Transaction Blocking

Definition ∞ Transaction blocking refers to the act of preventing a legitimate transaction from being included in a blockchain block, often through malicious means or network congestion. This can occur if a miner or validator intentionally censors transactions, or if high fees from other transactions push lower-fee transactions out of the mempool. It can disrupt the flow of value and undermine the censorship resistance of a decentralized network. Such actions can be a significant concern for network integrity.
Context ∞ Transaction blocking is a contentious issue discussed in crypto news, particularly concerning network neutrality and censorship resistance. Concerns arise in contexts of miner extractable value (MEV) or when network participants attempt to manipulate transaction ordering for personal gain. Ensuring fair and equitable transaction inclusion is a constant challenge for blockchain protocols.