Bitcoin Education Institute

Calling all faculty and PhD candidates – if you teach and/or research Bitcoin, we want to hear from you. BEI is proud to announce our First Annual Conference, which will be held at the George Washington University in Washington, DC, on July 31, 2026. The Conference is by academics, for academics. We’re offering honoraria for selected speakers: 💰 $3,000 – Teaching Talk 💰 $1,500 – Research Talk 💰 $500 – Grad Student Poster Session The only rule? The topic must be specific to Bitcoin – nothing that addresses crypto or blockchain in a general sense. We're reviewing applications are on a rolling basis. Apply here: 🔗 Teaching Talk: tinyurl.com/57xxrx6b 🔗 Research Talk: tinyurl.com/e4rh6pws 🔗 Poster Session: tinyurl.com/33crj98c And if you're interested in simply, register for free here: tinyurl.com/h42awjyy See you in DC! ⚡️ #Bitcoin #BEI #HigherEd

Dr. Michael Jones (@joneseconomics), associate professor at the University of Cincinnati, teaches graduate students in the Master’s in Applied Economics program. His 7-week accelerated course, “Smart Contract Design,” devotes the first week entirely to Bitcoin, covering its definition, adoption, and role as an asset class and currency. Students complete targeted assignments and read economics papers to understand Bitcoin’s foundational principles. Dr. Jones created these exercises to ensure students grasp the economic incentives embedded in Bitcoin’s protocol. The course emphasizes how Bitcoin serves as the entry point to cryptoeconomics more broadly. His teaching integrates both technical understanding and economic reasoning to prepare students for a deeper study of decentralized systems. Dr. Jones has agreed to speak at the BEI Annual Conference in Washington, DC, on July 31st. Register for the conference here: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAI…

Dr. Troy Cross (@thetrocro), a professor of philosophy and humanities at Reed College, studies one of the most needed conversations in Bitcoin education: how to teach Bitcoin to students who already dislike it. He approaches Bitcoin through questions of evidence, values, and critical reasoning rather than slogans or hype. Dr. Cross has spent more than a decade studying Bitcoin and is widely known for serious work on mining, energy use, and environmental trade-offs. Strong Bitcoin education should welcome skepticism, challenge assumptions, and help students think clearly about one of the most debated technologies of our time. Dr. Cross has agreed to speak at the BEI Annual Conference in Washington, DC, on July 31st. Register for the conference here: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAI…

What role does Bitcoin play in the future monetary system? A new paper, “Bitcoin and the Denationalization of Money 2.0: Updating Hayek's Framework in the Age of Artificial Intelligence and Global Tokenization,” by Alvaro Palomino (University of Granada), updates Hayek’s theory of competing currencies for a world of AI and tokenized assets. It argues that with AI-driven productivity growth, fixed-supply money like Bitcoin outcompetes elastic currencies. This matters because it reframes Bitcoin’s endgame. Not just money, but a base layer for a global, multi-asset system, similar to gold under Bretton Woods. See the full paper here: papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cf…

Does Bitcoin mining increase emissions? A new paper, “Bitcoin Mining (and Maybe AI Training) for Carbon Emission Reduction,” by Jiasun Li, Hang Ren, and Ioannis Bellos (all from George Mason University), argues the opposite. Under the right pricing policies, mining can actually reduce total carbon emissions. The key is flexibility. Mining can ramp up and down instantly, acting as a shock absorber for renewable energy and replacing more carbon-intensive generation when supply is volatile. This matters because it reframes the energy debate. Bitcoin isn’t just a load. It can be part of the solution if incentives are designed correctly. See the full paper here: papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cf…

@sekreps presented her research on The Cornell Global Bitcoin Adoption Study at a BEI Lunch and Learn last week!

