When banks freeze your deposits, when inflation erodes your savings overnight, when those closest to money creation benefit while you bear the cost, understanding alternative financial systems becomes essential. You've heard about Bitcoin for years. The headlines swing between "digital gold" and "speculative bubble." Meanwhile, BlackRock launched its spot bitcoin ETF in 2024, some governments are beginning to treat it as a reserve or treasury asset, and your peers debate whether it belongs in their portfolio. This course cuts through the noise. “Bitcoin Essentials for Investors & Professionals: Your Advantage in a Digital Economy” is a course that helps you understand how money works today, why Bitcoin was created, and how to adopt it safely if you decide it is relevant to you. The aim is practical clarity, not hype: you leave able to think independently, ask better questions, and avoid common mistakes.

In 9 sessions, you will gain four kinds of benefits:

• Understand the “why”: Learn how modern banking works, why “money printing” can benefit some people earlier than others, the basic “sound money” ideas people debate, and why Bitcoin was designed the way it was.
• Understand the “how”: Grasp the simple idea behind public and private keys (the core of digital ownership), how transactions and mining fit together, and why faster payment layers like the Lightning Network exist.
• Build practical, real-world skills: Set up and secure your own wallet (on-chain and Lightning), learn how to buy Bitcoin through an exchange and withdraw to self-custody, and send both regular and Lightning payments.
• Make informed decisions that fit your situation: Compare different ways to get Bitcoin exposure (direct ownership, ETFs, related public companies), understand how Bitcoin differs from altcoins, stablecoins, and CBDCs, and learn the risk and regulation basics.

By the end of the course, participants will be able to:

• Understand how money works and how the modern banking system creates it, setting the stage for why Bitcoin was invented.
• Learn why Bitcoin was created and how its design addresses specific problems in our monetary system.
• Understand the Bitcoin blockchain as a digital record book and follow a real transaction from start to finish using online tools.
• Learn how digital ownership works with Bitcoin (keys and signatures), how to safely store your Bitcoin yourself, and how to protect against common scams and theft.
• Understand how Bitcoin mining keeps the network secure without a central authority, and learn why Lightning Network and other solutions exist to make Bitcoin faster and cheaper.
• Set up your own Bitcoin wallet, buy Bitcoin from an exchange, transfer it to your wallet, and confidently send transactions using both regular Bitcoin and Lightning Network.
• Compare different ways to own Bitcoin (self-custody vs. ETFs), understand how Bitcoin differs from other cryptocurrencies and digital currencies, and identify key risks and regulations to be aware of.
• Learn how companies adopt Bitcoin for treasury management and business operations.
• Analyze Bitcoin's historical returns, volatility, and correlation with traditional assets to evaluate its role in a diversified portfolio.

This course is designed for a broad audience of investors, professionals, and business leaders looking to gain a strategic understanding of Bitcoin and its role in investment portfolios and finance. It is a good fit if you are:

• A professional or manager who wants to understand Bitcoin clearly as it becomes more present in mainstream markets.
• An investor who wants a grounded framework to evaluate Bitcoin exposure and risk.
• A business owner or entrepreneur who is considering adopting Bitcoin within their organizations for treasury management, payment systems, and strategic financial innovation.
• Someone who owns bitcoin, or is considering it, and who wants practical literacy in wallets, payments, and what “self-custody” really means, and wants to learn how to protect themselves from common mistakes.

No coding, or prior blockchain knowledge required.

By participating in this course, participants will develop the following competencies:

• Explain how modern money works in simple terms, including how most money is created through bank lending and why inflation can reduce purchasing power over time.
• Describe what Bitcoin is and why it was designed, including the basic problem it solves (sending value online without relying on a central institution).
• Understand digital ownership basics, using the plain idea of public and private keys and how they enable signatures and verification.
• Explain how Bitcoin transactions get confirmed, what “mining” does, and why proof-of-work is part of the system.
• Understand why scaling is difficult and what Lightning is for, at a high level, and when it makes sense to use it.
• Use Bitcoin more safely in real life, including setting up a wallet, backing it up properly, and following basic security hygiene.
• Compare the main ways people get Bitcoin exposure, including direct ownership and exchange-traded products, with a clear view of what you control and what you delegate to others.
• Understand why companies hold Bitcoin on their balance sheets and the key questions businesses should ask when considering Bitcoin adoption.
• Evaluate Bitcoin's role in an investment portfolio by understanding its returns, volatility, and how it behaves compared to stocks, bonds, and other assets.

Competencies are reinforced through guided walk-throughs and hands-on practice (wallet setup, sending and receiving, Lightning basics), and real-world scenarios focused on security and scams.

English

Total Duration: The course will consist of 18 contact hours spread over 5 weeks, with 2 hours per session twice a week. Delivery Method: The course will be delivered online via the university's designated video conferencing platform. Additional Engagement: Students will be encouraged to allocate time outside of class for reading assignments.

At the end of the program, candidates will earn a ‘Certificate of Attendance’.

Georges N. Haddad is an investment professional and CFA charterholder with over 17 years of experience across private banking, family offices, and institutional asset management. He earned an MBA from McGill University and most recently served as Vice President and Client Portfolio Manager at TD Asset Management in Canada.

Since 2017, Georges has focused on blockchain technology with a specific emphasis on Bitcoin. In 2022, he transitioned from traditional finance to concentrate full time on fintech, education, and entrepreneurship. In 2023, he founded VaultKi, a startup focused on strengthening Bitcoin self-custody through resilient backup (seed phrase) protection.

In Bitcoin Essentials for Professionals & Investors: Your Advantage in a Digital Economy, Georges combines capital markets experience with hands-on Bitcoin expertise to help adopters develop a clear understanding of how Bitcoin works, why self-custody matters, and how to approach it responsibly.