In this episode of Bell Curve, Anatoly Yakovenko and Max Resnick join the host to discuss multiple concurrent proposers in blockchain technology. Max introduces the concept of the "Proposer Monopoly," where a single proposer has the power to include and order transactions, potentially leading to censorship and rent-seeking. Anatoly shares his motivation from a "decentralized NASDAQ" perspective, aiming to replicate state globally and eliminate unfair advantages in traditional markets. They explore the benefits of geographic decentralization, where nodes are located near information sources, and discuss implementation details, including finality gadgets, ordering policies, and gas limits. The conversation also covers the trade-offs between efficiency and censorship resistance, the challenges of splitting resources between concurrent proposers, and the likelihood of implementing multiple concurrent proposers in Ethereum and Solana. The episode concludes with a discussion on whether Ethereum and Solana are converging on design and the competitive threats each chain faces.
