockchain and Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) (FutureLearn)

Introduction to Blockchain and Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) (FutureLearn)

Enhance your understanding of DLT and blockchain technology and explore how it can be used to solve business problems. Discover distributed ledger technology and blockchain for business. On this course, you’ll get an introduction to blockchain and DLT through a case study of a company that uses various aspects of the technologies to solve business problems.

Class Deals by MOOC List - Click here and see FutureLearn's Active Discounts, Deals, and Promo Codes.

You’ll discover how and why blockchain technologies can be used in business to improve processes and inform decision-making.
You’ll explore its Bitcoin beginnings and learn how blockchains can change how information and value is stored, transferred and coordinated.
You’ll also consider how DLT can be used to change current business models through the use of smart contracts and secure data coordination.

What topics will you cover?

  • What are blockchains and distributed ledger technologies?
  • How blockchains can be used as a means to decentralise processes, for example payments
  • How blockchains can be applied to supply chains to improve transparency and better reconciliation of data
  • How blockchains can be used as a means of establishing better provenance and how smart contracts can be used to automate processes that rely on trusted information
  • Practical case study examples of blockchain and DLT use
  • Hear from real world companies on deployments of this revolutionary technology
  • Learn frameworks on how to apply DLT to your business or to a use case

What will you achieve?
By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

  • Explain what problems blockchains solve
  • Describe what the properties of a blockchain system are
  • Demonstrate knowledge of who the key stakeholders in the blockchain ecosystem
  • Compare decentralised and centralised systems, what are the pros and cons of both are and why decentralisation is a key property of a blockchain
  • Explain how blockchains could be used for payments
  • Describe how cryptography and consensus mechanisms are used in blockchain systems
  • Demonstrate knowledge of how blockchain can be used in supply chains
  • Explain what are smart contracts and how they can be applied and how they differ from concentional contracts
  • Apply the UCL Blockchain Framework to see if a business problem could be solved with the application of blockchain technology
  • Reflect on how blockchain technology could lead to transformational business models and disruption in our conventional socio-economic systems

Who is the course for?
This course was created by the UCL Centre for Blockchain Technologies, the oldest and largest academic blockchain centre in the world that has pioneered executive education for blockchain and DLT education.
The course is designed for anyone who wants to learn the basics of blockchain technology and how it can be applied to business problems.
It will be particularly useful for business executives exploring the use of blockchain at their companies.
This course is also suitable as an introductory course for those who want to explore the possibility of upskilling with blockchain knowledge.

Go to Class
MOOC List is learner-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Related Courses

Business History of the FIFA World Cup (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
University of York

Business History of the FIFA World Cup (FutureLearn)

Trace the historic development of the FIFA World Cup as a business entity to build expertise in sports business and management. On this three-week course from the University of York, you’ll trace the business history of the FIFA World Cup. Acknowledging the broader cultural, political, economic and social context of the tournament, you’ll examine its status as a business supported by a system of increasingly powerful monopolies.

Self Paced
3 Weeks
Essential Skills for Your Career Development (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
University of Leeds,Institute of Coding

Essential Skills for Your Career Development (FutureLearn)

Take charge of your career development and identify the skills you need to plan and achieve your career goals. Learn the professional career development tools to get your career on track. Most people want to achieve career success, but how can you make it a reality? On this course, you’ll get the tools to take your career to the next level.

Self Paced
2 Weeks
Upcycling: From Green Ideas to Starting a Business (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
MINCA,Hands of Honour

Upcycling: From Green Ideas to Starting a Business (FutureLearn)

Explore the concept of upcycling, its link to sustainable development, and how you can start your own upcycling business. Understand upcycling, how to make upcycling products and start up a company. Have you ever turned unwanted objects or waste materials into entirely new products? Upcycling is the ideal way to combine creative ideas with a passion for sustainability and entrepreneurship.

Self Paced
3 Weeks
Social Enterprise: Turning Ideas into Action (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
Middlesex University London

Social Enterprise: Turning Ideas into Action (FutureLearn)

Learn how to turn your social enterprise ideas into action in this free online course from Middlesex University Business School. How can you turn a social enterprise idea into action? In this course, you will identify the problem your idea is trying to solve, design your social enterprise venture model and prepare to take it to market. This course is a must for anyone who wants to launch a social enterprise.

Self Paced
3 Weeks
Farm to Fork: Sustainable Food Production in a Changing Environment (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
Queen’s University Belfast,EIT Food,EIT,University of Turin

Farm to Fork: Sustainable Food Production in a Changing Environment (FutureLearn)

Understand how food goes from farm to fork: explore food security, supply chains, food production and agriculture. Discover food supply chains from farm to fork. How does food reach our plates? How is the food industry changing? What threats are there to food supply chains? How can we build a sustainable food industry? Get answers to these questions and more with this course that explores food and agriculture in the modern world.

Jan 2nd 2023
4 Weeks
Starting a Business 4: Business Processes (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
University of Leeds

Starting a Business 4: Business Processes (FutureLearn)

Understand how business works and performance can be improved so that you can take your business forward and manage growth. A successful business relies on processes and information systems; it is important that an entrepreneur pays close attention to how their business works and how performance can be improved so that they are in a position to take it forward and manage growth.

Self Paced
2 Weeks
Managing Innovation: Learning to Prototype for Business (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
St George's, University of London,Bayer

Managing Innovation: Learning to Prototype for Business (FutureLearn)

Understand how to pitch innovative ideas using prototypes, and develop your skills by creating your own prototype. In order for companies to remain competitive, they have to create innovative products, processes or services to satisfy new or existing customers. Prototypes allow you to test your ideas early on to get invaluable feedback informing you about what the customers really want.

Self Paced
3 Weeks
Entrepreneurship: From Business Idea to Action (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
King's College London

Entrepreneurship: From Business Idea to Action (FutureLearn)

Improve your knowledge of entrepreneurship and discover how to plan, develop, nurture, and build a successful business. Learn key business skills, from pitching your idea to writing a vision statement. On this course, you’ll enhance your understanding of business and improve your skills in entrepreneurship for university study and work.

Self Paced
4 Weeks
Principles of Service Management (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
Hanken School of Economics

Principles of Service Management (FutureLearn)

Your customers are your key resource. Explore a service-based approach to marketing and management that can better serve them. Find out what the discipline of Service Management can do for your business. Today an increasing number of companies compete on service, not product. As a result, understanding a service-based approach to business is essential - even for product-based businesses.

Oct 21st 2024
5-12 Weeks
How to Succeed at: Interviews (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
The University of Sheffield

How to Succeed at: Interviews (FutureLearn)

This free three week course provides the tools you need to succeed at interviews and land your dream job or course place. Being offered an interview is exciting but can be quite daunting. On this course, our experts from The Careers Service here at The University of Sheffield will make sure you are prepared for the big day.

Dec 2nd 2024
3 Weeks
Uncovering Your Entrepreneurial Potential (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
Coventry University

Uncovering Your Entrepreneurial Potential (FutureLearn)

Explore what makes a good entrepreneur and how applying an entrepreneurial approach can create economic and social value. Reflect on and develop your own entrepreneurial approach to work. Taking an entrepreneurial approach to work can be useful in a range of contexts, not just starting your own company. This course will challenge your ideas about entrepreneurship and innovation and demonstrate how you can adopt an entrepreneurial mindset to benefit yourself and others. You will explore different ways to approach innovation and entrepreneurship in the workplace.

Self Paced
2 Weeks