Bonds to Blockchain: A Practitioner's Introduction to Securitized Products
Explore fixed income and structured finance from traditional bonds to tokenized assets using real-world data and pitch-building exercises.
Tadiwa Musiiwa
DREAM Venture Labs
Mondays at 7:00 P.M. ET / 4:00 P.M. PT
8 weeks, 2-3 hours per weekDescription
This Build Project will introduce you to capital markets by focusing on real-world examples from fixed income and structured finance. You will start by understanding bond mechanics and market roles, then dive into securitization and products like CLOs and RMBS. Midway, you will explore blockchain’s emerging role in finance through DeFi and RWAs. Each workshop builds toward a final presentation where you will pitch a trade idea. The hands-on format and technical tools used (like Excel and Glassnode) will help you build tangible, portfolio-ready work. This project prepares you for entry-level finance and fintech roles by giving you the skills used by analysts, traders, and associates in today's evolving markets.
Application timeline
What you will learn
- Explain how capital markets and fixed income products like bonds, RMBS, and CLOs function in the real world.
- Use Excel to perform a bond duration analysis and assess risk-return trade-offs.
- Analyze a DeFi protocol and understand the role of Real World Assets (RWAs) on the blockchain.
- Build and deliver a structured trade pitch based on investor objectives and risk appetite.
- Develop practical presentation and valuation skills relevant for careers in finance and fintech.
Project workshops
Prerequisites
- A basic understanding of macroeconomic concepts like interest rates, inflation, and market cycles.
- Familiarity with Excel and comfort performing calculations like percentages and changes.
- Willingness to learn financial concepts such as bond pricing, duration, tranching, and yield.
- Curiosity about how markets and financial products work and their real-world applications.
- Interest in new financial technologies like blockchain and decentralized finance (no prior crypto experience required).
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About the Fellow
Tadiwa Musiiwa
DREAM Venture Labs
Visit Tadiwa's LinkedInTadiwa is a Finance Build Fellow at Dream Venture Labs, where he works with students leading projects in Financial and Investment Analysis. Tadiwa is a Global Markets Associate at Nomura Securities International, where he focuses on Securitized Products. Tadiwa has over four years of experience in the Global Markets field, covering a range of products including Residential Mortgage Backed Securities, Asset Backed Securities and Collateralized Loan Obligations. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Cornell University. Tadiwa is an avid Liverpool F.C supporter and trades cryptocurrencies in his spare time.