Definition ∞ Three round finality refers to a property of certain distributed consensus protocols where a transaction or state change is irreversibly confirmed within three communication rounds among network participants. This rapid confirmation mechanism ensures that once a transaction is processed, it cannot be reversed or altered. It provides a strong guarantee of data permanence and transaction settlement. This attribute is highly valued in financial applications for its speed and certainty.
Context ∞ Protocols achieving three round finality are often highlighted in discussions about blockchain performance and transaction settlement speeds. News reports frequently compare different consensus mechanisms based on their finality properties, particularly for high-throughput decentralized finance applications. The pursuit of faster and more secure finality remains a significant area of research and development in distributed ledger technology.