Next-gen Chains: Strategic Differentiation
Key Insights
- With over 200 Layer-1 and Layer-2 networks live today, demand for blockspace is generated by the network effects of the underlying project.
- For today’s next-gen chains, a prerequisite for success is opinionated design and a unique go-to-market strategy.
- Next-gen chains like MegaETH, Hyperliquid, Monad, Berachain, Abstract, and Sonic have found success through strategic differentiations.
- Strategic differentiation can take various forms, including in areas like ecosystem curation, technological innovation, and user incentivization.
Primer
There are over 200 Layer-1 (L1) and Layer-2 (L2) networks live today. Despite blockspace continuing to saturate, networks continue to receive outsized funding and valuations when compared to applications. Demand for blockspace is generated by the network effects of the underlying project. With ever-increasing blockspace, the next generation of chains must find ways to differentiate themselves and create an edge more than ever before.
During his 3.5-year tenure at Messari, Patryk contributed across Messari's Diligence, Protocol, and Enterprise research teams. As Research Manager, his primary focus was on Layer-1 and Layer-2 infrastructure and the DeFi ecosystems atop them.
Matthew is a Research Analyst in Protocol Research. He graduated from MIT with a Master's and Bachelor's in Comp Sci, Economics, and Data Science where he wrote his thesis on DeSoc. Matthew also has previous experience as an Analyst at Goldentree's crypto fund.
Armita is a protocol researcher with a robust background in technology and blockchain. Before her role at Messari, she distinguished herself as a tech entrepreneur, executive, and advisor for various blockchain startups. Armita holds two master's degrees, one in Computer Engineering and another in Business Management, as well as a double major undergraduate degree in Physics and Pure Mathematics.
