Trends & Signals
Blockchain
Explore the latest insights, thought leadership, and research from FCAT®
Behind the Blocks: How Solana Staking Powers the Network
October 28, 2025
Solana’s ecosystem is set to undergo significant transformation, and this report from FCAT’s Blockchain team explores a new era of network performance and efforts to redefine the underlying economics that drive validator activity on-chain.
The Bitcoin Renaissance Part Two: A Technical Deep Dive
August 28, 2025
In this second installment of our "Bitcoin Renaissance" series, FCAT’s blockchain analysts explore the surge in Bitcoin developer activity prompted by ordinals and new technologies — examining the emerging use cases and innovations that are enhancing the protocol's functionality, scalability, and utility.
Bitcoin Renaissance: Exploring Layer 2s
November 1, 2024
In January 2023, Bitcoin developer Casey Rodamor combined two previous upgrades to Bitcoin Core’s protocol to launch Ordinals and Inscriptions. The project jumpstarted Bitcoin and Layer 2 development as projects previously deemed impossible on Bitcoin were reconsidered with newfound enthusiasm. This movement has been dubbed the “Bitcoin Renaissance”. This paper is the first in a three-part series providing an overview of what L2s are, how they function, and what sorts of applications they enable on Bitcoin.
Ask an FCAT Researcher: Vanessa Kargenian on Using Blockchain to Manage Fraud and Illicit Finance
July 23, 2024
Vanessa Kargenian leads FCAT Research’s efforts around blockchain and crypto. Lately she has been digging into the world of enterprise blockchain adoption, and how blockchains can help mitigate illicit finance and fraud activity.
Ethereum’s Security: 5 Key Signals to Watch
June 25, 2024
Nearly two years have passed since The Merge—how has the Ethereum network fared since? What are the most essential considerations for validators and network security?
Tracking Blockchain Health Part 2
April 22, 2024
This research paper establishes a quantitative framework to test the relationship between blockchain network health metrics and digital asset prices. With a better understanding of the blockchain metrics that impact native token prices, investors might more appropriately focus their research and generate a differentiated investment thesis.
Meet the Hosts: Jack Neureuter
January 17, 2024
A conversation with Jack Neureuter, a research associate with Avon Ventures, the venture fund affiliated with FMR LLC, the parent company of Fidelity Investments.
Disrupting Real World Infrastructure On-chain: A Conversation with Mahesh Ramakrishnan
January 8, 2024
We sat down with Mahesh Ramakrishnan, an early-stage venture investor, to discuss how crypto economies are recreating physical world infrastructure. Dubbed “DePIN,” Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Networks are an exciting application of public blockchains that start to answer the question: “Well, why crypto?”
Olin College Students Build an Open-Source Tool to Evaluate Crypto Trading Strategies
September 19, 2023
Recently, FCAT collaborated with Olin College of Engineering’s Senior Capstone Program in Engineering (SCOPE) on a project aimed at debunking “get rich quick” cryptocurrency strategies that have proliferated online.
A Closer Look at Bitcoin Ordinals
September 7, 2023
The introduction of ordinals has sparked debate across the Bitcoin community regarding proper use of block space. Some consider ordinals as "spam" to the blockchain, occupying unnecessary space. On the other hand, proponents view ordinals as a way to open up new use cases for Bitcoin and enhance network security through increased transaction fees. This piece aims to provide a summary of ordinals and examine their broader implications on the Bitcoin ecosystem.