7 Tips for Selecting TheBlockchainBrief as Your Web3 Strategy Newsletter

Short description: If you’re evaluating TheBlockchainBrief for executive decision-making, use these seven expert tips to verify editorial quality, regulatory depth, data rigor, security coverage, and deliverability—complete with concrete benchmarks, sources, and a 30‑day scoring framework.

Why this matters now

Between U.S. policy shifts (new SEC leadership and a formal stablecoin law), Ethereum’s Pectra upgrade, L2 consolidation around the OP Stack, the rise of restaking, and the surge in tokenized Treasuries, the Web3 signal-to-noise ratio has never been more volatile. Your leadership team needs a newsletter that correctly anticipates impact, cites primary sources, and ties technical developments to business decisions—not recycled headlines. (sec.gov)

Below are seven tips we use at 7Block Labs to determine whether TheBlockchainBrief (or any Web3 newsletter) is fit for strategy work at startups and enterprises.

Tip 1: Confirm you’re looking at the right “TheBlockchainBrief” (brand hygiene and cadence)

There are at least two similarly named properties:

A current site with a casual tone (“Matej and the team”), generalist crypto explainers, and mixed topical focus. It publishes blog-style posts and has “About/Contact” pages, but offers little transparency on cadence or editorial policy. (theblockchainbrief.com)
An older “The Blockchain Brief” (2018) with a weekly newsletter subscription artifact and a different editorial team (Game Theory Group; Boris Revsin, Julian Jung). This looks historical and may not reflect a current cadence or team. (theblockchainbrief.million.studio)

What to do this week:

Ask for a current masthead and an explicit cadence (e.g., “Tuesdays 7:00 a.m. ET, weekly”). Require an archive link that shows a consistent schedule over the last 8–12 issues.
Request two full, recent samples and an editorial style guide (sources policy, corrections policy, labeling for sponsored content).
Sanity‑check recency by spot‑verifying three claims in the latest issue against primary sources (SEC, EF blog, reputable trade press).

Red flags to watch:

Inconsistent author identities, dated evergreen posts filed as “Latest,” or SEO‑stuffed pages with off-topic links. These patterns suggest aggregation over original analysis and will not meet executive needs. (theblockchainbrief.com)

Tip 2: Require primary-source, data‑first coverage of the big 5 themes driving Web3 roadmaps

Any strategy newsletter you choose should consistently link to primary or authoritative sources across at least these five themes—and explain the implications in enterprise language:

Ethereum core roadmap: The Pectra mainnet upgrade activated May 7, 2025, introducing account enhancements and validator changes; expect downstream wallet/process updates. A capable newsletter should link to EF’s announcement and explain what your teams must test. (blog.ethereum.org)
L2 consolidation dynamics: The OP Stack “Superchain” is capturing a majority of L2 transactions; Base leads by activity and sequencer revenue in 2025 per Messari. Strategic implications include vendor selection, fee modeling, and interop timelines. (messari.io)
Restaking and shared security: EigenLayer’s rapid TVL growth (milestones crossing $10B → $15B in 2025) and AVS activation change security and yield assumptions for apps and infra buyers. Your newsletter should quantify TVL, name key AVSs, and discuss operator economics/risks. (theblock.co)
Tokenized RWAs (Treasuries onchain): The newsletter should track RWA market dashboards and landmark funds (e.g., BlackRock BUIDL crossing $1B AUM) and explain settlement/collateral workflows your treasury and risk teams must consider. (theblock.co)
U.S. policy and market structure: You need precise guidance on the GENIUS Act (federal stablecoin law) and the SEC’s policy pivot under new leadership—plus ETF mechanics (e.g., in‑kind creations for BTC/ETH). A qualified briefing cites original SEC/CRS/White House sources. (congress.gov)

Give TheBlockchainBrief a test:

Pick the latest issue and check if it cites the EF Pectra post for technical claims, Messari/OP Stack for L2 metrics, The Block/Blockworks for EigenLayer updates, and RWA.xyz or reputable outlets for tokenization. Score 0–2 points per theme: 0 = missing, 1 = referenced but shallow, 2 = actionable with primary links.

Target: 8/10+ across the five themes before you roll it up to execs.

