The 5 Best Cryptocurrency Courses You Can Take Online

The global cryptocurrency market cap sits at over $1 trillion today. That’s a strikingly high number we’re sure you’d agree. Digital currency, also known as crypto, is a decentralised currency created and managed through cryptography, an advanced encryption technique. 

This means banks and other financial institutions do not govern its use and the level of security makes it virtually impossible to counterfeit. Crypto is primarily used for buying and selling goods but has many capabilities as a cash alternative. 

Since Bitcoin’s infamous explosion onto the scene in 2009, the financial market has seen dozens of competitors enter the ring. For many though, crypto can be confusing to grasp the terminologies and technical aspects behind it, making it difficult to know where to begin. 

If you’re looking to start trading or investing in crypto, you’ll need to learn the fundamentals of how it works and how to use it responsibly. We’ll look at the top crypto courses you can take online to get you started that cover cryptocurrencies, investing, trading and blockchain technologies. 

The Best Online Crypto Courses for Beginners

Growth Tribe: Crypto & Web3 Foundations

This course offers a comprehensive and in-depth overview of cryptocurrencies, blockchain technologies and web3 basics such as Ethereum, DeFi and smart contracts. 

As an accredited digital skills development provider you’ll receive full certification upon completion to share across your network and improve career prospects. 

Divided over 7 modules featuring approximately 24 hours of content, learners will study cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and the blockchain technologies that support it, buying and selling crypto and onboarding to exchanges and much more. 

This course is perfect for beginners wanting to get to grips with the fundamentals of crypto and web3 and how they can be applied to future-proofing their careers by exploring job opportunities in the market. 

Here’s what you can expect to learn in each module: 

Module 1: The Birth of Bitcoin and Blockchain 

Learn about blockchain technologies and the history of Bitcoin and its creator as you define cryptocurrency and break down the technical language and terminologies. 

Module 2: Buy, Store and Send Crypto 

Learn about crypto exchanges and onboarding to an exchange. This module will provide a step-by-step guide for buying crypto for trading, sending and receiving. 

Module 3: Security Practices 

See how to make and complete security checklists, set up two-factor authentication, learn about VPNs and their applications for crypto and how to backup crypto keys. 

Module 4: Web3 Explained 

After an introduction to web3 basics, you’ll learn about decentralised finance (DeFi) and demystifying NFTs - what they are and how to buy, sell and trade them. This module also includes learning about the Metaverse, its uses and how crypto fits into its architecture. 

Module 5: Real Case Studies of Blockchain 

Understand how blockchain works for different purposes including how it's used in traditional banking versus creator use. Learn about supply chains, remittances and cross-border payments. 

Module 6: Safe Investment Decisions 

Learn how to identify, analyse and mitigate crypto investment risks and how to spot a scam as you hear from industry experts. 

Module 7: Career Opportunities 

Break open careers in the blockchain industry by identifying opportunities in existing industries. Learn about real-world case studies and success stories and how these can be applied to your career. 

Discover the course here

Rocket Fuel: Cryptocurrency Investing and Trading 

Led by Jeff Wang, founder of Rocket Fuel Crypto and early adopter of blockchain technologies, he went on to patent several blockchain technologies and serve as an investor in several successful crypto startups before joining Salesforce.com. 

Rocket Fuel Crytpo is designed to educate learners on how to navigate the world of cryptocurrency and blockchain technologies within their three pillars of Crypto Mastery: Education, Analysis and Community. 

Education serves as the foundation of the program with videos introducing the basic concepts and eventually progressing to more advanced topics. 

Analysis provides learners with weekly videos and monthly newsletters that analyse various coins and teach learners how to analyse crypto projects. 

Community gives you access to a support network of crypto enthusiasts through Rocket Fuel’s Telegram community. 

The video courses will enable learners to understand the following at their own pace:

- Crypto trading basics 

- Understand blockchain and its uses 

- Market analysis and getting started in investing and trading 

- Identifying risks 

Rocket Fuel offers a 7-day trial and then requires a $47 monthly subscription for access to the content and ongoing newsletters/ community. 

Discover the course here

Udemy: The Complete Cryptocurrency Course 

This complete crypto course bundle from Udemy packages 5+ courses into 1 complete offering. Aimed at beginners, the modules will teach learners about mining, investing, wallets, exchanges and diversified portfolios. 

