Proof-of-Achievement Credentialing Summary

​

The Certified Bitcoin Advisor (CBA) credential system uses Bitcoin itself to verify student progress. Students place a tuition deposit in BTC and earn refunds in sats as they complete each of the five modules. Each refund creates a verifiable proof-of-completion that unlocks the next stage of study.

​

How It Works

1. Deposit

Student pays tuition (e.g., $1,000 in sats) into a Taproot or multisig escrow controlled by Bitcoin Education LLC + an automated program key.

Funds remain locked until progress triggers partial refunds.

 

2. Module Completion

When a student passes a module, CBA’s verifier signs a short proof-of-completion record containing:

Module ID

Student identifier (hashed pubkey or email)

Timestamp + signature

 

3. Refund = Proof

The system issues a Lightning refund (e.g., $50 in sats).

That refund + the signed completion record form an immutable pair—a cryptographic receipt showing the student passed the module. This pair is stored or viewable through the student’s wallet history and CBA’s public signing key.

 

4. Unlocking Progress

Each verified pair automatically unlocks the next module.

Students cannot access Module 2 without valid proof of Module 1.

Completing all five modules produces five immutable pairs → eligibility for the final exam.

 

5. Graduation

Passing the final exam triggers a final refund and the issuance of a CBA-Graduate credential, optionally minted as a non-transferable Taproot Asset tied to the graduate’s Bitcoin public key.

 

Core Principles

• Proof of Work = Proof of Learning: Bitcoin transactions themselves serve as exam certificates.

• Trust-Minimized: Verification occurs via cryptographic signatures, not administrative oversight.

• Aligned Incentives: Students recover sats by demonstrating mastery.

• Accessible: Works with any Bitcoin or Lightning wallet—no specialized protocols required.