Flashbots, a blockchain infrastructure company, introduced BuilderNet on November 26, a decentralized network aimed at reshaping how blocks are constructed on Ethereum
The initiative seeks to combat censorship and reduce one of the network’s major bottlenecks by offering collaboration among multiple entities in block creation.
BuilderNet was designed to encourage cooperative block-building, offering an alternative where two dominant entities—Beaverbuild and Titan Builder—recently handled 88% of Ethereum’s blocks.
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Flashbots addresses this issue by dispersing the block-building process across a broader network. The firm believes this strategy minimizes opportunities for censorship and rent-seeking behavior.
Data presented by MEV Watch indicates that, over the past five months, nearly 45% of Ethereum blocks have implemented censorship to comply with US sanctions from the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). However, one consequence of this slower block addition is the increased risk of revenue extraction attacks, such as sandwich attacks.
BuilderNet’s “multi-operator” system mitigates this by involving various contributors in a secure, Trusted Execution Environment (TEE). This setup ensures all participants, including protocols and users, can validate transactions.
The initial version of BuilderNet is already live on Ethereum’s mainnet, according to Flashbots’ product manager Shea Ketsdever in a post on X.
The first release of BuilderNet is live on L1 today. It will also be available as a drop-in solution for decentralized sequencing on L2s through Rollup-Boost later on.
Currently, BuilderNet is operated by Flashbots, Nethermind, and Beaverbuild. Upcoming updates aim to further decentralize the network by making it more permissionless, enhancing decentralization and anti-censorship support.
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