Bitcoin Education Institute

Promoting teaching and research on Bitcoin in higher education
501(c)(3)

[Bitcoin Education Institute @BTCedu]

Calling all faculty and PhD candidates – if you teach and/or research Bitcoin, we want to hear from you.

BEI is proud to announce our First Annual Conference, which will be held at the George Washington University in Washington, DC, on July 31, 2026. The Conference is by academics, for academics.

We’re offering honoraria for selected speakers:

💰 $3,000 – Teaching Talk
💰 $1,500 – Research Talk
💰 $500 – Grad Student Poster Session

The only rule? The topic must be specific to Bitcoin – nothing that addresses crypto or blockchain in a general sense. We're reviewing applications are on a rolling basis.

Apply here:
🔗 Teaching Talk: https://t.co/OOWE02k5Vo
🔗 Research Talk: https://t.co/payhjkd8Jl
🔗 Poster Session: https://t.co/OyCUzIDCfP

And if you're interested in simply, register for free here: https://t.co/BRBW0gv79G

See you in DC! ⚡️ #Bitcoin #BEI #HigherEd

[Bitcoin Education Institute @BTCedu]

Good Bitcoin education should make people feel more capable, not more confused.

What makes an educator or resource trustworthy to you?

[Bitcoin Education Institute @BTCedu]

Dr. Ling Ren, an associate professor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, incorporates Bitcoin education into undergraduate/Master and Master/PhD courses on computer security and distributed algorithms. He teaches Bitcoin’s consensus algorithm with a rigorous proof of correctness, then contrasts it with classic permissioned consensus, highlighting innovations, trade-offs, and efficiency. This method addresses common misconceptions that Bitcoin is either “just a currency” or “totally revolutionary,” guiding students toward a deep, nuanced understanding.

Dr. Ren’s teaching emphasizes the core algorithmic and security innovations of Bitcoin while situating them in the broader context of distributed systems research. Students engage in focused lectures, carefully analyzing what makes Bitcoin truly innovative compared to classical consensus protocols. Dr. Ren’s approach equips students to critically evaluate Bitcoin’s technical foundations and its societal and economic impacts.

Bitcoin is a highly impactful topic, blending elegant ideas in algorithms, computer security, and cryptography. Dr. Ren stresses that understanding these innovations is crucial for meaningful engagement with the Bitcoin ecosystem. His work bridges rigorous computer science with real-world Bitcoin applications and societal relevance.

Dr. Ren has agreed to speak at the BEI Annual Conference in Washington, DC, on July 31st. Register for the conference here: https://t.co/mNaHR1KNnd

[Bitcoin Education Institute @BTCedu]

What’s the most helpful Bitcoin resource you’ve ever shared with a beginner?

A book, article, video, podcast, course, thread, or conversation all count.

[Bitcoin Education Institute @BTCedu]

Dr. Danilo Mascia (@DaniloMascia), Chair in Banking and Finance at the University of Leeds, studies SME finance, banking, sustainable finance, and financial markets. His research includes work on bank capital requirements, financial market behavior, social media and markets, and cryptocurrency price dynamics.

His Bitcoin research examines how extreme price movements and nonlinear dynamics emerge in Bitcoin markets. By studying overreaction, explosivity, and market instability, Dr. Mascia helps explain how Bitcoin behaves under stress and why its price dynamics require tools beyond standard financial models.

Dr. Mascia has agreed to speak at the BEI Annual Conference in Washington, DC, on July 31st. Register for the conference here: https://t.co/mNaHR1LlcL

[Bitcoin Education Institute @BTCedu]

A new paper, “The dual nature of Bitcoin's tail risks: Linear persistence vs. nonlinear
dynamics,” by Jianye Wang (Chongqing Technology and Business University) and Xuebin Chen (Sichuan University), breaks down Bitcoin’s tail risks into two modes.

👇

Kurtosis is stable and persistent, but skewness is nonlinear and jumps unpredictably.
The authors also show that simple models often outperform complex ones, except when
machine learning captures rare regime breaks that linear models can’t see.

This matters because risk systems need both linear tools for steady-state monitoring and
nonlinear tools for detecting sudden stress.

[Bitcoin Education Institute @BTCedu]

Bitcoin education works best when people feel comfortable asking simple questions.

What’s one Bitcoin question you wish more people felt safe asking?

[Bitcoin Education Institute @BTCedu]

Dr. Enchuan Shao, associate professor at the University of Saskatchewan, studies macroeconomics, monetary economics, financial economics, and labor economics. His research applies theoretical and quantitative tools to questions about money, payments, credit, verification, and market frictions.

