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Stake Slashing Impossibility

Definition

Stake slashing impossibility refers to a design characteristic in certain Proof-of-Stake protocols where, under specific conditions, a validator’s staked assets cannot be penalized or “slashed” for malicious or incorrect behavior. This design choice might be made to prioritize liveness over safety, or it could indicate a protocol where slashing mechanisms are either absent or limited in scope. Such a system would rely on alternative deterrents or security assumptions. It represents a different approach to economic security.