In March 2024, the Ethereum network experienced a major enhancement with the deployment of EIP-4844, a key element of the Dencun hardfork, aimed at strengthening Ethereum’s functionality as a data availability layer. This enhancement introduced “blobs” of data, significantly improving the scalability of Layer 2 solutions by boosting data availability by around 100 times. As with any substantial upgrade, it’s essential to assess its effects, comprehend its repercussions, and adjust our strategy moving ahead.
In pursuit of this, we initiated a specialized data collection phase, inviting researchers and developers to investigate the empirical consequences of EIP-4844. The engagement was remarkable, with entries examining subjects ranging from consensus layer security to rollup economics. Today, we are excited to reveal the recipients of this phase, who have supplied vital insights into how this crucial upgrade is transforming the Ethereum ecosystem.
Gold 🥇
Seongwan Park – Decipher_SNU: Evaluating the Empirical Effects of EIP-4844
Seongwan’s research provides an extensive empirical evaluation of EIP-4844’s influence on consensus security, Ethereum utilization, and rollup transaction behavior. His study emphasizes both the improvements and obstacles introduced by this enhancement, offering crucial data to steer future advancements.
Silver 🥈
Kofi Kufuor: Effects of EIP-4844 on Rollup Economics
Kofi’s ongoing project on an open-source Dune dataset has evolved to incorporate blob fee data, presenting a detailed analysis of rollup expenses and revenues after EIP-4844. His dashboard facilitates the examination of rollup economics, making it understandable for the wider community.
Isaac Samuel : EIP-4844: Enhancing Ethereum’s Scaling Future with Blob Transactions
Isaac’s initiative delves into the metrics and importance of blob transactions. His extensive dashboard on Flipside Crypto monitors on-chain metrics and provides in-depth analysis through articles, assisting the community in grasping the wider implications of EIP-4844.
Victoria Tran – Blocknative: Blob Adoption and Utilization – Insights from the initial 85 days
Blocknative’s submission highlights the initial adoption and application of blobs via their innovative Blob Archive API. This instrument, coupled with their Mempool Data Archive, provides unmatched insights into Ethereum’s data availability environment after EIP-4844.
Yijing Yuan: 4844 Insights
Yijing’s examination centers on block propagation times, Layer 2 posting patterns, and network stability post-Dencun hardfork. Her timely contribution, despite the stringent deadline, offers vital insights into how EIP-4844 is transforming Ethereum’s data structure.
Bronze 🥉
Evan Kim – Primev: Censorship, Latency, and Preconfirmations in the Blob Market
Evan’s research investigates the emerging blob market created by EIP-4844, analyzing its parallels to EIP-1559 gas pricing and prospective challenges such as transaction latency and censorship. His work suggests innovative solutions, including “preconf bids,” to improve the blob market’s efficacy and dependability.
Guillaume Michel – ProbeLab: An In-Depth Exploration of the P2P Layer of the Dencun Hardfork
Guillaume’s blog entry examines the influence of the Dencun hardfork on Ethereum’s P2P networking layer, concentrating on the public DHT of discv5 and the gossipsub protocol. His investigation provides significant insights into the network’s effectiveness and areas for enhancement.
Leonardo Bautista Gomez(https://x.com/Miga_labs): An Analysis of the First 3 Months of Blobs in Ethereum
Leonardo’s thorough study examines the behavior of blob data in the initial 12 weeks following the Dencun hardfork. His analysis encompasses the frequency and distribution of blobs per slot, along with the challenges and possibilities for future scalability.
Leonardo Bautista Gomez(https://x.com/Miga_labs): Ethereum Hardware Resource Analysis Update
In a follow-up submission, Leonardo updates a prior study regarding the hardware resource utilization of Ethereum clients, juxtaposing performance before and after the integration of blobs. His results are crucial for grasping the infrastructure needs of the network’s recent upgrade.
Evan Kim – Primev: Slot Inclusion Rates and Blob Market Combinatorics
Evan’s concluding submission investigates the combinatorial aspects of the blob market, assessing slot inclusion rates, rivalry, and potential censorship. His findings establish the foundation for enhancing the blob market, ensuring equitable and effective transaction inclusion.
Looking Forward
The knowledge obtained from this data collection phase is invaluable as Ethereum progresses. EIP-4844 signifies a crucial advancement in Ethereum’s rollup-focused roadmap, and the efforts of these scholars will assist in ensuring that the network remains secure, proficient, and scalable. As the blob market continues to expand, it nears a congestion point, which will surely generate even more intriguing insights into how Ethereum’s infrastructure copes with this heightened demand. We express our gratitude to all participants for their contributions and anticipate fostering further collaboration and innovation within the Ethereum community.
Stay tuned for additional updates and future rounds as we carry on exploring the frontiers of Ethereum’s growth.