His recent work brings that monetary economics lens to Bitcoin and digital asset markets, including research on miner competition, transaction fees, settlement priority, proof-of-work, and stablecoin market structure. By studying Bitcoin fee markets and the relationship between Tether and other cryptocurrencies, Dr. Shao helps explain how digital monetary systems function under real-world trading, settlement, and liquidity pressures.

Dr. Shao has agreed to speak at the BEI Annual Conference in Washington, DC, on July 31st. Register for the conference here: https://t.co/mNaHR1LlcL

[Bitcoin Education Institute @BTCedu]

Dr. Valerio Poti (@PotiValerio), a professor at University College Dublin, teaches “Banking & Finance in the Digital Age,” a postgraduate course for MSc Financial Data Science students and other MSc programs. The course covers the evolution of the financial sector, FinTech, DeFi, and blockchain applications, providing conceptual tools for understanding money, markets, and institutions. Dr. Poti has taught this course since 2020/2021 and will continue a blockchain- and cryptofinance-focused version at the Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies.

Students learn the foundations of traditional finance alongside cryptoeconomics, DeFi protocols, and ecosystems, preparing them for careers in the financial services industry. The course emphasizes practical and conceptual understanding of how blockchain technology can transform finance. Bitcoin is highlighted as the first successful example of a decentralized monetary system and self-enforcing distributed network.

Dr. Poti’s teaching shows how cryptofinance and DeFi integrate with real-world financial structures. He uses Bitcoin to illustrate automated consensus rules without central management.

Dr. Poti has agreed to speak at the BEI Annual Conference in Washington, DC, on July 31st. Register for the conference here: https://t.co/mNaHR1KNnd

[Bitcoin Education Institute @BTCedu]

Dr. Ahmet Kurt (@startimeahmet), assistant professor in the Department of Computer Science and Information Systems at East Texas A&M University, studies blockchain, payment channel networks, and cybersecurity applications. His research explores Bitcoin’s Lightning Network from both sides: how it can enable new forms of micropayments, including IoT payments, and how it can create new security challenges.

His work shows why Bitcoin infrastructure needs to be studied not only as a payments system, but also as a cybersecurity environment. By examining Lightning-based botnets, offline Lightning payments, and secure IoT micropayments, Dr. Kurt helps identify both the promise and the risks of building real-world applications on Bitcoin’s second layer.

Dr. Kurt has agreed to speak at the BEI Annual Conference in Washington, DC, on July 31st. Register for the conference here: https://t.co/mNaHR1KNnd

[Bitcoin Education Institute @BTCedu]

Dr. Charles Wang (@charles_cy_wang), Tandon Family Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School, studies corporate governance, valuation, and financial reporting. His teaching and case materials bring Bitcoin into business education through real company decisions involving Coinbase, Block, Tesla, and other firms navigating crypto, blockchain, accounting, and trust.

His work helps students analyze Bitcoin as a live business issue rather than an abstract technology. By connecting Bitcoin to financial reporting, corporate governance, valuation, and capital markets, Dr. Wang shows how business leaders can evaluate Bitcoin’s role on the balance sheet and in firm strategy.

Dr. Wang has agreed to speak at the BEI Annual Conference in Washington, DC, on July 31st. Register for the conference here: https://t.co/mNaHR1LlcL

[Bitcoin Education Institute @BTCedu]

Peter Schmidt (@xyp930), a professional studies professor at Rochester Institute of Technology, Croatia, has built one of the most developed Bitcoin courses in academia, where his “Money and Bitcoin” seminar has become a high-demand finance elective. Now in its eighth iteration, the class attracts juniors and seniors from business and computing and consistently fills all seats. Schmidt pushed for years to make Bitcoin education part of the curriculum, and the results show why it matters.

The course begins with a deep foundation in money and the current monetary system, then moves into intensive Bitcoin technology. Students learn how Bitcoin actually works by generating seed phrases, building wallets, and conducting on-chain transactions. Schmidt’s hands-on workshops make complex topics like self-custody and proof-of-work clear and intuitive.

The impact is visible across campus and beyond. Former students have entered Bitcoin-related jobs, launched a student Bitcoin club, and presented at conferences. Schmidt’s work has helped position RIT Croatia as a regional leader in serious, applied Bitcoin education.

Peter Schmidt has agreed to speak at the BEI Annual Conference in Washington, DC, on July 31st. Register for the conference here: https://t.co/mNaHR1LlcL

[Bitcoin Education Institute @BTCedu]

Dr. Marc Pilkington, an associate professor at the University of Burgundy, taught “Bitcoin, Money, & Trust” at the University of Exeter Business School in 2022 and 2023, guiding roughly 200 students from over 50 programs. His teaching focused on Bitcoin in emerging and transitional economies, using Moldova and Albania as real-world case studies. Students explored monetary sovereignty, financial inclusion, and the role of decentralized money in diaspora-dependent economies.

