The Avalanche Foundation (@AvalancheFDN) chose six research teams from more than 175 applications in the first round of its Call for Research Proposals. The researchers are affiliated with institutions including Stanford University, the University of Oxford, Imperial College London and Nanyang Technological University. They will investigate how crypto assets acquire value and how validator compensation helps secure proof-of-stake networks.
What the Research Will Cover
The program focuses on two areas. The Avalanche Foundation says the call seeks original academic research into cryptoasset pricing and valuation, as well as validator economics and network security. Each project was eligible for a grant of up to $50,000.
Some selected projects examine whether validator rewards on networks such as @avax ($AVAX) could move away from newly issued tokens and toward network fees. In the Foundation's announcement, one study uses a model based on live Avalanche data to assess whether the fees L1s pay under ACP-77 could enable a transition to fee-based validator security. Other projects listed include a Stanford study of how application value, such as trading fees, accrues on Layer 1 blockchains, and an Oxford project examining the macroeconomics of decentralisation in proof-of-stake networks.
The issue matters for Avalanche's economics. The Foundation has said its research agenda includes examining how to sustainably incentivise validators to stake over the long term as the finite issuance budget declines.
Selection and Timeline
Ava Labs CEO @el33th4xor (Emin Gün Sirer) served on the selection committee. Other members were Matias A., the Foundation's Chief Investment Officer, and independent academics including Campbell Harvey of Duke University and Agostino Capponi of Columbia University. According to the Foundation, each member evaluated every submission on relevance, concreteness, novelty, method, actionability, feasibility and team strength.
The research is scheduled to continue over the coming year. The Foundation says the program is intended to generate findings that inform how Avalanche is developed and governed. Results have not been published, and some papers may take up to a year.
The Foundation launched the program in April 2026, presenting it as an invitation to the broader academic community. In a statement at the launch, Chief Investment Officer Matias A. described its central questions as how cryptoassets accumulate value and how validator incentives should be designed.
Sources
Avalanche: Call for Research Proposals; Introducing the Avalanche Foundation's Research Grantees
Avalanche: Call for Research Program Selection Committee
Avalanche: Up to $50,000 in Research Grants on Avalanche Network Economics
Avalanche: The Avalanche Foundation Unveils Its Economic Research Agenda
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