Miner Censorship Resistance

Definition ∞ Miner censorship resistance refers to the capacity of blockchain miners to resist external pressures or incentives that would compel them to exclude specific transactions from the blocks they produce. This property is fundamental to maintaining the neutrality, openness, and integrity of a public blockchain network. It ensures that all valid transactions have an equal opportunity for inclusion. This resistance upholds the decentralized nature of the system.
Context ∞ Discussions around miner censorship resistance are frequently present in cryptocurrency news, especially concerning regulatory actions or economic incentives that could lead to transaction filtering. The concept is closely related to debates surrounding Maximal Extractable Value (MEV) and transaction ordering, where powerful miners might prioritize certain transactions over others. Preserving this resistance is crucial for the long-term fairness and security of decentralized ledgers.