One of the oldest debates in crypto focuses on the relationship between the adoption of L1 blockchain networks and the value accrual of their native tokens. The debate is unresolved but it is generally believed that, as long as the L1 token is the preferred asset for transacting on the network, the most widely adopted networks will also end up hosting the most valuable tokens. While the details of the exact argument are network- and token-specific, there is one additional idea that has been echoing in these discussions for at least 10 years. For many, it is the most important distinguishing factor between a handful of L1 ’blue chips’ and the evergrowing long tail of the cryptoasset universe at large. That idea is known as ’monetary premium’ and it is rooted in a fundamental misunderstanding of money.
Read moreCombined Metrics for Tracking Smart Contract Networks
One of the key advantages of blockchain networks over other digital platforms is that data about assets and transactions hosted on a blockchain is publicly available. This allows for close to real-time tracking of how different networks compare across a variety of metrics. The most reliable method for assessing the usage of a particular blockchain is to zoom in on individual measures, ideally at the level of specific applications or user groups. However, that’s not always feasible. As the number of networks and the amount of data grows, various forms of aggregation are required to simplify the tracking process without losing the ability to identify when and where a closer look at the underlying data is warranted. This post provides an overview of one such attempt at metrics aggregation.
Read moreIntroducing the Sequencing Value Accrual Simulator
The Sequencing Value Accrual Simulator is a web-app that simulates the economic value capture for users, applications, and infrastructure players under three sequencing mechanisms: based sequencing, centralized sequencing, and application-specific sequencing. To date, the first two have been the dominant forms of sequencing, whereas the latter enables more programmable and flexible forms of value capture at the level of individual applications and their users. The Simulator is the perfect tool for developers and users alike to visualize value accrual under different assumptions.
Read moreA Visual Guide to Sequencing Mechanisms
Sequencing is the mechanism by which incoming transactions are ordered into atomic bundles or blocks to be processed and finalized on a blockchain. All sequencing mechanisms are rooted in the concept of the write-lock, which is a fundamental concurrency control mechanism used to manage access to a shared blockchain state. Most economic value associated with sequencing flows to the actors that control the components of the write-lock, namely the execution, inclusion, and ordering guarantees of transaction data.
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