@RebelEconProf, chair and professor of economics at the University of Mississippi, teaches “Bitcoin and Monetary Economics,” a full-semester course. The class serves primarily juniors and seniors in accounting, business, and economics, and combines lectures, problem sets, and exams to explore Bitcoin’s design and monetary implications. Students examine the history of electronic cash and how Bitcoin fits into the international monetary system. Dr. Josh Hendrickson bridges theory and practice by covering monetary economics alongside Bitcoin’s creation and architecture. His approach helps students understand why Bitcoin is not just digital money, but a foundational innovation in monetary history. By connecting political economy and cryptocurrency, he equips students to critically evaluate the financial and systemic implications of Bitcoin. Beyond teaching, Dr. Hendrickson is a senior fellow at the Bitcoin Policy Institute and the American Institute for Economic Research’s Sound Money Project. His research spans monetary theory, history, and policy, reinforcing the classroom with real-world insights. Hendrickson’s work demonstrates how rigorous economics education can illuminate Bitcoin’s role in the modern financial system. Dr. Hendrickson has agreed to speak at the BEI Annual Conference in Washington, DC, on July 31st. Register for the conference here: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAI…

ML on the Bitcoin Blockchain? A new paper, “Deanonymizing Bitcoin Transactions via Network Traffic Analysis with Semi-supervised Learning,” by Shihan Zhang, Bing Han, Chuanyong Tian, Ruisheng Shi, Lina Lan (all from Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications), and Qin Wang, shows you can link transactions to users by analyzing network traffic, even without full control of the network. See the full paper here: arxiv.org/abs/2603.17261

Dr. John Dorrell, a professor at the University of Tampa, teaches “Bitcoinomics – The Economics of Bitcoin,” an upper-level undergraduate elective. The course introduces Bitcoin through an economic lens, integrating monetary theory, financial systems, and emerging technology, reaching a diverse population of juniors and seniors. Students explore Bitcoin as a decentralized, scarce, rules-based alternative, grounding their understanding in the evolution of money and key economic principles. The curriculum emphasizes applied learning and current events, covering blockchain fundamentals, proof-of-work, Lightning Network efficiency, altcoins, CBDCs, and stablecoins. Students engage in homework, quizzes, exams, and a collaborative project analyzing Bitcoin’s impact on markets, institutions, or policy. Dr. Dorrell’s course earned a 4.93/5 rating and received recognition from Saifedean Ammous, Larry Lepard, and the university alumni magazine. The course frames Bitcoin as both an economic system and a technological innovation, preparing students for real-world financial and policy challenges. Dr. Dorrell aims to establish a Bitcoin minor at the university to deepen academic engagement. His teaching philosophy: fix the money, fix the world. Dr. Dorrell has agreed to speak at the BEI Annual Conference in Washington, DC, on July 31st. Register for the conference here: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAI…

Can better geometry improve fraud detection in Bitcoin? A new paper, “A Depth-Aware Comparative Study of Euclidean and Hyperbolic Graph Neural Networks on Bitcoin Transaction Systems,” by Ankit Ghimire, Saydul Akbar Murad, and Nick Rahimi (all from the University of Southern Mississippi), compares Euclidean vs. hyperbolic graph neural networks on transaction data. It finds that Bitcoin’s transaction graph behaves like a branching system, and hyperbolic models capture that structure much better, especially as you go deeper into multi-hop relationships. See the full paper here: arxiv.org/abs/2603.16080

@stanthereeves, professor emeritus at Auburn University, has brought Bitcoin into the classroom through his interdisciplinary honors seminar, “Exploring Bitcoin.” The course engaged undergraduates from across the university, concentrating on juniors but open to all levels, and devoted a full semester to understanding Bitcoin’s design, mechanics, and societal impact. Dr. Reeves has also taught a dedicated Bitcoin course in electrical and computer engineering, emphasizing accessibility for students with no prerequisites. The course begins by examining money’s role and the flaws of the current monetary system, then moves to how Bitcoin offers solutions and operates in practice. Topics range from mining, layer-2 solutions, and energy considerations to social implications, individual sovereignty, and barriers to adoption. Students engage in hands-on projects and reading, gaining a deep, operational understanding. Dr. Reeves designed the course to show how Bitcoin can fit as an interdisciplinary subject at honors programs nationwide. His teaching demonstrates that Bitcoin is not just technology, but a lens to explore economics, society, and innovation. Dr. Reeves has agreed to speak at the BEI Annual Conference in Washington, DC, on July 31st. Register for the conference here: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAI…

What’s the real quantum risk to Bitcoin? A new paper, “The Quantum Blind Spot: A Fiduciary's Guide to Bitcoin's Existential Risk,” by David Krause (Marquette University), looks at it from a fiduciary perspective. It argues the problem isn’t just technical. It’s governance. Even if a solution exists, no one can force the network to adopt it. This matters because institutional investors face a risk they cannot control. Bitcoin removes traditional levers of influence. See the full paper here: papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cf…

