A private research university established in 1861, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is one of the world’s most prestigious schools and ranked first in the QS World University Rankings in 2023 due to its academic and research excellence in multiple fields, including blockchain.

MIT has produced 107 blockchain papers and has led many blockchain conferences and initiatives such as the MIT Digital Currency Initiative, the MIT FinTech Conference, and the Cryptoeconomic Systems journal and conference series. MIT also partners with some of the most well-known companies in the blockchain space – Ripple, Algorand, and Crypto.com – to promote and enhance blockchain research. MIT researchers developed the Prism blockchain protocol, designed to scale Bitcoin’s performance while maintaining its full security.

Among MIT's for-credit blockchain courses are the Blockchain Lab, a practical course that pairs students with companies to work on projects; Web3 and Strategy: Blockchain, Metaverse, and NFT Essentials, which looks at the impact of Web3 on business strategy, organizations, entrepreneurship, and investing; and Fintech Ventures, designed for student entrepreneurs from any academic specialty that culminates in a Demo Day of presentations before investors.

The Cambridge-based school also offers online professional certificates such as Blockchain: Disruptive Technology through its MIT Professional Education program.