Economics of Blockchain and Digital Currencies

July 14-July 18, 2025 in Amsterdam, Zuidas

Faculty 

Prof. Dr Maarten van Oordt is Professor of Money and Banking at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. He is an expert in the areas of digital currencies as well as risk management. 

Meet the Lecturer 

Course 

Navigate the evolving landscape of blockchains and digital currencies through the lens of finance, cutting through the media hype. This course delves into the economic forces that govern the parallel financial ecosystem of blockchain and digital currencies. It aims to equip participants with the knowledge and analytical skills to critically evaluate the implications of blockchain and digital currencies from a finance perspective. The course begins by laying a foundation in the technical aspects of blockchains and cryptocurrencies. It then shifts to analysing economic models related to exchange rates, consensus mechanisms, initial coin offerings, and decentralized exchanges, and it concludes with a discussion on the emergence of potential central bank digital currencies.

 Learning Objectives

This course studies blockchain and digital currencies from a finance perspective. It aims for growth in the participants’ ability to

• understand various technical concepts around blockchain and digital currencies
• examine the economic forces that govern digital currencies and decentralized finance
• apply models for various economic aspects around blockchains and digital currencies
• evaluate the implications of blockchain and digital currencies in the context of finance

Topics

Blockchain, cryptocurrencies, exchange rates, initial coin offerings, decentralized trading, defi, central bank digital currency. 

Literature

• “Bitcoin and Cryptocurrency Technologies: A Comprehensive Introduction.” Narayanan, Bonneau, Felton, Miller, and Goldfeder. Princeton University Press. 2016. ISBN: 9780691171692.
  “DeFi and the Future of Finance.” Harvey, Ramachandran, and Santoro. Wiley. 2021. ISBN: 9781119836018.
  Recent academic articles, regulatory reports.

The cost of the books is included in the course fees. See below for more information. 

Schedule 

The summer school offers a comprehensive, full-time schedule over 5 days, with both engaging lectures and tutorials throughout the mornings and afternoons. This structure ensures a rich, immersive learning experience.

Example Schedule 

• 10.00-12.30 Lecture
• 12.30-13.30 Lunch
• 13.30-16.00 Lecture & Tutorials 

Level

The course welcomes (research) master students, PhD students, post-docs, and professionals from policy institutions such as central banks, market authorities, international institutions and corporations.

Admission requirements

Students currently pursuing a MSc, MPhil or a PhD degree; professionals with a MSc, MPhil, PhD, or equivalent degree, with some background in economics and finance. Participants are assumed to have basic mathematical skills and knowledge of coding (e.g., R or Python).