By the end of the course, learners will have a solid grasp of a number of key areas related to cryptocurrency and investing:

- Invest, mine and trade crypto 

- Identifying coin opportunities and common investment pitfalls 

- Learn about more than 10+ cryptocurrencies including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, Stellar and Cardano 

- Learn about different crypto wallet types and their pros and cons 

- Learn about more than 5+ crypto exchanges including Coinbase Pro, Gemini and Binance 

- Creating a crypto investment portfolio 

The course is divided into 5 sections with 23+ hours of on-demand video content and comes with a certificate of completion. Prices from Udemy vary but it retails at $69 approximately for lifetime access. 

Discover the course here 

Coursera: Cryptocurrency and Blockchain Technologies - An Introduction to Digital Currencies 

This course offered in partnership with the University of Pennsylvania is designed to teach individuals and organisations how to navigate cryptocurrency investment, how blockchain technology works and how to create a strategy that incorporates crypto into investment portfolios. 

Led by professors, Jessica Wachter and Sarah Hammer, the course is spread over 29 videos, 4 readings and 4 quizzes. 

The course is broken up into 4 modules totalling 4 hours of content and can be completed at your own pace:

Module 1: Introduction to Cryptocurrency 

Learners define Bitcoin and why its popularity as a cash alternative is more prevalent than ever. You’ll also learn the methodology behind transacting with Bitcoin, analysing the growth of centralised intermediaries that facilitate cash-alternative transactions and their overall role in currency.

Module 2: Rules and Structure of Bitcoin 

Learn how cryptology and blockchain are solving the problems inherent with a decentralised currency. Gain a deep understanding of digital signatures, the intricacies of blockchain technologies and proof of work in the stability of Bitcoin as a currency. 

Module 3: Cryptocurrency as an Asset Class

Examine the theory and data perspective of traditional finance and how this relates to the stability and predictability of Bitcoin within a portfolio. Cover key concepts of portfolio theories, Beta and Alpha coins and asset pricing for how best to mitigate risk and optimise cryptocurrency as an asset for portfolios. 

Module 4: The Blockchain Ecosystem 

Discover how blockchain is built and used across multiple industries through the analysis of different types of crypto finance. 

Coursera offers enrolment and auditing courses for free (read and view only) but for a shareable certificate and access to course materials, you must pay a monthly subscription of around $49 per month. 

Discover the course here

Edx: Bitcoin and Cryptocurrencies by University of California, Berkeley 

This course provides an in-depth overview of the fundamental concepts of cryptocurrencies and Bitcoin. Learners will gain knowledge of the mechanics and practical applications of Bitcoin such as wallets and mining and how to begin developing future-proof skills surrounding crypto. 

Divided over 6 weeks and 6 modules at roughly 3-5 hours per week, you’ll cover the following topics: 

Bitcoin Protocol and Consensus: A High-Level Overview 

Learn about the fundamental properties and intent of centralised and decentralised currency. See how Bitcoin is built from the ground up over four stages: Identity, Transaction, Record Keeping and Consensus. 

Blockchain History: From the Cypherpunk Movement to JP Morgan Chase 

Discover the origins and significance of Bitcoin’s rise to popularity compared with its predecessors and the history of the crypto space as a whole. 

Bitcoin Mechanics and Optimisations: A Technical Overview 

Explore the in-depth mechanics behind Bitcoin such as the Bitcoin network, cryptography, hash functions and Bitcoin script, privacy and hash commitment schemes. 

Bitcoin in Real Life: Wallets, Mining and More 

Learn about the different aspects of Bitcoin use, such as wallets, mining, transactions and governance. 

Game Theory and Network Attacks: How to Destroy Bitcoin 

Learn about the vulnerabilities and destruction of Bitcoin including pool cannibalisation, double spending and forking attacks, network attacks and malicious mining profit strategies. 

Ethereum and Smart Contracts: Enabling a Decentralised Future 

Introduction to Ethereum and the key protocol differences between it and Bitcoin as well as learning about smart contracts and building decentralised applications. 

Edx courses are free to audit but require a $99 fee for certification, assessments and lifetime access to materials. 

Discover the course here

Final thoughts 

Cryptocurrency is an inevitable reality of our future. Its momentum is only building as more industries and institutions seek to incorporate cash alternatives and more secure solutions to centralised finance options. 

Taking a course to understand how it all works and its practical real-world applications is a proactive way to enhance your career opportunities and future-proof against the coming shifts in how businesses operate.