Anmerkungen:
Nach Informationen von SSRN wurde die ursprüngliche Fassung des Dokuments April 1, 2023 erstellt
Beschreibung:
Many new blockchain applications (e.g., layer-2 scaling solutions, proof-of-stake layer-1 chains, and cross-chain bridges, etc.) adopt an “optimistic” design, that is, the system proceeds as if all participants are well-behaving, presumably sustained by some “stake-and-slash” mechanisms. We formulate the logic of such optimistic systems within a simple game and characterize all equilibria. We point out that such protocols cannot be secure if all participants are rational. Therefore, to ensure security, protocol designers have to either impose a trust assumption regarding the presence of altruistic participants or look for alternative designs (e.g., zero-knowledge proof-based designs)