Students

AFIN8016 – Payments, Cryptocurrencies and Blockchain

2022 – Session 1, Online-scheduled-In person assessment, North Ryde

General Information

Download as PDF
Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit Convenor
Guy Schofield
guy.schofield@mq.edu.au
Cynthia Cai
cynthia.cai@mq.edu.au
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
Admission to MFin or MActPrac or (MBkgFin or MBusAnalytics and (ACST603 or ACST6003 or AFIN613 or AFIN6013))
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description

The development of Cryptocurrencies, using the fundamentals of cryptography and blockchain, is predicted to have significant impact on banks, financial institutions, governments, economies and business in general. The decentralization of payment networks and the establishment of an ecosystem of various stakeholders results in various benefits and challenges that will influence their adoption and diffusion in the marketplace. This unit examines cryptocurrencies and blockchain and their emergence and role in financial markets. This unit discuss the technical underpinnings of blockchain and key concepts such as decentralization and consensus algorithms. Students will learn how these new financial instruments and technologies are disrupting traditional ways of doing business.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • ULO1: Understand the fundamentals of blockchain and demonstrate knowledge of theoretical crypto-currency concepts and their applications.
  • ULO2: Critically evaluate the use of cryptocurrencies from a social and economic perspective with regard to regulatory frameworks that govern adoption and use.
  • ULO3: Apply different financial instruments and technology infrastructures including digital currencies and blockchain that facilitate the operation of financial markets.
  • ULO4: Compare and contrast how these new instruments and technologies are disrupting traditional ways of doing business in the financial industry.

General Assessment Information

Late submissions of assessments

Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, no extensions will be granted. There will be a deduction of 10% of the total available assessment-task marks made from the total awarded mark for each 24-hour period or part thereof that the submission is late. Late submissions will only be accepted up to 96 hours after the due date and time.

No late submissions will be accepted for timed assessments – e.g., quizzes, online tests.

Table 1: Penalty calculation based on submission time

Submission time after the due date (including weekends)

Penalty (% of available assessment task mark)

Example: for a non-timed assessment task marked out of 30

<  24 hours

10%

10% x 30 marks = 3-mark deduction

24-48 hours

20%

20% x 30 marks = 6-mark deduction

48-72 hours

30%

30% x 30 marks = 9-mark deduction

72-96 hours

40%

40%  x 30 marks = 12-mark deduction

> 96 hours

100%

Assignment won't be accepted

Other assessment criteria for assessment tasks will be provided on the unit iLearn site.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Online Quiz 0% No Week 3
Assignment 1 20% No Week 7
Assignment 2 20% No Week 10
Final Examination 60% No University Examination Period

Online Quiz

Assessment Type 1: Quiz/Test
Indicative Time on Task 2: 1 hours
Due: Week 3
Weighting: 0%

 

The online quiz will consist of 5 to 10 questions and will be available on iLearn. Please use the quiz result as an indicator of whether you are progressing satisfactorily in the unit.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Compare and contrast how these new instruments and technologies are disrupting traditional ways of doing business in the financial industry.

Assignment 1

Assessment Type 1: Report
Indicative Time on Task 2: 15 hours
Due: Week 7
Weighting: 20%

 

The assignment will cover quantitative and/or qualitative analysis and students will be required to produce a report regarding their find(s). The report should not exceed 1,500 words.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Understand the fundamentals of blockchain and demonstrate knowledge of theoretical crypto-currency concepts and their applications.
  • Critically evaluate the use of cryptocurrencies from a social and economic perspective with regard to regulatory frameworks that govern adoption and use.
  • Apply different financial instruments and technology infrastructures including digital currencies and blockchain that facilitate the operation of financial markets.
  • Compare and contrast how these new instruments and technologies are disrupting traditional ways of doing business in the financial industry.

Assignment 2

Assessment Type 1: Project
Indicative Time on Task 2: 19 hours
Due: Week 10
Weighting: 20%

 

Students will conduct a quantitative analysis / financial modelling project and present their solutions and outcomes.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Critically evaluate the use of cryptocurrencies from a social and economic perspective with regard to regulatory frameworks that govern adoption and use.
  • Apply different financial instruments and technology infrastructures including digital currencies and blockchain that facilitate the operation of financial markets.
  • Compare and contrast how these new instruments and technologies are disrupting traditional ways of doing business in the financial industry.

Final Examination

Assessment Type 1: Examination
Indicative Time on Task 2: 20 hours
Due: University Examination Period
Weighting: 60%

 

A two hour exam will be held during University Examination Period.

 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Understand the fundamentals of blockchain and demonstrate knowledge of theoretical crypto-currency concepts and their applications.
  • Critically evaluate the use of cryptocurrencies from a social and economic perspective with regard to regulatory frameworks that govern adoption and use.
  • Apply different financial instruments and technology infrastructures including digital currencies and blockchain that facilitate the operation of financial markets.
  • Compare and contrast how these new instruments and technologies are disrupting traditional ways of doing business in the financial industry.

1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:

  • the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
  • the Writing Centre for academic skills support.

2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation

Delivery and Resources

Required Text

No prescribed textbook is required. The unit will utilise various library resources, including research papers, book chapters, case studies, etc. All materials will be provided via iLearn or during the lecture.

Recommended Readings

We will supplement the lecture materials with readings from journals and other textbooks. A list of relevant material will be provided via iLearn.

Technology Used and Required

Necessary technology: Computer with MS Excel and Word, scientific or business calculator and internet access.

Unit Schedule

Please refer to iLearn.

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Students seeking more policy resources can visit Student Policies (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/policies). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

To find other policies relating to Teaching and Learning, visit Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au) and use the search tool.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/admin/other-resources/student-conduct

Results

Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

Academic Integrity

At Macquarie, we believe academic integrity – honesty, respect, trust, responsibility, fairness and courage – is at the core of learning, teaching and research. We recognise that meeting the expectations required to complete your assessments can be challenging. So, we offer you a range of resources and services to help you reach your potential, including free online writing and maths support, academic skills development and wellbeing consultations.

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

The Writing Centre

The Writing Centre provides resources to develop your English language proficiency, academic writing, and communication skills.

The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources. 

Student Services and Support

Macquarie University offers a range of Student Support Services including:

Student Enquiries

Got a question? Ask us via AskMQ, or contact Service Connect.

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/. 

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Unit information based on version 2022.03 of the Handbook