Definition ∞ Honest mining incentives are the economic rewards and protocol rules designed to encourage participants in a proof-of-work blockchain to act in the network’s best interest. These incentives typically include block rewards and transaction fees, which are only granted for valid block additions. They align miner self-interest with the overall security and integrity of the chain. The system aims to make honest behavior more profitable than malicious actions.
Context ∞ The efficacy of honest mining incentives is a critical aspect of blockchain security and stability. Ongoing analysis assesses whether current reward structures sufficiently deter adversarial behavior, particularly as mining difficulty and transaction fee dynamics change. Ensuring these incentives remain robust is essential for preventing attacks and maintaining network trustworthiness.