Best Resources to Learn About Blockchain

According to financial reports, the total blockchain technology market was worth about $3.0 billion in 2020. By 2025, estimates are that the value will grow to $39.7 billion, making its growth rate staggering 67.3%.

What makes blockchain technology so appealing to developers, investors, and everyone else? It’s not only high-tech people who are eyeballing blockchain technology, from the fashion industry to retail and more.

To help you understand further the technology that’s likely to change the world as much (if not more) as the Internet did, here are the best resources to learn about blockchain technology.

BEST BLOCKCHAIN EDUCATIONAL COURSES

Countless websites provide information about blockchain. While some have basic 101 knowledge, other websites offer more advanced courses on how blockchain helps improve the financial system, governments and how you can incorporate blockchain in your projects.

Depending on what you’re looking for, you can check out the following.

BLOCKCHAIN: FOUNDATIONS AND USE CASES

If you’re entirely new to blockchain technology, you need to understand the basics first. The free course on Coursera offers the starting knowledge while also digging deeper into more niche topics such as cryptocurrencies and smart contracts. The most significant benefit is that you’ll get real-life use cases to truly understand why blockchain is so crucial to the future development of society.

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The course lasts for about 16 hours and is a fantastic gate opener to the world of blockchain.

BLOCKCHAIN ESSENTIALS

If you’re more into how blockchain is changing businesses specifically, the better course for you is Blockchain Essentials by Cognitive Class.

This class will teach you all there is about Blockchain and distributed ledger systems. With emerging technology, any industry can create its tech that improves the ways companies manage a business and interact with customers.

If you prefer a quick, niche-business example of how blockchain disrupts a specific industry, here’s a great example of the fashion industry and fashion tech. Blockchain is all about eliminating general business’ shortcomings. Something as high-end as fashion is a great way to wrap your head around how exactly blockchain can make trades cheaper, employee experience better, and also how it can reduce pollution.

BLOCKCHAIN FOR DEVELOPERS

For those looking to be participants in the revolution, instead of mere observers, the IBM course focuses on blockchain from a developer’s perspective.

The course will teach you about blockchain, mastering the technology, and implementing the tech into your work. The class also introduces decentralized apps (dapps) and their benefits compared to the currently dominating centralized apps.

BEST BLOCKCHAIN BOOKS

Some people prefer listening, while some prefer reading. If you fall in the latter group and you like to take your time, there are countless books you can get and start learning.

Here are the top books to help you understand blockchain technology that you can get in paper form/ebooks on Amazon or audiobooks on platforms such as Audible.

BLOCKCHAIN REVOLUTION BY DON TAPSCOTT

Blockchain Revolution is a great starting read for anybody who wants to tap into blockchain and the impact cryptocurrencies will have on the world.

The book doesn’t linger on finance and merely bitcoin. Instead, it provides a wide range of use cases on the value for humankind in general. The book covers every corner from buying property and legal issues to death certificates, art, and NFTs.

Blockchain Revolution is a top read for anyone who wants to understand blockchain.

THE TRUTH MACHINE BY PAUL VIGNA AND MICHAEL J. CASEY

The Truth Machine aims to demystify the history of blockchain as well as the likely future. Instead of focusing on technicalities, Vigna and Casey take a more social approach to why we need blockchain.

Starting with the outdated banking system, the book expands into data privacy, global power shifts, work, and daily life in general.

The book does a great job of helping you understand that blockchain and cryptocurrencies are more than just a way to earn money trading.

BEST YOUTUBE CHANNELS ON BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY

The crypto side of Youtube can be as dangerous as it can be helpful for anyone new to the world. Youtube is packing with clickbait titles of get-rich-quick promises that, most of the time, benefit the Youtuber at the cost of the viewer.

To avoid empty “easy money” promises and get genuine understanding, here are some of the best Youtube channels to follows.

COIN BUREAU

Coin Bureau is one of the rare channels that doesn’t merely create “hot content”. Although like every other Youtube channel, the channel focuses on trading, Guy also creates in-depth videos on how crypto is changing the world. Additionally, some videos take a deep dive into a specific coin and why the technology is helpful.

It’s an excellent channel for anyone who wants a mixture of the latest news alongside solid blockchain education.

JASON PIZZINO

Although more conventional, Jason Pizzino does a great job explaining what’s happening in the crypto wild west. Instead of pretending to be predicting the future and where different coins will go, Pizzino offers a down-to-earth analysis of the latest market state.

Videos are here to educate first and entertain later. Although you won’t get the usual “fun package,” you’ll be getting knowledge that will benefit you in the long run.

BEST NICHE BLOCKCHAIN RESOURCES

Blockchain, cryptocurrencies, and trading - you know what they are. But what about NFTs, decentralized finance, and other terms you heard but have no idea what they are?

In short, here are great places to start learning.

NON-FUNGIBLE TOKENS (NFTS)

It seems a day doesn’t pass without some new and confusing NFT project popping up. Why are people going crazy about CryptoPunks? And why did you wake up to avatars of chimps and other apes jumbling the social media? Furthermore, what is it called Bored Ape Yacht Club? What could yachts, apes, and NFTs possibly have in common?

To wrap your head around everything NFT, Udemy offers an excellent NFT course that they constantly update.

DECENTRALIZED FINANCE (DEFI)

Decentralized finance is the cornerstone of creating that major shift that any conventional banker is afraid of. But how exactly does DeFi aim to do that?

Coinbase has a solid introduction article instead of an entire course to help you understand the great financial disruptor.

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