Chartered Digital Asset Analysts (CDAA) Qualification Examination Syllabus

(Level 1)

1. Digital Asset: Characteristics and Categories

• 1.1. Foundations and Features of Digital Asset
  • 1.1.1. Definition of Blockchain
  • 1.1.2. Core Characteristics of Blockchain
  • 1.1.3. Classification of Blockchain
  • 1.1.4. Smart Contract and Programmable Asset
  • 1.1.5. Digital Asset Issuance Methods
• 1.2. Bitcoin
  • 1.2.1. The Birth of Bitcoin
  • 1.2.2. How Bitcoin Works and Economic Model
  • 1.2.3. Scaling Bitcoin and Bitcoin Ecosystem
  • 1.2.4. Bitcoin Mining Industry
• 1.3. Other Digital Asset Categories
  • 1.3.1. NFTs
  • 1.3.2. Meme Coins
  • 1.3.3. DePIN Tokens

2. Public Blockchain and Smart Contract

• 2.1. Characteristics of Public Blockchain
• 2.2. Consensus Algorithm of Public Blockchain
• 2.3. Ethereum's Mechanism and Smart Contract
  • 2.3.1. The Birth and Mechanism of Ethereum
  • 2.3.2. Basic Principles of Smart Contract
  • 2.3.3. Token Standards and Asset Models
  • 2.3.4. Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) and Accounts
  • 2.3.5. Gas Fee and Transaction Execution
• 2.4. Scaling Ethereum and Cross-chain
  • 2.4.1. Scaling Ethereum and Layer 2 Solutions
  • 2.4.2. Cross-chain and Interoperability
  • 2.4.3. Cross-chain Asset Security and Multi-layer Network Isolation
• 2.5. Solana and Its Mechanism
• 2.6. DApp: Architecture and Mechanism
• 2.7. Oracle: System Structure and Consensus Algorithm
• 2.8. Main Security Risks of Blockchain

3. Stablecoin and RWA Tokenization

• 3.1. Stablecoin: Characteristics and Categories
  • 3.1.1. Definition and Characteristics of Stablecoin
  • 3.1.2. Fiat Asset-Backed Stablecoin
  • 3.1.3. Digital Asset-Backed Stablecoin
• 3.2. Typical Stablecoin
  • 3.2.1. USDT
  • 3.2.2. USDC
  • 3.2.3. USDS (formerly DAI)
• 3.3. RWA Tokenization: Concept and Characteristics
  • 3.3.1. Definition and Value of RWA Tokenization
  • 3.3.2. Technical Tools and Platforms for RWA Tokenization
• 3.4. Main Categories of RWA Tokenization
  • 3.4.1. Commodity Tokenization
  • 3.4.2. Debt Instrument Tokenization
  • 3.4.3. Equity Tokenization
  • 3.4.4. Fund Tokenization
  • 3.4.5. Other Asset Tokenization
• 3.5. Core Elements of RWA Tokenization
  • 3.5.1. Issuance Structure Design of RWA Token
  • 3.5.2. Off-chain to On-chain Asset Mapping Mechanism
  • 3.5.3. Regulatory and Compliance

4. Spot Trading of Digital Asset

• 4.1. Centralized Exchanges(CEX) and Main Market Participants
  • 4.1.1. CEX: Definition and Characteristics
  • 4.1.2. Trading Products of CEX
  • 4.1.3. Platform Tokens of CEX
  • 4.1.4. Main Participants in Digital Asset Trading System
• 4.2. Spot Trading Rules
  • 4.2.1. Spot Trading Rules
  • 4.2.2. Common Pending Order Types and Order Management
• 4.3. Digital Asset Margin Trading
  • 4.3.1. Margin Trading Rules: Overview
  • 4.3.2. Margin Trading Function Activation and Management
  • 4.3.3. Multiples and Margin
  • 4.3.4. Margin Trading Position Closing Methods and Risk Management

5. Derivative Trading of Digital Asset

• 5.1. Digital Asset Derivative Trading Platforms
  • 5.1.1. Digital Asset Derivative: Concepts and Characteristics
  • 5.1.2. Digital Asset Derivative: Platforms and Products
• 5.2. Digital Asset Futures Trading
  • 5.2.1. Overview of Futures Trading
  • 5.2.2. Futures Types
  • 5.2.3. Leverage Multiples and Margin
  • 5.2.4. Order Placement Methods and Take Profit/Stop Loss Settings
  • 5.2.5. Funding Rate Mechanism
• 5.3. Digital Asset Options Trading
  • 5.3.1. Overview of Options Trading Rules
  • 5.3.2. Options Types
  • 5.3.3. Position Management and Settlement
  • 5.3.4. Options Pricing Principles
  • 5.3.5. Options Trading Risk Management
• 5.4. Digital Asset Quantitative Trading
  • 5.4.1. Algorithmic Market Making Strategies
  • 5.4.2. Arbitrage Strategies
  • 5.4.3. Market Microstructure Strategies
  • 5.4.4. Market Taking Strategies

6. Decentralized Finance (DeFi)

• 6.1. DeFi Protocol: Concept and Classification
  • 6.1.1. Definition and Characteristics of DeFi
  • 6.1.2. Main Categories of DeFi Protocols
  • 6.1.3. Key Metrics of DeFi Protocols
  • 6.1.4. Liquidity Mining and Yield Farming
  • 6.1.5. DeFi Security Risks
• 6.2. DEX and Market Making Mechanism
  • 6.2.1. Definition and Characteristics of DEX
  • 6.2.2. Decentralized Spot Trading and Automated Market Makers
  • 6.2.3. Trading Early-stage Asset on DEX
  • 6.2.4. Decentralized Derivative Trading
  • 6.2.5. NFT Trading
• 6.3. Decentralized Lending
  • 6.3.1. Lending Protocol: Fundamental and Core Mechanism
  • 6.3.2. Flash Loans
• 6.4. Other DeFi Protocol
  • 6.4.1. Yield Aggregators
  • 6.4.2. Staking and Restaking
• 6.5. DeFi Governance and DAO
  • 6.5.1. DAO: Basic Concepts
  • 6.5.2. DAO Governance: Core Mechanism and Key Principles
  • 6.5.3. DeFi Governance Token and Its Economic Model

