Nansen brings validator muscle to Caldera in modular blockchain shakeup

Nansen built tools to track blockchain activity. Now, it’s helping secure one. By validating Caldera’s Metalayer, the analytics leader is putting its reputation and rewards on the line for a more connected modular future.

According to a press release shared with crypto.news on July 10, Nansen will operate as a validator on Caldera’s Metalayer, an interoperability solution designed to stitch together fragmented blockchains.

The move marks a strategic pivot for the analytics giant, known for dissecting on-chain data rather than participating directly in network security. By validating transactions on Metalayer, Nansen aims to reinforce decentralization while funneling staking rewards back into ecosystem development, including grants for builders and improved data accessibility, the company said.

A new kind of validator is stepping into the stack

Nansen’s shift from observer to operator marks a subtle but significant evolution in the modular blockchain narrative. While analytics firms typically sit on the sidelines, monitoring networks rather than securing them, Nansen is betting that the next phase of blockchain evolution requires deeper integration.

By running a validator node themselves, Nansen isn’t just observing Metalayer’s growth, it’s helping shape it. At the same time, the company plans to pipe those crucial real-time insights straight back to developers. It’s a give-and-take that might just rewrite the rules for how data firms interact with modular networks.”.

The partnership also addresses one of the most persistent pain points in the rollup boom: fragmentation. As teams spin up custom chains to optimize for speed or cost, liquidity and user activity often get siloed across incompatible environments.

Metalayer’s interoperability framework aims to bridge these gaps, and Nansen’s validator role ensures that these connections remain transparent.

For Caldera, the collaboration is a validation of its approach to modular design. CEO Matt Katz emphasized that Nansen’s participation isn’t just about adding another node to the network; it’s about aligning infrastructure with intelligence.

The long-term implications could extend beyond these two players. If Nansen’s model proves successful, other analytics providers may follow suit, turning validators into more than just transaction processors. They could become active participants in the data economy they were built to observe.

Meanwhile, developers working on Caldera-powered rollups gain a rare advantage: a network where infrastructure performance and user behavior are visible in the same dashboard.