The hottest Blockchain Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Navigating the Avalanche: An Introduction to the Avalanche Network

Coin Metrics' State of the Network • 0 implied HN points • 13 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Blockchain
  1. Avalanche is a blockchain network with unique architecture and features like subnets, making it versatile for a wide range of applications like DeFi and gaming.
  2. The AVAX token is central to Avalanche, used for transaction fees, network security through staking, and has shown notable success with market capitalization peaking at $30B.
  3. Avalanche's consensus mechanism, called Avalanche Consensus, is structured to handle high throughput with fast transaction speeds, enhanced scalability, and a permissionless approach different from traditional blockchains.

Decentralization on Ronin

Ronin’s Newsletter • 0 implied HN points • 16 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Blockchain
  1. Decentralization fortifies Ronin's security by distributing power and control across multiple participants, reducing vulnerabilities.
  2. Decentralization on Ronin aims for antifragility, ensuring the protocol can thrive even without the core team, but there are trade-offs like slower processes.
  3. Ronin is progressively enhancing decentralization with roles like validators, governors, and game developers each playing key parts in maintaining a resilient network.

Steemit Until Valentine’s Day

The False Consensus Effect • 0 implied HN points • 22 Jan 22
🎨 Art & Illustration Blockchain
  1. Consider trying out Steemit for a new social media hobby and potential to earn crypto through activities like posting and commenting.
  2. Powering up on Steemit can increase your influence and the value of your blog, helping you potentially earn.
  3. The author found Steemit to be a more genuine platform than traditional social media, where creativity is valued and rewarded.

@adlrocha - Running LLMs and ML in Wasm

@adlrocha Weekly Newsletter • 0 implied HN points • 18 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Blockchain
  1. The post discusses exploring new runtimes for AI, particularly in relation to running LLMs and ML models in Wasm and heterogeneous runtimes.
  2. There's a Byte-sized bites section with links to interesting reads and discussions on topics like blockchain impact, new programming languages, and infrastructure decisions.
  3. The author shares a link to enable Hibernate on a Linux laptop to prevent loss of battery power when the laptop is closed.

Breaking Byzantine Fault Tolerance

Coin Metrics' State of the Network • 0 implied HN points • 27 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Blockchain
  1. The Total Cost to Attack (TCA) metric introduced in the research is a valuable tool for assessing the economic viability of potential threats to Bitcoin and Ethereum networks.
  2. Analyzing the economics of potential attacks on blockchain networks highlights significant economic disincentives for attackers, with the costs to compromise Bitcoin ranging from $5B to $20B and Ethereum's cost estimated around $34 billion, proving to be prohibitively high.
  3. The study emphasizes the security mechanisms of major blockchain networks like Bitcoin and Ethereum, indicating a promising future for the cryptocurrency industry amidst market growth.
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The Machines Arena Skins are now NFTs on Ronin

Ronin’s Newsletter • 0 implied HN points • 29 Feb 24
🔮 Crypto Blockchain
  1. The Machines Arena skins are now mintable as NFTs on Ronin, allowing you to trade them with other players.
  2. The Machines Arena team has received awards for their game development, including Best Web3 Game from the GDWC.
  3. Players can earn rewards by signing up for The Machines Arena's Season 3 Closed Beta Test, including exclusive skins that can also be minted as NFTs.

How to Fork Algorand's Pure Proof-of-Stake Blockchain

zach's tech blog • 0 implied HN points • 29 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Blockchain
  1. Proof of Stake (PoS) blockchains like Algorand face a tradeoff between decentralization and security, unlike Proof of Work (PoW) blockchains.
  2. Algorand aims to prevent forking with innovative cryptographic techniques and by requiring honest money control, but assumptions about user behavior bring in security concerns.
  3. Further decentralization in Algorand can make the network more vulnerable to bribery attacks, showing a tradeoff between security, decentralization, and scalability.

Following Flows V: Pool Cross-Pollination

Coin Metrics' State of the Network • 0 implied HN points • 05 Mar 24
🕹 Technology Blockchain
  1. Decentralization concerns exist within Bitcoin mining due to the dominant control by a few major pools like Foundry and AntPool.
  2. Cross-pollination between mining pools is observed through shared addresses and flow of funds, indicating potential coordination among pools.
  3. Mining pools utilize different payout models and external networks like Cobo's Loop for liquidity, leading to a complex landscape with hidden consolidation of power.

