Minimal Trusted Base

Definition ∞ Minimal trusted base refers to the smallest possible set of components or entities that must be relied upon for a system’s security. In blockchain and decentralized systems, reducing the trusted base minimizes the number of potential points of failure or attack vectors. This principle aims to design systems where users need to trust as few external parties or complex codebases as possible. A smaller trusted base implies a higher degree of decentralization and censorship resistance, as fewer actors can collude or introduce vulnerabilities.
Context ∞ The concept of a minimal trusted base is a central tenet in discussions about blockchain architecture, rollup security, and decentralized application design. News and academic discourse often evaluate new protocols or scaling solutions based on how effectively they reduce the need for external trust. Achieving a truly minimal trusted base remains a significant design challenge and a continuous area of development in the pursuit of more secure and resilient digital asset systems.