Ethereum does not break if finality is lost once in a while, experts confirm.
- Vitalik Buterin says temporary finality loss doesn’t hurt Ethereum.
- Experts compare Ethereum’s behavior to Bitcoin’s during such times.
- Some networks like Polygon may delay transfers while waiting for finality.
What Happened with Ethereum
Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin shared that it’s okay if the Ethereum network loses “finality” briefly. This happened recently due to a bug in the Prysm client. Finality is when the network confirms that a block of transactions will not change. Buterin explained that Ethereum keeps working, even if finality is delayed.
Expert Opinion from the University of Oxford
Fabrizio Romano Genovese, a blockchain expert from Oxford, agreed with Buterin. He compared Ethereum to Bitcoin, saying Bitcoin has never had true finality and still functions fine. In Bitcoin, blocks are not 100% confirmed but become harder to change over time. Ethereum aims for more certain finality but can survive without it for a short time.
How Ethereum Finality Works
In Ethereum, finality happens when more than 66% of validators accept a block. After two cycles, that block becomes final. If finality is delayed, blocks can still be added, but they are less certain for some time. Genovese said this makes Ethereum act more like Bitcoin — where finality is based on probability.
Impact on Polygon and Other Networks
Some systems connected to Ethereum, like sidechains and layer-2 bridges, rely on finality to work properly. Polygon, an Ethereum sidechain, said that during finality delays, transfers from Ethereum might be slower. But the system remains safe. Delays happen because these systems wait for finality before confirming a transfer.
Who Should Handle the Risk?
Genovese noted that developers building bridges or apps should include backup plans. If they don’t, it’s their choice, but the Ethereum network itself remains secure. Users might wait longer for some actions, but there’s little risk of losing funds or transactions being reversed.
Source: cointelegraph.com