Does Bitcoin drive macro, or does macro drive Bitcoin? A new paper, “Lead-Lag Dynamics and Nonlinear Spillover between Bitcoin and Global Macro Variables: A Copula-Based Granger Causality–VAR Framework,” by Amin Shakourloo and Asil Azimli (both from Cyprus International University), studies lead-lag dynamics using nonlinear models. It shows that relationships shift over time, with feedback loops between Bitcoin and global variables rather than one-way causality. This matters because Bitcoin is now part of the system; it doesn’t just react to macro. See the full paper here: papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cf…

@TimUPLend, a Ph.D. student at the University of Tennessee, blends programming and computational finance expertise with cryptoeconomics research. He focuses on Bitcoin, decentralized finance, and trust in financial systems, helping students understand the real economic and technical mechanisms behind the media narratives. In his teaching, Tim Dong challenges students to separate fact from fiction, exploring why Bitcoin makes specific design choices and how it compares to other cryptocurrencies. He encourages critical thinking, showing students how to evaluate Bitcoin like a capitalist analyzing real-world financial opportunities. Through this approach, students uncover misconceptions, gain deeper insight into Bitcoin’s unique economic role, and develop a practical understanding of economics. Dong is shaping the next generation of informed, analytically minded Bitcoin thinkers.

Is Bitcoin actually a safe haven? A new paper, “Bitcoin as a Hedge or Safe Haven? Evidence from an Event Study of Adverse Shocks,” by Stelios Markoulis (University of Cyprus), studies how it behaves during major negative shocks. It finds that Bitcoin’s response varies. Sometimes it hedges, sometimes it sells off, and volatility often spikes during stress events. See the full paper here: papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cf…

Can you detect fraud in Bitcoin trust networks without user data? A new paper, “TAS-GNN: A Status-Aware Signed Graph Neural Network for Anomaly Detection in Bitcoin Trust Systems,” by Chang Xue (Yeshiva University), Fang Liu (Yale University), Jiaye Wang (University of California, San Diego), Jinming Xing (North Carolina State University), and Chen Yang (University of Pennsylvania), builds a graph neural network that uses only trust and distrust relationships. It shows that negative ratings from high-trust users are the strongest signal of fraud. The model separates trust and distrust flows and uses network structure instead of profiles. This matters because Bitcoin hides user identity. Security has to come from behavior and structure, not personal data. See the full paper here: arxiv.org/abs/2603.13290

@HopeWithBTC uses Bitcoin to provide food, medical aid, and support to vulnerable communities in West Africa. They combine humanitarian work with educational sessions that teach people how Bitcoin works and why it matters. By introducing Bitcoin in a practical, hands-on way, they show students and community members how financial knowledge can empower their lives.

How should Bitcoin fit into a diversified portfolio? A new thesis, “Robust Construction of a Multi-Asset Index Including Bitcoin,” by Aurélien Perez (Sorbonne University), builds a multi-asset index that includes Bitcoin and tests how it affects long-term risk and returns. It shows that even small Bitcoin allocations can meaningfully improve diversification when portfolios are constructed carefully. But naive weighting leads to unstable risk and drawdowns. This matters because Bitcoin doesn’t behave like a normal asset. It helps portfolios when it’s treated as structurally different, not just another tech stock. See the full paper here: papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cf…

@megawatthq Thanks for reading!

@BTCedu Fascinating. More miners came to the US just as the US started moving towards regulatory clarity. Technically China provided clarity first - but they were clear they didn't want miners 😆 Good read!

Did China’s 2021 mining ban mature Bitcoin’s market? A new paper, “Silencing the Hype: China's Regulatory Shock and Bitcoin Market Maturity,” by Bernadett Aradi and Gabor Petnehazi (both from University of Debrecen), finds a clear break in how volatility is formed before and after the crackdown. Before 2021, price swings were driven by retail hype and raw trading volume. After the ban, volatility became tied to macro anxiety, especially inflation and recession fears. This matters because it shows Bitcoin has shifted from a hype-driven market to a macro-sensitive asset. Regulation didn’t kill it. It forced it to grow up. See the full paper here: papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cf…