Unlock Crypto with Clarity

Steve sees human history as driven by the desire for 'ownership,' leading to repeated division and politics — a pattern he believes applies to blockchain as well. He thinks Ethereum-centered rollups won’t dominate the market, and instead, multiple blockchains will compete. As a researcher, he's focusing on both rollups and independent Layer 1 projects, based on the hypothesis that Ethereum’s market share will fall to around 30%.

• B.A. in Economics, Penn State University

Assuming a reasonable level of decentralization, I believe there are three key elements required to unlock the full range of smart contract platform use cases. First, a highly scalable infrastructure capable of reliably handling a large volume of transactions. Second, a flexible technology stack that allows for rich on-chain logic by enabling versatile design of asset types and interactions. Third, an infrastructure supported by a robust user base and a vibrant ecosystem that can generate meaningful synergies. My work focuses on studying platforms that are pushing the boundaries in these areas, as well as the novel applications being built on top of them.

• M.S. in Management Engineering, KAIST
• B.S. in Industrial & Systems Engineering, KAIST

xpara believes in using app-specific blockchains to build web3 products tailored to their specific usage, without being limited to a specific blockchain environment. xpara also believes that interoperability between app-specific blockchains, general-purpose blockchains, and web2 infrastructure should be secure and seamless, preventing any confusion for users interacting with different blockchains and web2 products.

• B.S. in Computer Science, Hanyang University

Jinsol focuses on how blockchain technology can deliver real value in the physical world. With this in mind, Jinsol is deeply interested in 1) blockchain infrastructure capable of operating at a global scale and 2) the technologies built on top of it. These include stablecoins, RWAs, DePIN, and AI x Crypto that have the potential to reshape the world.

• Ph.D. in Chemical and Biological Engineering, Seoul National University
• B.S. in Chemical and Biological Engineering, Seoul National University

Jaewon believes crypto earns its place when blockchains power products people actually use and pay for. At Four Pillars he chases those proofs of adoption (whether in infrastructure, consumer apps, or DeFi) digging into protocol design, tokenomics, on‑chain activity, and business models to surface clear investment ideas. He writes thesis driven pieces that lay out drivers, risks, and upside in plain language, keeping the spotlight on lasting value.

• B.S in History and Business Administration, Yonsei University

Ingeun is a researcher at Four Pillars driven by the motto “Simple to Read, Deep to Master.” He makes complex blockchain and Web3 topics easy to grasp, with a focus on infrastructure, zero-knowledge proofs (ZKPs), and long-term trends. His work also explores the convergence of blockchain with AI and DAOs. More than just explaining technology, Ingeun aims to share practical insights and lasting perspectives shaped by years of active industry involvement.

• M.S in Computer Science and Engineering, Sogang University
• B.S in Computer Science and Engineering, Sogang University

Eren believes the most powerful use case for blockchain is as a “money lego engine open to everyone,” unlocking faster and broader capital connectivity than traditional finance. At its core, finance connects those who need capital with those who have it, optimizing allocation. Blockchain amplifies this function by removing intermediaries and increasing access. Eren sees the capital efficiency of modern finance as increasingly tied to the advancement of onchain finance and blockchain infrastructure, and he’s particularly focused on how DeFi, RWAs, and other onchain systems are building a composable, modular financial stack.

• B.A. in Art Theory, Korea National University of Arts

c4lvin is a researcher who contemplates ways to make technically deep projects more accessible to users. Web3 is adopting cutting-edge technology more proactively than any other field, which is causing a rapid increase in the technical difficulty of projects encountered by the general public. He believes that a researcher's role is to bridge this information gap and allow projects to focus on development without having to worry about narrative. Specifically, he has a deep interest in privacy solutions and infra projects, focusing on making these topics accessible and fun, assisted with his background knowledge as a security researcher.

• M.S. in Computer Science and Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University
• B.S. in Mathematics / Computer Science and Engineering , Sungkyunkwan University

Astin has a deep curiosity on technologies that make people’s life better. Blockchain is one of them and he hopes to make more examples, appearing even as a shadow under everyday life. His previous work experience comes from crypto companies like Hashed, Kaia Foundation(joint layer 1 backed by Kakao & LINE) and currently at Four Pillars that shine light on crypto scene with its research papers.

• B.A. in Economics, Yonsei University

As a designer, Kate possesses proficiency in illustration, 2D graphic design, 3D modeling, and she constantly drives to expand her studies within the design spectrum. As a member of Four Pillars, Kate is in charge of designing Four Pillars merch and visual graphics such as research cover pages.

• B.S. Visual Communication Design, Hongik University