Fully Decentralized Consensus

Definition ∞ Fully decentralized consensus describes a state in a distributed network where agreement on the validity of transactions and the order of blocks is achieved without any central authority or privileged group. Every participating node holds an equal opportunity to contribute to the consensus process, making the system highly resistant to censorship and single points of failure. This mechanism is a foundational principle for many public blockchain networks. It promotes network security and integrity.
Context ∞ Fully decentralized consensus is a core tenet frequently discussed in crypto news, especially concerning the security and integrity of various blockchain protocols. Debates often address the trade-offs between decentralization and scalability, as achieving high transaction throughput while maintaining full decentralization remains a technical challenge. Concerns about potential centralization of mining pools or staking power also feature prominently in discussions about maintaining this ideal.