Advertisement
The Protocol

Exploring Scroll's Layer 2 Solution, Ethereum Staking, and Stellar's Smart Contract Evolution

The competition among DeFi networks is fierce, with Scroll currently holding the 23rd spot in the rankings. Meanwhile, the Ethereum validator queue has seen a significant reduction in wait times for staking and rewards, and an 'OG of Blockchains' has recently accomplished a nine-year-old project.

Listen or watch all the new CoinDesk podcast episodes wherever you want.
iHeartiTunesPocket CastsRSSRadio PublicSpotify

ABOUT

This episode is sponsored by the Algorand Foundation.

In this installment of "The Protocol," be part of our discussion with hosts Brad Keoun, the founding editor of The Protocol newsletter, and tech journalists Sam Kessler and Margaux Nijkerk. Together, they explore the continuously evolving landscape of blockchain technology, with a particular focus on what makes Scroll stand out, the diminishing demand for staking on Ethereum, and, in our PROTOCOL VILLAGE SEGMENT, Stellar's integration of smart contracts.

EPISODE LINKS |

Scroll Confirms Mainnet Live, as Co-Founder Predicts Speed Gains Over Ethereum

Ethereum Has Nearly Cleared Out Validator Queue, a Sign of Weak Staking Demand

Stellar, Early Blockchain Built for Payments, Adds Smart Contracts to Take on Ethereum

Clip from Scroll Co-Founder: Scroll Co-Founder Discusses zkEVM Mainnet Launch

From our Sponsor:

All the tools you need to build, test, and deploy on Algorand are now available in a single, simple package. Set up your dev environment in only 10 minutes and then get coding on the only blockchain with Unrivaled point-of-sale transaction speed and Industry-leading uptime Concierge-style developer support, at every step of your journey Download AlgoKit today.

Build today with AlgoKit


The Protocol has been produced and edited by senior producer Michele Musso and our executive producer is Jared Schwartz. Our theme song is “Take Me Back” by Strength To Last.

HOSTS

Margaux Nijkerk

Margaux Nijkerk reports on the Ethereum protocol and L2s. A graduate of Johns Hopkins and Emory universities, she has a masters in International Affairs & Economics. She holds BTC and ETH above CoinDesk's disclosure threshold of $1,000.

Margaux Nijkerk
Sam Kessler

Sam is CoinDesk's deputy managing editor for tech and protocols. His reporting is focused on decentralized technology, infrastructure and governance. Sam holds a computer science degree from Harvard University, where he led the Harvard Political Review. He has a background in the technology industry and owns some ETH and BTC. Sam was part of the team that won a 2023 Gerald Loeb Award for CoinDesk's coverage of Sam Bankman-Fried and the FTX collapse.

Sam Kessler
Bradley Keoun

Bradley Keoun is CoinDesk's managing editor of tech & protocols, where he oversees a team of reporters covering blockchain technology, and previously ran the global crypto markets team. A two-time Loeb Awards finalist, he previously was chief global finance and economic correspondent for TheStreet and before that worked as an editor and reporter for Bloomberg News in New York and Mexico City, reporting on Wall Street, emerging markets and the energy industry. He started out as a police-beat reporter for the Gainesville Sun in Florida and later worked as a general-assignment reporter for the Chicago Tribune. Originally from Fort Wayne, Indiana, he double-majored in electrical engineering and classical studies as an undergraduate at Duke University and later obtained a master's in journalism from the University of Florida. He is currently based in Austin, Texas, and in his spare time plays guitar, sings in a choir and hikes in the Texas Hill Country. He owns less than $1,000 each of several cryptocurrencies.

Bradley Keoun
Exploring Scroll's Layer 2 Solution, Ethereum Staking, and Stellar's Smart Contract Evolution