ARK Glassnode Report Maps Decentralization Spectrum for Bitcoin Ethereum Solana

A new joint research report from ARK Invest and Glassnode presents a detailed framework for evaluating the decentralization of major blockchain networks, concluding that Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana each occupy distinct positions on a spectrum defined by deliberate design tradeoffs. Released on September 1, 2026, the study titled "The Decentralization Spectrum: Design Tradeoffs in Digital Assets" moves beyond treating decentralization as a binary concept, instead analyzing the networks across six measurable dimensions to provide a data-driven comparison. The report’s central finding is that no single blockchain outperforms the others across all measures of decentralization. Bitcoin leads in overall decentralization, excelling in auditability, ownership distribution, and geographic resilience. Ethereum occupies a middle ground, balancing decentralization with programmability through its proof-of-stake model. Solana, designed for high throughput and efficiency, prioritizes performance and coordination speed over distributed control.