Instant Finality

Definition ∞ Instant finality refers to the characteristic of a blockchain system where transactions, once processed and added to a block, are immediately and irreversibly confirmed. There is no risk of these transactions being reversed or altered later due to network reorganizations. This property provides immediate assurance of settlement.
Context ∞ News reports often highlight instant finality as a key advantage for certain blockchain protocols, particularly in use cases requiring rapid and secure settlement, such as payments or high-frequency trading. The debate around instant finality versus probabilistic finality (like in Bitcoin or Ethereum proof-of-work) concerns security versus decentralization. Achieving true instant finality without compromising network security remains a significant technical goal for many projects.