Tip 3: Demand regulatory clarity that translates to concrete to‑dos (GENIUS Act, SEC posture, ETFs)

In 2025, U.S. crypto policy materially changed:

Stablecoins: The GENIUS Act (signed July 18, 2025) mandates 100% liquid reserve backing, monthly reserve disclosures, and tailored prudential oversight for permitted issuers; CRS and the statute text are the anchors your newsletter should link whenever discussing stablecoins. (reuters.com)
SEC leadership shift: Paul S. Atkins was sworn in as SEC Chair on April 21, 2025; early 2025 actions included dropping major enforcement cases (e.g., Coinbase) and establishing a Crypto Task Force to move toward rulemaking over litigation. Your newsletter should distinguish policy from politics and cite formal SEC releases. (sec.gov)
ETFs: Operational mechanics matter for capital markets teams—note the SEC’s approval of in‑kind creations/redemptions for spot BTC/ETH ETFs and Ether ETF options approval, which affect arbitrage, spreads, and hedging. (coindesk.com)

Practical example:

Ask TheBlockchainBrief to produce a one‑page “GENIUS Act impact” brief for your CFO: issuer eligibility checklist, reserve asset policy, disclosure cadence, and banking/treasury workflows. Verify they reference CRS and the enrolled text, not secondary summaries. (congress.gov)

Tip 4: Insist on security intelligence your CISO can use on Monday

The right newsletter must go beyond headlines and translate threats into mitigations:

2025 mid‑year thefts already eclipsed all of 2024, driven by the $1.5B Bybit mega‑hack attributed to DPRK; attacks on individuals (wallet compromises, physical coercion) are rising. Your briefing should quantify magnitude, name the actor class, and prescribe controls (signing policies, travel SOPs, HW wallet opsec). (chainalysis.com)
Use Chainalysis baselines: track stolen funds YoY, the shift from BTC to stablecoins in illicit flows, and emerging wallet‑takeover patterns. A credible newsletter links to Chainalysis’ reports and reputable coverage. (chainalysis.com)

Practical example:

Request that TheBlockchainBrief include a weekly “Security Signal” box with: top exploit of the week, root cause, affected chains, IOCs, contract addresses, and two mitigations. Score their output against Chainalysis data to validate accuracy. (chainalysis.com)

Tip 5: Verify enterprise‑grade email ops and deliverability (or you won’t read it)

If you’re putting a newsletter into exec workflows, inbox placement matters. Benchmarks and requirements:

Open/click benchmarks (2025): Median newsletter open rates across publishers hover ~49%; median click rate ~7.5% (not CTR-to-open). Use these as sanity checks for performance if TheBlockchainBrief shares metrics. (glueletter.com)
Gmail/Yahoo 2024 bulk‑sender requirements: SPF, DKIM, DMARC (≥ p=none), one‑click unsubscribe (RFC 8058), and complaint rates under ~0.3%. Ask TheBlockchainBrief to confirm domain authentication and complaint rates, and to show their List‑Unsubscribe headers. (support.google.com)
BIMI: Gmail added support for Common Mark Certificates (CMC) in 2024; if TheBlockchainBrief uses BIMI/VMC, you’ll see a verified check on web and mobile for VMC—useful for exec trust and phishing resistance. (workspaceupdates.googleblog.com)

Practical test:

Create a 10‑address seed list (Gmail, Yahoo, Outlook, corporate). Monitor placement with Postmaster Tools and seed tests for four consecutive issues. If spam rates spike (>0.3%) or the sender can’t evidence DMARC alignment, do not put it in executive distribution. (support.google.com)

Tip 6: Look for commercial independence and clean sourcing (no hidden shills)

Decision‑makers need clear conflict disclosures and clean ad experiences. Examine:

Labeling of sponsored placements and affiliate links; look for casino/CFD ads or generic “get rich” promos—these are misaligned with enterprise readers.
Outbound “authority” links: do they cite EF, SEC, Messari, The Block/Blockworks, RWA.xyz—versus unvetted blogs? For example, a best‑in‑class issue explaining restaking should cite sources like The Block/Blockworks for EigenLayer milestones and link to protocol docs, not social posts. (theblock.co)
Newsletter alternatives show how it should look: The Block’s portfolio of targeted newsletters (Data & Insights, Funding, L1/L2 focus) is a useful comparator for framing and source curation. Use it as a quality yardstick. (theblock.co)

Pass/Fail:

Ask TheBlockchainBrief for a written conflicts policy and sponsor labeling rules. If unavailable, treat as a procurement risk.

Tip 7: Run a 30‑day scoring sprint before you commit (our rubric)

Here’s a compact framework we deploy with clients. Use it to test TheBlockchainBrief in real workflows before recommending it to leadership.