How to Upgrade a Diamond to Use New State Variables?

EIP-2535 Diamonds • 0 implied HN points • 15 Mar 24
🕹 Technology Blockchain
  1. In diamond upgrades, you can add, replace, or remove external functions to incorporate new state variables.
  2. When adding new state variables to a shared struct in a diamond, only the external functions that use them need to be replaced.
  3. To upgrade a diamond with new state variables, you only need to add new external functions and replace existing ones that use the new state variables.

The Metaphysics of the Metaverse

For your consideration • 0 implied HN points • 07 Sep 23
🕹 Technology Blockchain
  1. The Metaverse must allow objects to be arbitrarily and dynamically divisible or fusible, reflecting real-world transformations.
  2. NFT Smart Contracts in the Metaverse should apply predefined rules for permissible actions on objects, enabling fusion or fission on demand.
  3. Objects in the Metaverse have shareable components, allowing for different rights and behaviors that can be bought, sold, or transferred based on defined rules.

Elliptic Curve Cryptography

Quantum Formalism • 0 implied HN points • 29 Nov 23
🕹 Technology Blockchain
  1. Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC) is crucial for secure internet communications like TLS protocols, mobile security, blockchain, and cryptocurrencies.
  2. ECC is efficient and widely utilized in mobile devices for securing transactions and communications due to lower computational power requirements.
  3. ECC plays a significant role in various sectors like government communications, wireless security protocols, and cloud computing due to its high security and efficiency.

Smart Contracting’s Fine Print

Joshua Gans' Newsletter • 0 implied HN points • 04 Jan 19
🕹 Technology Blockchain
  1. Blockchain technology has the potential to revolutionize smart contracts by using a distributed ledger with a 'Turing complete' virtual machine.
  2. Smart contract applications are currently limited, with a few examples being used as substitutes for escrow services or for generating controlled lists.
  3. Economic innovation is crucial for the success of smart contracts on the blockchain, as they need to incentivize human action effectively to ensure contract performance.

Can the blockchain make teams work?

Joshua Gans' Newsletter • 0 implied HN points • 13 Oct 18
🕹 Technology Blockchain
  1. Al Roth, a prominent economist, is engaged with a blockchain startup focused on knowledge workers, which shows promise for trust establishment.
  2. Covee proposes using a blockchain algorithm to automate team coordination, solving the challenge of ensuring everyone contributes to a project.
  3. Covee's solution involves peer evaluations with stakes, aiming to maintain fairness and accountability among team members, but potential challenges may arise in more dynamic project environments.

The problem with Numerai’s Erasure protocol

Joshua Gans' Newsletter • 0 implied HN points • 05 Oct 18
🕹 Technology Blockchain
  1. Quality of predictions can be a challenge to assess before the fact, leading to market issues.
  2. Flooding the market with predictions can be avoided by having predictors earn reputations and stake their predictions.
  3. The mechanism of using staking and griefing in prediction markets may not effectively deter bad predictions and flooding, suggesting the need for alternative strategies.

A limit to Bitcoin scale?

Joshua Gans' Newsletter • 0 implied HN points • 26 May 18
🔮 Crypto Blockchain
  1. Eric Budish's paper highlights a potential contradiction at the core of 'proof of work' schemes supporting cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin.
  2. The economic viability of Bitcoin in the long term is based on short-term enforcement mechanisms, which could pose challenges as Bitcoin becomes more economically significant.
  3. The use of specialized ASIC chips for mining may increase Bitcoin's robustness against attacks, but it challenges the democratic philosophy initially associated with Bitcoin.

Crypto-Casino or Crypto-World ?

Venture Prose • 0 implied HN points • 09 Dec 17
🔮 Crypto Blockchain
  1. Bitcoin's main weaknesses include slow transaction processing and high energy consumption, hindering its scalability as a decentralized protocol.
  2. Bitcoin's volatility and lack of adoption for real-life transactions make it unstable and ineffective for broader economic use.
  3. For the crypto-world to mature, technology needs to scale efficiently, distribution models must allow growth without creating bubbles, and cryptocurrencies must gain real-world use cases for stability.

