Blockchain and Cryptocurrency Law (LAWS90169)

Blockchain is one of the most important technologies to impact law and business in recent years, and presents many challenges and opportunities for lawyers. Blockchain is revolutionising finance, eliminating the need for "trusted” human intermediaries and using computer code to facilitate automated transactions.

This subject is designed to introduce students to the emerging social, economic and legal issues associated with blockchain and cryptocurrencies. It will initially consider the extent to which we should allow regulation and government intervention to influence the development and adoption of blockchain technologies, including cryptocurrencies, balancing the maintenance of social and legal norms against the need to let a nascent technology innovate and disrupt. The subject will then analyse how to maintain rule of law through appropriate legal and regulatory levers. The subject is grounded in the law, but also seeks to be broad and interdisciplinary. 

Principal topics will include:

•    Introduction to cryptocurrencies and blockchains
•    Introduction to smart contracts and governance design
•    Regulation of finance and securities markets in the age of blockchain
•    Initial coin offerings and their regulatory framework
•    Digital identity and privacy
•    Intersection of blockchain technologies with existing legal frameworks
•    Legal services use-cases for blockchain technologies