Suggested preparation: Programming, computer networks and introductory cryptography.
Optional preparation: Free MIT Course: Computer Systems Engineering.
About this course
Study the engineering foundations of cryptocurrencies through signatures, hashes, wallets, transactions and privacy mechanisms. The lectures focus on protocol design and technical trade-offs, not investment selection.
Topics and lesson examples
- 1. Signatures, Hashing, Hash Chains, e-cash, and Motivation
- 5. Synchronization Process and Pruning
- 11. Fees
- 16. MAST, Taproot, Graftroot
- 24. zkLedger
Course at a glance
| Provider | MIT |
|---|---|
| Platform | YouTube · MIT OpenCourseWare |
| Access | Free Video |
| Level | Professional — WikiFree study-level assessment |
| Language | English |
| Available lessons | 20 |
| Video duration | 24h 46m · self-paced |
| Details checked | 10 October 2026 |
Preparation and study approach
Suggested preparation: Programming, computer networks and introductory cryptography.
Follow the available videos in sequence, pausing to summarize the main argument or reconstruct a worked example. Keep a short list of assumptions, unfamiliar terms and questions to revisit. Additional reading, problem solving and practice will take time beyond the listed video duration.
Using this video classroom
Select a lesson from the list, or search for a topic. Previous and Next move through the sequence. You can mark lessons complete; progress is stored in this browser without a WikiFree account.
Free access and course scope
The public MIT OpenCourseWare videos in this classroom are free to watch. This listing provides the available playlist recordings, which may include selected lectures, recitations, demonstrations or supporting discussions rather than every component of the original campus course. Textbooks, equipment, software licenses, supervised labs, graded assignments and instructor feedback are not supplied by WikiFree. No purchase is required to watch the videos or use the note-based study approach above.
WikiFree independently organizes these resources for self-paced study. Watching does not award an MIT certificate, academic credit or admission to MIT.
Video provider and credit: MIT OpenCourseWare on YouTube. WikiFree titles, descriptions and cover artwork are independently prepared.
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Professional
Compare course focus, level and study time
| Course | Level | Focus | Study time |
|---|---|---|---|
| This course — Free MIT Course: Cryptocurrency Engineering and Blockchain Design | Professional | 1. Signatures, Hashing, Hash Chains, e-cash, and Motivation · 5. Synchronization Process and Pruning · 11. Fees | 24h 46m of video; practice time is additional |
| Free MIT Course: Computer Systems Engineering | Intermediate | MIT Course: Computer Systems Engineering | 18h 13m of video; practice time is additional |
| Free MIT Course: Compiler Design and Computer Language Engineering | Professional | MIT Course: Compiler Design and Computer Language Engineering | 6h 40m of video; practice time is additional |
| Free MIT Course: Software Performance Engineering | Professional | 1. Introduction and Matrix Multiplication · 6. Multicore Programming · 12. Parallel Storage Allocation | 29h 47m of video; practice time is additional |
Provider: MIT. Videos play from the MIT OpenCourseWare channel on YouTube.
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