The field of blockchain research is moving towards a deeper understanding of decentralization and its impact on the security and resilience of blockchain ecosystems. Recent studies have highlighted the importance of considering the geographic distribution of validators and the effects of protocol design on decentralization. The rise of Decentralized Finance (DeFi) has also introduced new challenges, such as the risk of money laundering and the need for effective countermeasures. Researchers are exploring new metrics, such as Voting-Bloc Entropy, to measure decentralization in Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs). Additionally, there is a growing interest in developing secure and private transaction protocols, such as those using Secure Elements and Zero-Knowledge Proofs. Noteworthy papers in this area include 'Designing Ethereum's Geographical (De)Centralization Beyond the Atlantic', which explores the impact of protocol design on validator geography, and 'The Dark Art of Financial Disguise in Web3', which outlines a taxonomy of money laundering schemes in Web3. 'Voting-Bloc Entropy: A New Metric for DAO Decentralization' proposes a new framework for measuring DAO decentralization, while 'Balancing Compliance and Privacy in Offline CBDC Transactions Using a Secure Element-based System' introduces a prototype for offline digital currency payments that leverages Secure Elements and digital credentials.