Do Not Research: Over-Hyphenated Platform Capitalism Futures

Do Not Research • 0 implied HN points • 15 Feb 22
🕹 Technology Blockchain
  1. Participants in a reading-group meeting created speculative scenarios based on the themes of Platform Capitalism.
  2. The scenarios included themes like post-capitalism, decentralized protection, and even an AI ending capitalism.
  3. The speculative scenarios portrayed a future where technology, AI, and social structures intertwine in complex and sometimes dystopian ways.

Halving Pain May Be Inevitable After All

Miner Weekly • 0 implied HN points • 25 Apr 24
🕹 Technology Blockchain
  1. Bitcoin's hashprice surged post-halving due to soaring transaction fees linked to the Rune protocol.
  2. Despite an initial surge, the average block fees have subsided, causing the hashprice to drop below pre-halving levels.
  3. Miner operators were able to profit substantially from the fee market volatility following the halving, with significant increases in collected fees.

Decentralize Your Data Journey: Introducing Web3 for Analytics Engineers Newsletter!

Web3 for Analytics Engineers • 0 implied HN points • 06 Jun 24
🕹 Technology Blockchain
  1. Web3 is transforming the world of data analytics, offering transparency, security, and immutability.
  2. The newsletter "Web3 for Analytics Engineers" provides exclusive tutorials, resource round-ups, best practices, and more to stay ahead in Web3 analytics.
  3. Topics covered include blockchain data analysis, decentralized finance, analytics tools like The Graph, and career growth strategies in Web3.

Reflections on student research projects

Solresol • 0 implied HN points • 27 May 24
🕹 Technology Blockchain
  1. Many students in the cohort did not train their own computer vision models, instead relying on prompting AI models which proved to be inefficient and not very accurate.
  2. Explainability of results was emphasized in the research projects, with students looking into explaining their models' outcomes.
  3. The compatibility of blockchains with quantum computers is uncertain due to the vulnerability of traditional encryption methods to quantum breaking, leading to ongoing research on solutions.

The parallels between shitcoin sniping and pre-seed VC investing (Part 1/3)

Boltzmann Soul • 0 implied HN points • 15 May 24
💰 Finance Blockchain
  1. Crypto bull runs occur every four years and can mint new millionaires and billionaires.
  2. Shitcoin sniping in meme coin trading has similarities to pre-seed VC investing, including the dominance of returns by power law and the impact of FOMO on deal economics.
  3. New traders in meme coin trading should pick a blockchain ecosystem, track PnL in the network's native token, and avoid getting influenced by noise like fake influencers and copy trading.

The Hidden Value of Web3 Technology

The Digital Anthropologist • 0 implied HN points • 27 Jul 23
🕹 Technology Blockchain
  1. Web3 technologies offer hidden value for the future of the internet by challenging current systems and empowering individuals.
  2. Key Web3 technologies include NFTs for ownership rights, DAOs for egalitarian ownership, and Ethereum for digital identity.
  3. Despite criticisms and confusion, the continuous development and passion behind Web3 technologies ensure ongoing benefits and innovation in the online world.

Why Blockchain Remains in the Shadows

The Digital Anthropologist • 0 implied HN points • 01 Jul 23
🕹 Technology Blockchain
  1. Blockchain struggles to gain cultural relevance due to human societies' operation with opacity and grey areas.
  2. Many people have limited understanding of blockchain technology, hindering its adoption outside of tech circles.
  3. The challenges facing blockchain include transparency issues, lack of scalability, technology debt, and dwindling investor attention compared to other tech sectors.

The System Clashes of our Digital Age

The Digital Anthropologist • 0 implied HN points • 29 Jun 23
🕹 Technology Blockchain
  1. We are currently experiencing significant systemic changes globally across various sectors due to the rapid advancement of digital technologies.
  2. Technological advancements, such as Artificial Intelligence, blockchain, and social media, are reshaping our societal, economic, and political systems, leading to both positive and negative outcomes.
  3. The role of technology in driving systemic changes is crucial, and while technology itself is neutral, it is how humans choose to use it that determines the impact on our sociocultural systems.