Dr. Pilkington’s approach combined lectures, tutorials, and major assignments, emphasizing critical analysis of Bitcoin compared to disruptive payment systems like M-Pesa. His students gained hands-on exposure to real-world monetary challenges and the potential of cryptocurrency to address institutional fragility.

Dr. Pilkington’s teaching is deeply informed by his globally recognized research, including his HDR thesis and widely cited publications on Bitcoin. He has advised policymakers in the UK Parliament and lectured internationally, integrating these insights into his classes. For Dr. Pilkington, teaching Bitcoin is not separate from research—it is research brought to life in the classroom.

Dr. Pilkington has agreed to speak at the BEI Annual Conference in Washington, DC, on July 31st. Register for the conference here: https://t.co/mNaHR1LlcL

[Bitcoin Education Institute @BTCedu]

Dr. Craig Warmke (@craigwarmke), associate professor of philosophy at Northern Illinois University and senior fellow at the Bitcoin Policy Institute, studies Bitcoin at the intersection of philosophy, politics, and economics. His work includes Resistance Money: A Philosophical Case for Bitcoin, as well as research on sanctions-resistant money, monetary design, and the freedom to transact.

Dr. Warmke’s work helps frame Bitcoin as more than a technical or financial system. By examining money, state power, censorship resistance, and individual freedom, he shows why Bitcoin raises some of the most important philosophical and political questions in modern economics.

Dr. Warmke has agreed to speak at the BEI Annual Conference in Washington, DC, on July 31st. Register for the conference here: https://t.co/mNaHR1KNnd

[Bitcoin Education Institute @BTCedu]

Dr. Dongning Guo, a professor at Northwestern University, has been teaching “Fundamentals of Blockchain and Decentralization” since 2018. With 40 to 50 students each year, the class blends undergraduates, graduates, and even PhD students, many of whom major in computer science. Bitcoin sits at the center of the course.

Students engage in both written assignments and a major project, building a Bitcoin client. Dr. Guo’s teaching emphasizes not just the technology, but the elegant mathematics and practical impact underlying Bitcoin’s design. His approach gives engineers a hands-on understanding of how decentralized systems operate in practice.

Dr. Guo’s work shows how Bitcoin can serve as both a technical and moral model for voluntary, trustless systems.

Dr. Guo has agreed to speak at the BEI Annual Conference in Washington, DC, on July 31st. Register for the conference here: https://t.co/mNaHR1LlcL

[Bitcoin Education Institute @BTCedu]

Matt Huberty, an adjunct professor at Southern Methodist University (SMU), taught a four-part seminar, “Understanding Bitcoin & Global Capital Markets,” in Spring 2026 at SMU’s Continuing and Professional Education Program. Each session explored Bitcoin, money, capital markets, and government policy, with guest lecturers including a Bitcoin miner and a Bitcoin podcaster. The seminar enrolled professionals in their 20s–40s from industries unrelated to Bitcoin.

Topics ranged from the evolution of money and fiat history to modern capital markets and financial theory. Huberty also covered Bitcoin’s genesis, architecture, mining economics, and practical steps for buying, storing, and transferring Bitcoin. Students examined comparisons between Bitcoin, gold, and USD, as well as risks, rewards, and strategic decisions for mining versus purchasing.

His goal is to grow the Bitcoin community by providing accessible, in-depth knowledge for professionals. Students left with both a theoretical and practical understanding of Bitcoin’s role in the global economy. Huberty emphasizes connecting Bitcoin to broader economic concepts to foster informed adoption and engagement.

Matt Huberty has agreed to speak at the BEI Annual Conference in Washington, DC, on July 31st. Register for the conference here: https://t.co/mNaHR1LlcL

[Bitcoin Education Institute @BTCedu]

Dr. Christian Kümmerle (@ChrisKuemmerle), an assistant professor at the University of Central Florida, taught an upper-level undergraduate course, “Bitcoin – Programming the Future of Money,” at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in Fall 2024 and Spring 2025. The course blended computer science with monetary theory, covering Bitcoin protocol design, digital signatures, Bitcoin script, and Bitcoin Core RPC API calls. About 20 students per semester, mostly juniors and seniors, engaged in programming exercises, quizzes, and written exams.

Dr. Kümmerle designed the syllabus independently, emphasizing the technical foundations of Bitcoin while introducing interdisciplinary concepts from monetary history and theory. He aims to develop similar courses at the University of Central Florida, including graduate-level classes on second-layer protocols and cryptocurrency security.

