Nic Lin

Work Experiences

Senior Protocol Engineer, imToken Labs
imToken / Tokenlon | Nov. 2020 – Present

  • Designed and shipped Account Abstraction (AA) smart contracts for imToken, introducing modular architecture, custom recovery mechanisms and novel validation centric design
  • Led integration of Order Flow Auctions across multiple chains, increasing MEV protection for DEX users and generating new revenue streams
  • Researched and implemented MEV prevention and mitigation strategies
  • Conducted security evaluations of rollups like OP Stack, Arbitrum, StarkNet, and ZKsync; identified safety gaps in force inclusion mechanisms

Protocol Researcher (Independent / Grants)
Ethereum Support Program & Independent Projects | 2020 – Present

  • Built a Force Inclusion SDK to help users bypass censorship on L2s; delivered grant-supported research and implementation for the Ethereum ecosystem
  • Developed an anonymous reputation system using zero-knowledge proofs to support Sybil-resistant identities
  • Published 30+ technical articles explaining complex Ethereum mechanics, from ERC-4337 to bridging and MEV
  • Presented research and engineering talks at events including Devcon, ETHTaipei, COSCUP, and various community meetups

Blockchain Engineer
Ethereum Foundation | Jul. 2017 – Jan. 2020

  • Contributed to early Eth 2.0 designs and specifications
  • Implemented the concept of ERC-2938 (Native Account Abstraction) through prototyping and technical exploration, contributing to its feasibility and design refinement
  • Participated in protocol discussions and community R&D efforts

Featured Writings

I enjoy writing and sharing technical details of new designs and ideas in the Ethereum ecosystem. You can check out the full list on Medium.

  • Validation Centric Design for AA wallet
  • EIP-4844 Proto-Danksharding part 1 and part 2
  • Data Availability Sampling series part 1, part 2, part 3
  • Series on MEV, MEV protection and MEV-aware design: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

“Validation Centric Design: agile and safe development for devs, an interchangeable AA wallet for users”, ETHTaipei 2025
Presented our novel design of the imToken Account Abstraction (AA) wallet, emphasizing its validation-centric architecture that ensures both developer agility and user security. (Slide & Recording)

“Supercharging EOA with EIP-7702, imToken Internal sharing 2024
Led an in-depth session on EIP-7702, detailing its potential to enhance Externally Owned Accounts (EOAs) and the specific benefits it offers to imToken users. (Slide)

“What is OFA and why should you care”, ETHTaipei 2024
Introduced the concept of Order Flow Auctions (OFA) to wallet and DApp developers, explaining its mechanisms and the advantages it brings to both users and developers. (Slide & Recording)

“ERC-4337 Account Abstraction workshops”, DappLearning Online Workshop 2023
Conducted a comprehensive workshop on the ERC-4337 workflow, highlighting common pitfalls and providing detailed examples of building an ERC-4337 account. (Slide & Recording)

Projects

Force Inclusion SDK
Ethereum Support Program Grant | 2024

ZK-Based Anonymous Reputation System
Ethereum Support Program Grant | 2020