Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin have proven to be a phenomenal success. The underlying blockchain techniques hold a huge promise to change the future of financial transactions, and even our way of computation and collaboration. Both development community and research community have recently made significant progresses. But at the same time, we are facing many challenges.

This winter school aims to bring together the communities working on cryptocurrency and blockchain technologies. The target audience is anyone (students, researchers, developers, professionals) with an interest in cryptography and security.

The lectures in the school will be given by world leading researchers in this area (such as Professors Jonathan Katz and Aggelos Kiayias). All lectures will be self-contained, and we don’t assume the participants to have cryptography background.

In this winter school, we will study a comprehensive set of topics about blockchain technologies, including: Bitcoin basics; Analysis of Nakamoto consensus in cryptographic setting and in game-theoretical setting; Ethereum and smart contracts; Alternative approaches to mining and consensus; Scalability; Anonymity.

The winter school will include a panel —- many important problems and hot topics will be discussed by leading researchers.