This class traces the evolution of cryptocurrency from its **cypherpunk roots** in the 1980s through Satoshi Nakamoto’s landmark 2008 whitepaper and the 2009 launch of the Bitcoin network. It demystifies the technical mechanics of the protocol, explaining **mining as a high-speed global auditing lottery** using the SHA-256 algorithm rather than a literal extraction of coins. The curriculum details how the network maintains its **fixed supply of 21 million** through programmatic halving events and a self-adjusting difficulty mechanism that recalibrates every 2,016 blocks to ensure consistent 10-minute block times. Students also examine critical software upgrades, such as **SegWit and Taproot**, which have enhanced the privacy, efficiency, and smart contract utility of the ledger over the last decade.

Set against the backdrop of April  ...