7. Digital Asset Investment Research and Analysis

• 7.1. Macroeconomics and Digital Asset
  • 7.1.1. Inflation, Monetary Policy and Digital Asset Markets
  • 7.1.2. Business Cycles and Digital Asset Market
  • 7.1.3. Correlation Between Digital Asset and Other Financial Asset
• 7.2. Blockchain On-Chain Data and Market Signals
  • 7.2.1. Fundamental of On-Chain Data and Behavioral Tracking
  • 7.2.2. Commonly Used On-Chain Data Indicators
  • 7.2.3. Exchange Indicators
  • 7.2.4. Market Sentiment Indicators
  • 7.2.5. Application Scenarios and Risk Warning of On-Chain Indicator
• 7.3. Tokenomics
  • 7.3.1. Overview of Tokenomics
  • 7.3.2. Token Distribution Mechanism
  • 7.3.3. Token Supply and Unlocking
• 7.4. Key Points of Digital Asset Investment Research Analysis and Valuation Assessment
  • 7.4.1. Core Competitiveness of Digital Asset Projects
  • 7.4.2. Market Demand and Competitive Environment
  • 7.4.3. Valuation Assessment of Digital Asset
• 7.5. Technical Analysis of Digital Asset Price
  • 7.5.1. Basic Principles of Technical Analysis
  • 7.5.2. Candlestick Chart and Trend Identification
  • 7.5.3. Major Technical Analysis Indicators

8. Portfolio Allocation and Asset Management of Digital Asset

• 8.1. Portfolio Allocation of Digital Asset
  • 8.1.1. Returns and Present/Future Value of Digital Asset
  • 8.1.2. Risk Measurement and Risk Preference of Digital Asset
  • 8.1.3. Modern Portfolio Theory
  • 8.1.4. Portfolio Allocation and Rebalancing
  • 8.1.5. Subjective Bias and Probability Estimation in Investment Analysis
• 8.2. Digital Asset Funds and Thematic Stocks
  • 8.2.1. Digital Asset Funds and Trusts
  • 8.2.2. Digital Asset Market Index
  • 8.2.3. Digital Asset ETF: Main Types
  • 8.2.4. Digital Asset ETF Products
  • 8.2.5. Digital Asset ETF: Risks Related to
  • 8.2.6. Digital Asset Thematic Stocks
• 8.3. Asset Management of Digital Asset
  • 8.3.1. Investor Classification and Suitability
  • 8.3.2. Asset Management Products of Digital Asset

9. Digital Asset Custody, Custodial Services and Security

• 9.1. Wallet: Basic Usage and Management
  • 9.1.1. Digital Asset Wallet: Basic Concepts
  • 9.1.2. Cryptographic Principles of Wallet Addresses
  • 9.1.3. Use Cases of Wallet
• 9.2. Wallet: Categories and Characteristics
  • 9.2.1. Cold Wallet and Hot Wallet
  • 9.2.2. Hardware Wallet
  • 9.2.3. Non-custodial Wallet and Custodial Wallet
  • 9.2.4. Multi-Sig Wallet and MPC Wallet
  • 9.2.5. HD Wallet
• 9.3. Smart Contract: Security and Auditing
• 9.4. Operational Risks of Digital Asset
• 9.5. Key Strategies for Digital Asset Security Protection

10. Digital Asset Compliance and Professional Ethics

• 10.1. Digital Asset Accounting
  • 10.1.1. Accounting Treatment and Audit Opinions for Digital Asset
  • 10.1.2. Account Management and Process Standards
• 10.2. Key Principles of Digital Asset Regulation and Compliance
  • 10.2.1. KYC and AML
  • 10.2.2. Asset Security and Data Protection
  • 10.2.3. Other Key Points
• 10.3. Digital Asset Regulatory Framework of Hong Kong SAR, China
  • 10.3.1. Virtual Asset Regulatory Authorities in Hong Kong
  • 10.3.2. Overall Requirements of the Securities and Futures Ordinance and the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorist Financing Ordinance
  • 10.3.3. Regulatory Requirements for Virtual Asset Trading Platforms
  • 10.3.4. Regulatory Requirements for Virtual Asset Investment Funds
  • 10.3.5. Regulatory Requirements for Brokerages and Other Intermediaries Conducting Virtual Asset-Related Business
  • 10.3.6. Stablecoin Regulatory Requirements in Hong Kong
  • 10.3.7. Regulatory Requirements for Conducting Tokenized Securities-Related Business
• 10.4. Global Digital Asset Regulation: Other Countries and Regions
  • 10.4.1. US Regulation of Digital Asset
  • 10.4.2. EU Regulation of Digital Asset
  • 10.4.3. Singapore Regulation of Digital Asset
  • 10.4.4. Digital Asset Regulation in Japan, South Korea, UAE and Other Regions
  • 10.4.5. International Organizations' Regulatory Requirements for Digital Asset
• 10.5. Code of Professional Ethics and Professional Conduct Standards: Chartered Digital Asset Analysts
  • 10.5.1. Overall Requirements for Code of Professional Ethics and Professional Conduct Standards
  • 10.5.2. Professional Conduct and Key Behavioral Standards
  • 10.5.3. Responsibilities of Senior Management

(Last updated: June 22, 2025)