Dr. Kümmerle’s motivation stems from concerns about broken monetary systems and fiat currency incentives. He focuses on Bitcoin as a technical and protocol-driven solution to global monetary challenges. In July 2026, he will also teach a technical Bitcoin bootcamp in El Salvador.

Dr. Kümmerle has agreed to speak at the BEI Annual Conference in Washington, DC, on July 31st. Register for the conference here: https://t.co/mNaHR1KNnd

[Bitcoin Education Institute @BTCedu]

Iman Patria Yudha (@imanpyudha), an MBA graduate from the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB), delivered guest lectures on Bitcoin to students and professionals in Indonesia, including 50+ undergraduates in the Blockchain Developer program at Pelita Bangsa Academy and 75+ investors at Finansiologi. His sessions covered mining economics, network security, cryptographic architecture, monetary innovation, and scalability solutions like the Lightning Network. Lectures had interactive Q&A and exercises, achieving high comprehension and engagement rates.

Students explored Bitcoin’s technical foundations, the blockchain trilemma, and Lightning Network solutions, while investors learned about flaws in fiat systems, the fixed 21 million Bitcoin supply, and adoption strategies. Discussions emphasized critical analysis of monetary policy, network security, and Bitcoin as a company asset. Audience comprehension reached 85–90%, demonstrating effective bridging of technical and practical knowledge.

Patria Yudha’s MBA research on “Bitcoin Adoption Strategy as a Company Asset in Indonesia” informed his teaching approach. He aims to close the knowledge gap between Bitcoin’s technical reality and public understanding. His goal is to accelerate informed adoption among both technical and non-technical audiences in Indonesia.

Iman Patria Yudha has agreed to speak at the BEI Annual Conference in Washington, DC, on July 31st. Register for the conference here: https://t.co/mNaHR1LlcL

[Bitcoin Education Institute @BTCedu]

Dr. Brian Buckles, adjunct assistant professor of economics at the University of Texas at Arlington, teaches “Economic Analysis of Bitcoin,” an upper-level elective focused on Bitcoin’s role in the U.S. financial system. The course connects Bitcoin to monetary theory, game theory, mining incentives, digital money history, blockchain ecosystems, and emerging regulatory frameworks.

His course gives students a structured way to study Bitcoin as both a monetary innovation and an economic system. Through lectures, discussions, guest speakers, writing assignments, group presentations, and exams, Dr. Buckles helps students evaluate Bitcoin’s incentives, trade-offs, and policy implications with economic rigor.

Dr. Buckles has agreed to speak at the BEI Annual Conference in Washington, DC, on July 31st. Register for the conference here: https://t.co/mNaHR1KNnd

[Bitcoin Education Institute @BTCedu]

Dr. Julie Moulard (@Julie_Moulard), associate professor of marketing at Louisiana Tech University, studies brand authenticity, human brands, consumer emotions, and wine marketing. Her research, “Bitcoin in the Balance Sheet: Shareholder Branding via Treasury Strategy,” examines how Bitcoin treasury adoption can shape corporate identity and shareholder perception.

Dr. Moulard’s work brings a marketing and branding lens to one of the fastest-growing questions in Bitcoin: what it means when companies put Bitcoin on the balance sheet. By connecting brand authenticity, shareholder communication, and treasury strategy, Dr. Moulard’s talk will help explain why Bitcoin adoption is not just a financial decision, but also a strategic branding signal.

Dr. Moulard has agreed to speak at the BEI Annual Conference in Washington, DC, on July 31st. Register for the conference here: https://t.co/mNaHR1KNnd

[Bitcoin Education Institute @BTCedu]

Dr. Jens Ducrée (@JDucree), a full professor at Dublin City University, teaches business students about Bitcoin and blockchain, bringing his scientific and engineering expertise to elucidate modern technologies. His module equips students with a practical understanding of these systems, emphasizing their relevance to both professional and personal decision-making. Dr. Ducrée believes that Bitcoin is an essential part of the toolkit for today’s generation.

Beyond the classroom, Dr. Ducrée’s research spans microfluidics, lab-on-a-chip systems, and disruptive technologies, connecting scientific innovation with digital infrastructure. He explores how blockchain and the cryptoeconomy can democratize access to technology, data, and research platforms.

His teaching highlights how interdisciplinary knowledge strengthens comprehension of complex systems like Bitcoin. His work demonstrates how understanding Bitcoin can empower the next generation of innovators and leaders.

Dr. Ducrée has agreed to speak at the BEI Annual Conference in Washington, DC, on July 31st. Register for the conference here: https://t.co/mNaHR1KNnd