Smart Ledgers have the potential to transform the way people and organisations handle identity, transaction, and debt information.  The ability to have a globally available, verifiable, and untamperable source of data provides anyone wishing to provide trusted third party services, i.e. most financial services firms, the ability to do so cheaply and robustly.

Blockchain technology is a form of MDL. The technical success and excitement surrounding Bitcoin’s distributed ledger, ‘the blockchain’, has convinced doubters that distributed ledgers can work securely in harsh environments and, while a bit complicated, can work commercially.  People are now exploring in earnest applications for traditional financial markets – transforming custody products, helping in wholesale insurance deal rooms, providing consolidated tapes or price reporting, reducing systemically important financial institution (SIFI) “too big to fail” risk, reducing pricing monopolies, providing greater data persistence, improving transparency, collateral management, etc.

With hands on exercises using Blockchains in business scenarios, these courses offer a unique opportunity to grasp the theory and practice of Smart Ledgers/Blockchains.  You will leave the course with

• A basic appreciation of the technologies that underpin Smart Ledgers
• Understanding of the different types of Smart Ledgers and how they can be used
• Chance to see and use live Smart Ledgers with business data
• Discussion with industry leaders of how the technology could be used for your business or industry

This course is for senior professionals from business, financial services, law, regulators and any other sector who want to "Get a big picture grip on the details".  

This course will give you a realistic understanding of the ways you can use Smart Ledgers or BlockChains in your business.

Z/Yen has already built applications for insurance, Know Your Customer/AML and Corporate Credit.  Unlike many others we have real life business experience of using Smart Ledgers, and the knowledge that can help your organisation make the right choices. 

Course Agenda

• Welcome and Introductions
• Setting the Day's Objectives

• What are Ledgers?
• History and Applicability of Ledgers
• What are Distributed Databases?
• Definition and History of Cryptography
• Hashes and their Functions
• Understanding Encryption
• What are Blockchains
• The Rise of the Cryptocurrencies
• Understanding Mining
• Bitcoin and AltCoins: Navigating the Crypto Market

• Smart Ledgers beyond Coins
• Looking at Two Examples: Ethereum and Ripple
• Different Uses for Smart Ledgers
• Preserving: Identity, Transactions, Content & Archives
• Safeguarding: Ledger Tech & Smart Contracts
• Validating: Taking over from Trusted Third Parties?
• Advantages and Disadvantages of Smart Ledger Technology

• Smart Ledgers in Action
• Hands-on Exercises Using Two Distributed Ledger Systems

• Application Thoughts and Issues
• Single and Multiple Smart Ledgers
• Governance of Smart Ledgers
• Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs) and Initial Token Offerings (ITOs)
• Regulation of ICOs and ITOs: The London Token Fundraising Manifesto
• What are the Next Steps?

• Rehash
• Questions and Discussion
• Possibilities for Your Organisations