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.

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.

The compute and training layers of the AI-industrial-complex are currently dominated by centralized Web2 giants that have unparalleled access to capital, state-of-the-art hardware, and vast datasets. While this will likely remain the case for the most powerful general ML models, mid-tier and bespoke models may increasingly source their compute resources from more affordable and accessible Web3 networks. Similarly, for inference needs that exceed the capabilities of personal edge devices, some consumers may turn to Web3 networks for less censored, more diverse outputs. Rather than attempting to overhaul the entire AI stack, Web3 challengers should focus on these niche use cases, and lean more heavily into their unique value proposition around censorship-resistance, transparency, and social verifiability.

At Placeholder, I hope to relate the blockchain revolution to historical technological trends as I explore how the methods of past technological evolutions are mirrored (and can be utilized) within this cycle. More specifically, I’ll be focusing my research interests on exploring the Institutional DeFi stack, the development of on-chain treasuries, and the modular vs. monolithic debate. I’ll also start tackling the intersection of game-theoretic auction design, consensus, and MEV, while researching LVR mitigation and methods that increase LP profitability, especially with the imminent launch of Uniswap v4. On top of all of this interesting work, I’ll keep in touch with my engineering roots as I explore zk-enabled tech (everything from zkVMs to zkApps, and more) as applied research and applications catch up to the theoretical use cases being explored.