From Competition to Centralization: The Oligopoly in Ethereum Block Building Auctions

Fuente: arXiv
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Hauptverfasser: Wu, Fei, Thiery, Thomas, Leonardos, Stefanos, Ventre, Carmine
Format: Preprint
Veröffentlicht: 2024
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author Wu, Fei
Thiery, Thomas
Leonardos, Stefanos
Ventre, Carmine
author_facet Wu, Fei
Thiery, Thomas
Leonardos, Stefanos
Ventre, Carmine
contents Block production on the Ethereum blockchain has adopted an auction-based mechanism known as Proposer--Builder Separation (PBS), where validators outsource block creation to builders competing in MEV--Boost auctions for Maximal Extractable Value (MEV) rewards. We employ empirical game-theoretic analysis based on simulations to examine how advantages in latency and MEV access shape builder strategic bidding and auction outcomes. We find that a small set of dominant builders leverage these advantages, consolidating power, reducing auction efficiency, and heightening centralization. Our results underscore the need for fair MEV distribution and sustained efforts to promote decentralization in Ethereum's block building market.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2412_18074
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle From Competition to Centralization: The Oligopoly in Ethereum Block Building Auctions
Wu, Fei
Thiery, Thomas
Leonardos, Stefanos
Ventre, Carmine
Computer Science and Game Theory
Block production on the Ethereum blockchain has adopted an auction-based mechanism known as Proposer--Builder Separation (PBS), where validators outsource block creation to builders competing in MEV--Boost auctions for Maximal Extractable Value (MEV) rewards. We employ empirical game-theoretic analysis based on simulations to examine how advantages in latency and MEV access shape builder strategic bidding and auction outcomes. We find that a small set of dominant builders leverage these advantages, consolidating power, reducing auction efficiency, and heightening centralization. Our results underscore the need for fair MEV distribution and sustained efforts to promote decentralization in Ethereum's block building market.
title From Competition to Centralization: The Oligopoly in Ethereum Block Building Auctions
topic Computer Science and Game Theory
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2412.18074