Blockchain is the technology behind cryptocurrencies. The rise of Bitcoin and Ethereum helped this distributed ledger technology amass huge popularity all around the world.

While the so-called “crypto winter” has raised plenty of questions about the future of cryptocurrencies, blockchain technology proved itself extremely useful in other fields, such as logistics, healthcare, government, trade finance and cross-border payments.

Increased capacity, enhanced security, immutability, faster settlement and decentralization are just some of the key features of this innovative technology. Companies and governments are already levering it to reduce operational costs, improve transparency and simplify complex business processes.

Earlier this year, consulting giant KPMG released its “2019 Technology Industry Innovation” report, which examined over 740 world leaders from the tech industry.

According to the survey, 41% of top managers said it was “very likely/likely” that blockchain will be adopted in their organizations within the next three years. Furthermore, nearly half of responders believed “very likely/likely” this technology will impact their business approach in that same timeframe.

A prior study by PwC outlined similar results, showing that 84 percent of executives confirmed their companies were “actively involved” with this technology.

When it comes to figures, blockchain solutions seems to be on the right track. A recent analysis by the International Data Corporation forecasts a robust growth pace in spending for the 2018–2022 period, with an estimated 5-year compound annual growth rate of 76.0%. In 2019, spending on blockchain technology is forecasted at $2.9 billion, which translates into a 88.7% increase from the previous year.

As institutional adoption gains momentum, understanding blockchain and the opportunities that lie ahead of this technology could benefit your professional development. Ready to get started?

Here are the best blockchain courses for 2019:

#1 | Blockchain and Bitcoin Fundamentals

Starting from scratch? Look no further. Blockchain and Bitcoin Fundamentals is the most popular blockchain-related course on Udemy for a good reason: it offers a comprehensive introduction to this technology and cryptocurrencies in just 2.5 hours.

This course addresses basic definitions and concepts around blockchain, bitcoin, smart contracts, tokens, and all potential business applications. It will also show you how to get started with Bitcoin and other digital currencies.

There are 37 lectures in total, averaging from 3 to 8 minutes each. Additionally, the author has included two downloadable PDFs on blockchain vocabulary and Bitcoin Hard Forks. The official price of this course is $94.99.