How Crime Could Stop A.I. From Taking Over

The Digital Anthropologist • 0 implied HN points • 03 May 23
🕹 Technology Blockchain
  1. Cryptocurrencies and blockchain technologies may face challenges from criminal activity and mass disillusionment, similar to what AI may encounter.
  2. Fake websites generated by AI, AI-written spam emails, and AI scams highlight potential risks associated with the widespread use of artificial intelligence.
  3. Criminals, hackers, and scammers exploiting AI could inadvertently lead to a societal distrust of AI and a shift towards more human-centric approaches, potentially preventing the negative impacts of artificial intelligence on humanity.

Deep-Tech Newsletter | November 2022.

Deep-Tech Newsletter • 0 implied HN points • 10 Nov 22
💰 Finance Blockchain
  1. The crypto world is facing challenges due to liquidity issues and potential bankruptcy at FTX, impacting several high-profile VC-backed crypto projects.
  2. This situation might lead to VCs bailing out crypto projects to maintain reputation, exposing flaws in the crypto ecosystem focused on short-term gains rather than long-term value.
  3. Despite the current turmoil, Zaiku Group remains optimistic about the potential of tokenization to revolutionize assets like money, art, and shares, with a focus on decentralized ownership and blockchain management.

I Hate Data Migrations

Tribal Knowledge • 0 implied HN points • 11 Dec 22
🕹 Technology Blockchain
  1. Data migrations in software engineering can be incredibly challenging due to the complexity and inconsistency of data.
  2. Routine database backups are crucial for quickly restoring data and avoiding catastrophic losses.
  3. Utilizing blockchain technology for building databases can provide benefits like easy recreation of data structures and decentralized app development.

Web3: What I Know So Far

Tribal Knowledge • 0 implied HN points • 31 Jul 22
🕹 Technology Blockchain
  1. The author shares their experience with cryptocurrency trends and technologies like Coinbase, Nexo, MetaMask, and more, emphasizing the vastness of Blockchain technology.
  2. The author is working on a startup utilizing web3 technology, referencing data on the blockchain and facing data challenges with NFT contracts on Ethereum chain.
  3. The author looks forward to exploring different NFT contract types and working with various blockchains beyond Ethereum, such as Polygon, Solana, Cardano, and Tezos, each presenting unique data challenges and scale issues.

Worldcoin Madness Begins

Sector 6 | The Newsletter of AIM • 0 implied HN points • 30 Jul 23
🔮 Crypto Blockchain
  1. Worldcoin is a new project that uses eyeball scans to create a digital currency. It aims to change the way people think about money and wealth.
  2. The project launched in 35 cities across 20 countries and had over 2 million sign-ups before even starting. However, it's not popular in the US yet.
  3. There are concerns about privacy and ethics related to scanning people's eyes for cryptocurrency. Some countries are questioning if the project is even legal.

The Feeling of Helplessness 😣

Sector 6 | The Newsletter of AIM • 0 implied HN points • 31 Jan 23
🕹 Technology Blockchain
  1. Nvidia is struggling to keep up in a fast-changing market despite its success. It's hard for them to stay relevant as new technology comes out.
  2. The shift in Ethereum from proof-of-work to proof-of-stake caused Nvidia's GPU prices to drop significantly. This change affected many of their products and hurt their stock prices.
  3. Big tech layoffs are a common topic now, and there are debates about whether layoffs are good or bad for the companies and employees involved. These discussions are important as the job market shifts.

Goodbye, Miners

Sector 6 | The Newsletter of AIM • 0 implied HN points • 18 Sep 22
🔮 Crypto Blockchain
  1. Ethereum has switched from proof-of-work to proof-of-stake, which changes how it operates. This new method involves validators being chosen based on how much they own.
  2. Proof-of-stake is seen as more energy-efficient than proof-of-work. This shift can help reduce environmental impact.
  3. The upgrade marks a significant change in the blockchain world, moving towards more sustainable practices. It sets a new standard for other cryptocurrencies to consider.

👀The Facial Recognition Hypocrisy & Karnataka’s Bitcoin Scam 🎯🚠🚜

Sector 6 | The Newsletter of AIM • 0 implied HN points • 21 Nov 21
🕹 Technology Blockchain
  1. There is a contradiction in how facial recognition technology is used and regarded in society. Some support its use for safety, while others condemn it for privacy invasion.
  2. Karnataka's Bitcoin scam highlights the risks and challenges of cryptocurrency and online transactions. Many people lost money due to lack of regulation and security.
  3. Upcoming events like the Data Scientists Awards and Machine Learning Developers Summit provide great opportunities for networking and showcasing new research. Participating can help professionals grow in their field.

