Chevron Left
Back to Decentralized Finance (DeFi) Infrastructure

Learner Reviews & Feedback for Decentralized Finance (DeFi) Infrastructure by Duke University

4.8
stars
1,544 ratings

About the Course

Decentralized Finance: The Future of Finance is a set of four courses taught by Campbell R. Harvey (Professor of Finance at the Fuqua School of Business, Duke University, and a Research Associate of the National Bureau of Economic Research) that focus on decentralized finance (DeFi). In this first course, we begin by exploring the origins of DeFi and take a broad historical view from the earliest barter economies, such as the first peer-to-peer exchanges of bartering, to present day. The course also looks at historical examples of money having value even though it is not officially backed. We then focus on the key infrastructure components: blockchain, cryptocurrency, smart contracts, oracles, stablecoins and decentralized applications (or dApps). This includes discussion of the mechanics of the Ethereum and Bitcoin blockchains including cryptographic hashing. Next, we focus on the specific problems that DeFi is designed to solve: inefficiency (costly, slow, and insecure today), limited access (1.7 billion are unbanked), opacity (we need to trust regulators to monitor banks and the regulators have mixed records), centralized control (financial system is oligopolistic imposing higher fees than we would have in a competitive market) and lack of interoperability (it is difficult to move funds from one financial institution to another today). The course closes by exploring many of the myths about the crypto space....

Top reviews

NS

May 28, 2022

I personally would prefer a little bit more challenging tests and more of practical work.However, I really enjoyed the course and are planning to continue.

GC

Mar 14, 2022

v​ery high level, very short course m​aybe could have more support material to go deeper into some topics but i guess we will do that on part 2 , 3 and 4

Filter by:

301 - 325 of 350 Reviews for Decentralized Finance (DeFi) Infrastructure

By belén m d p

•

Mar 10, 2022

Very intersting introduction module to understand the basis and potential of DeFi.

By Erfan T

•

Jul 11, 2022

I think in some parts it needs more explanations but totally a wonderful course.

By Chin k y

•

Jun 15, 2022

Give me a shape what is defi amd how does this change our current environment

By Jim D

•

Mar 29, 2022

Good introductory start, but a little slow, but maybe that is good more many.

By Victor K

•

Apr 9, 2022

The Professor explains concerpts in a way that makes it easy to understand.

By michael s

•

Jul 30, 2022

Very good but seemed less balanced in its look at the Crypto. DeFi world

By Nicholas R K

•

Jun 3, 2022

It is for beginners and offered not much new information

By TJ - T N

•

Mar 23, 2022

Good refresher on how CeFi will be challenged with DeFi

By Daniel H

•

Mar 12, 2025

Content good. Some typos in the text a bit concerning

By Kartikaye M

•

May 9, 2022

Short, consciece overview. Puts things in perspective.

By Kiran p

•

Sep 13, 2025

a good course to understand about Defi and cryptos

By Lawton H

•

Mar 7, 2022

This was a very informative and interesting course.

By Danny F

•

Nov 19, 2021

Looking forward to a more in-depth DeFi discussion

By David W

•

Jul 19, 2022

Well constructed and relatively easy to follow

By Sijoy T

•

Oct 12, 2022

A decent intro course to DeFi for a beginner

By Kenneth H

•

Nov 23, 2022

Needs updating as ETH has since moved to POS

By Marc J L

•

Dec 14, 2021

Love it and the lecturer is really good too.

By Soumya C

•

Apr 17, 2022

Good overview and well researched content.

By PAWAN R

•

Nov 4, 2024

The course was so good and informative .

By Pema W

•

Dec 26, 2021

Very much simple and easy to understand

By Sameer M

•

Feb 9, 2022

very insightful and very informative.

By LUZ A R G

•

Oct 24, 2025

Es un buen curso.

By Nirupam

•

Jan 23, 2022

Good

By Anita “ O

•

Sep 5, 2022

Th