Block Finality Enforcement

Definition ∞ Block finality enforcement refers to the mechanisms that guarantee a block of transactions, once added to a blockchain, cannot be reversed or altered. This provides a strong assurance of transaction immutability and data integrity within the ledger. Different consensus protocols achieve finality through varying cryptographic and economic incentives, ensuring the irreversible settlement of operations. It is a critical attribute for trust in blockchain systems.
Context ∞ The concept of finality is a critical topic in blockchain scalability and interoperability discussions, particularly concerning cross-chain transactions. News reports frequently differentiate between probabilistic finality, as seen in some Proof-of-Work chains, and absolute finality, common in many Proof-of-Stake systems. Strong block finality is a highly desired attribute for financial applications requiring irreversible settlement guarantees.