Fair Transaction Inclusion

Definition ∞ Fair transaction inclusion describes the principle that transactions submitted to a blockchain network should be processed and added to blocks without undue favoritism or manipulation. This concept advocates for an equitable ordering of transactions, typically based on objective criteria like transaction fees or submission time. It aims to prevent practices such as frontrunning or censorship, where certain participants gain an unfair advantage in transaction sequencing. Ensuring fairness contributes to the integrity and reliability of decentralized systems.
Context ∞ Discussions around fair transaction inclusion are prominent in news related to maximal extractable value (MEV) and decentralized exchange (DEX) operations. The challenge lies in mitigating the economic incentives for block producers to prioritize profitable transactions over others. Key debates involve designing mechanisms, such as proposer-builder separation, that separate transaction ordering from block construction to promote a more level playing field. Achieving truly fair inclusion remains an active area of research and protocol development in blockchain technology.