Blockchain has recently become synonymous with “cryptocurrency,” but its applications are much wider than financial transactions. Though cryptocurrencies constitute the most popular of applications, the business applications are endless. In fact, any industry that makes use of an intermediary to verify transactions could in theory make use of blockchain technology. But how do people know if their industry and/or company stands to gain from adopting the technology?

This course provides you with the tools to discern the applicability of blockchain technology to your business model. You will do this by learning about smart contracts and how you can implement minimal trust applications for almost any task imaginable. You will analyze how smart contracts work, how they’re used today, and how to reason about their capabilities, and what ongoing technical challenges they pose. In the course project, you will come up with your own smart contract application and outline the challenges that might exist in its adoption. Ultimately you will walk away with the ability to answer one important question: Does your business need a blockchain?