My Answers for the paradigm fellowship

Something to Consider • 0 implied HN points • 07 Aug 24
🔮 Crypto Blockchain
  1. The game with Ethereum bids will likely end with the biggest firm winning because they can raise the most capital. Smaller players may drop out when they see they can’t compete.
  2. Censorship doesn't change the game much because firms that want to win will pay a lot. They’ll still plan based on their chances of success.
  3. Smart contracts could change the game by allowing players to offer rewards to others for letting empty blocks go. This might make it harder for anyone to win the bidding eventually.

Linux, git, Bitcoin, and ChatGPT: The Four Distributed Horsemen of the Singularity

The Future of Life • 0 implied HN points • 24 Mar 23
🕹 Technology Blockchain
  1. Linux shows how working together online can create powerful software. It proved that volunteers can outdo big companies.
  2. Git helps teams collaborate better on projects and keeps their work safe. It changed how people can be creative together, no matter where they are.
  3. Bitcoin and ChatGPT are also part of this decentralized movement. They let us share value and knowledge without needing a central authority, pushing us toward a smarter future.

A First Principles guide to Data Availability: Part 3

Matthew’s Substack • 0 implied HN points • 04 Aug 24
🔮 Crypto Blockchain
  1. Data availability (DA) projects are still new and evolving, with challenges in technology and security needing to be overcome. Many are in the early rollout phase and will require time to mature.
  2. EIP-4844 is currently preferred by major existing projects for DA since it integrates easily with Ethereum. Other alternatives like Celestia and EigenDA are gaining attention but have a long way to go.
  3. DA prices have dropped significantly, making it much cheaper for projects to use. However, there's still an excess of capacity over demand, meaning the market will need time to catch up.

A First Principles guide to Data Availability: Part 2

Matthew’s Substack • 0 implied HN points • 31 Jul 24
🕹 Technology Blockchain
  1. Data Availability (DA) is crucial for ensuring that transaction data is accessible and secure, especially as blockchain technology grows. New solutions are needed to handle increased demand without high costs.
  2. There are two main types of DA solutions: Ordered DA, which includes consensus and provides stronger security, and DACs (Data Availability Committees), which focus on scalability and lower costs but offer less security.
  3. Choosing the right DA solution depends on factors like transaction value, data cost, and security needs. Different use cases, like finance or gaming, may prefer different DA features.

Five thinking principles I learned from the discovery of Bitcoin as a teenager

do clouds feel vertigo? • 0 implied HN points • 10 Feb 23
🔮 Crypto Blockchain
  1. You can find amazing ideas in unexpected places. Keep your mind open and explore things that seem out of the ordinary.
  2. Sometimes the weirdest ideas can turn out to be the most interesting and valuable. Don’t be afraid to dig into concepts that sound crazy at first.
  3. It's important to understand the basics of how things work. Asking fundamental questions can help you see the true nature of ideas and concepts.

The Bitcoin Boom: Asset, Currency, Commodity or Collectible?

Musings on Markets • 0 implied HN points • 24 Oct 17
🔮 Crypto Blockchain
  1. Bitcoin is a currency, not an asset. This means you can't determine its value the same way you would for things like stocks or real estate.
  2. You should focus on trading Bitcoin rather than investing in it. Trading is about predicting price changes, while investing requires valuing an asset.
  3. The future of Bitcoin can go in different directions: it could become a global currency, a gold alternative for the younger generation, or even a trend that fades away like the tulip bubble.

The Crypto Currency Debate: Future of Money or Speculative Hype?

Musings on Markets • 0 implied HN points • 02 Aug 17
🔮 Crypto Blockchain
  1. Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ether have seen huge price increases, but they are still new and not widely used for everyday transactions.
  2. The blockchain technology behind cryptocurrencies is real and valuable, but for these currencies to succeed, they need to be more reliable and accepted as money.
  3. Many people are interested in cryptocurrencies as investments more than as actual currencies, which makes it hard for them to be used for purchases.