Source quality (0–10)

At least 70% of claims link to primary/authoritative sources (EF blog, SEC releases, official docs, reputable trade press). Deduct for unlinked claims about regulation or protocol milestones. Expect to see: Pectra activation from EF, Superchain metrics from Messari, EigenLayer TVL from The Block/Blockworks, GENIUS Act from CRS/statute, ETF mechanics from SEC/major coverage. (blog.ethereum.org)

Executive relevance (0–10)

Each issue should map at least one headline to a business decision: e.g., “GENIUS Act: payments acceptance policy” (CFO), “Pectra: wallet/test plan” (CTO), “RWAs: treasury collateral options” (Treasury). Require a TL;DR box with owner and due date. (congress.gov)

Security depth (0–10)

One practical mitigation per major exploit story; link to forensics and IOCs. Use Chainalysis metrics to contextualize risk. (chainalysis.com)

Market structure literacy (0–10)

Policy moves tied to market mechanics: SEC posture under Atkins, ETF in‑kind processes, exchange/clearing impacts. (sec.gov)

Technical accuracy (0–10)

Ethereum roadmap and AA specifics explained correctly: EIP‑7702 vs ERC‑4337 compatibility; what Pectra actually shipped. Bonus for noting trends in gas‑sponsored UserOps and smart account adoption with real numbers. (theblock.co)

Inbox reliability (0–10)

Four‑week seed tests: inbox placement ≥ 95% to business domains, complaint rate < 0.3%, RFC 8058 one‑click unsubscribe present, DMARC aligned. (support.google.com)

Set pass threshold at 42/60. Anything below that—keep TheBlockchainBrief for casual reads, but don’t rely on it for executive decisions.

What “great” issues look like in 2025 (concrete examples you can ask for)

Ethereum Pectra deep dive, 500 words:
- What changed, what breaks, and who owns the internal test plan. Link EF blog, ethereum.org, and list affected tooling (bundlers, paymasters, validator ops). (blog.ethereum.org)
Restaking explainer with metrics:
- State EigenLayer TVL, newest AVSs, operator stake minimums (e.g., EigenDA adjustments), plus governance/centralization tradeoffs. Tie to your procurement of DA providers. (theblock.co)
OP Superchain update:
- Note share of L2 activity, Base’s role, sequencer revenue, and upcoming interop/mempool changes that might alter fee economics. (messari.io)
RWAs for treasury:
- Contrast tokenized Treasuries (BUIDL) vs. stablecoins; show outstanding AUM and onboarding requirements (KYC via Securitize) and where tokens live (Ethereum). Include RWA.xyz snapshots. (theblock.co)
Policy digest:
- GENIUS Act compliance checklist and SEC rulemaking calendar, with links to CRS, SEC releases, and White House fact sheet. (congress.gov)
Security corner:
- Summarize the Bybit incident with amounts, actor attribution, and two mitigations (MPC policies; travel opsec). (chainalysis.com)

Cite first‑party whenever possible:
- EF, SEC, CRS/LoC, protocol docs, and reputable analytics (Messari, RWA.xyz, Chainalysis). No substitutes. (blog.ethereum.org)
Use quantified thresholds:
- Example: “Use GlueLetter medians as a health check—if your executive list sees <35% opens and <5% click rate, the issue didn’t land; iterate subject line and lead.” (glueletter.com)
Treat email authentication as table stakes:
- SPF/DKIM/DMARC, RFC 8058 one‑click unsubscribe, and keep complaints under 0.3%. Ask for BIMI/VMC or CMC where feasible to reduce phishing risk. (support.google.com)
Show your math on hot topics:
- For account abstraction, reference measured UserOps, paymaster spend trends, and smart account counts—don’t hand‑wave. (panewslab.com)

A realistic 2‑week pilot plan

Day 1–2: Obtain two recent TheBlockchainBrief issues and the editorial policy. Configure seed list tests (Gmail/Yahoo/corporate). (support.google.com)
Day 3–5: Fact‑check five claims per issue against primary sources (Pectra; Superchain; EigenLayer; RWA; SEC/GENIUS). Score using the 60‑point rubric. (blog.ethereum.org)
Day 6–10: Run an exec pilot—forward to CFO/CTO/Product with a one‑slide TL;DR (owner + due date). Collect feedback on clarity and actionability.
Day 11–14: Review seed test metrics (placement, complaints, unsubscribe headers), and decide whether to:
- Adopt as primary strategy newsletter,
- Keep as secondary input to your internal weekly brief, or
- Decline and consider an alternative.

Bottom line

TheBlockchainBrief can play a valuable role if it proves current, cites primary sources, meets deliverability standards, and consistently translates complex onchain and policy changes into business actions. Use the seven tips above—and the scoring framework—to validate it before you rely on it for executive decision‑making.

If you want help running the 30‑day evaluation, 7Block Labs can:

Audit newsletter sourcing and deliverability,
Stand up an internal “exec‑ready” weekly brief that cross‑checks TheBlockchainBrief against EF/SEC/analytics sources, and
Wire alerts for Pectra follow‑ups, OP‑Stack interop changes, restaking risk, and GENIUS Act compliance milestones.

When the stakes include regulation, treasury, and security, “good enough” isn’t good enough—insist on verifiable, enterprise‑grade signal.