Modulbeschreibung

Crypto assets and blockchain-based financial and economic applications are key drivers of digital transformation. New forms of digital assets and decentralized infrastructures are fundamentally changing how value is created, transferred, stored, and traded. These developments affect not only the financial sector, but also businesses and society as a whole. A solid understanding of blockchain technology and its applications is therefore highly relevant for students from a wide range of business-related disciplines. Technical aspects are addressed at a conceptual level; no programming skills are required. The module is aimed at students of business administration, international management and business information systems with an interest in digital innovation and future-oriented technologies.

Contact hours: 26

Guided self-study: 14

Independent self-study: 50

Semester test in the last session of the semester (see course schedule)

A written closed book exam of 60 minutes

Professional competences:

Participants can:

• identify and explain structures, dimensions, and developments in the field of blockchain and cryptocurrencies;
• discuss and critically assess the risks and opportunities of the technology and the topic more broadly;
• understand, explain, and discuss the technologies used in the area of decentralized transaction systems.

Methodological competencies:

Participants can:

• independently examine and critically evaluate crypto and digital assets, stablecoins, CBDCs, NFTs, DeFi, and other blockchain-related subject areas;
• analyze subfields by linking existing models with domain-specific expertise;
• based on this, develop their own measures and recommendations.

Topic Area I: Introduction and Technology

• Introduction to the topic
• What does “blockchain” mean?
• Alternatives and distinctions
• Technology architecture
• Characteristics and operating principles of blockchain
• Smart contracts, protocols, and dApps

Topic Area II: Cryptocurrencies and Tokens

• Categorization of crypto assets
• Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other crypto assets
• Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs)
• Wallets and crypto exchanges
• Practical application (buying, selling, trading)

Topic Area III: Tokenization and DeFi

• Tokenization
• ICOs/STOs
• Non-fungible tokens (NFTs)
• Stablecoins and deposit tokens
• Decentralized finance (DeFi)

Topic Area IV: Practical Implementations

• Blockchain companies
• Practical applications
• Real-world implementations first-hand
• Insights into the “blockchain community”

Self-study, practical exercises

• Egloff, P., Turnes, E., & Neumann, S. (2025). Navigating Decentralized Finance: From Blockchain to Crypto Assets and Tokenization. Academic Press. (ISBN: 978-0-443-27408-4)
• Slides, guest lectures, videos

The assessment / exam will be completed in the last in-class sessions. Please therefore refer to the course schedule on Moodle.