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Economic Disincentive

Definition

An economic disincentive is a financial penalty or cost designed to discourage certain actions or behaviors within a system. In blockchain protocols, these are often built into the consensus mechanism or smart contract logic to deter malicious activities or inefficient resource use. Examples include slashing conditions for validators in proof-of-stake systems or high transaction fees for network congestion. The goal is to align participant behavior with the system’s overall health and security.