MIT’s Médard Says Decentralization May Boost Efficiency After Optimum’s Faster Block Propagation Tests on Ethereum

• Optimum’s mumP2P achieved ~150ms block spread vs. Gossipsub’s baseline.

• Faster propagation can reduce arbitrage windows and narrow price gaps on-chain.

• Research links decentralization efficiency to systems that avoid single points of control, per Muriel Médard and related academic work.

Decentralization efficiency: Optimum mumP2P cuts Ethereum block spread to ~150ms, lowering latency and fees — read implications and how to test. (COINOTAG)

What is decentralization efficiency in blockchain systems?

Decentralization efficiency is the idea that distributing control and data responsibilities across many nodes improves system scalability and resilience. Optimum’s mumP2P tests show that decentralized data propagation can sharply reduce block spread and latency, improving transaction finality and market responsiveness.

How did Optimum test mumP2P on Ethereum Hoodi testnet?

Optimum deployed mumP2P on Ethereum’s Hoodi testnet and measured block spread times. The system propagated blocks in approximately 150 milliseconds, around 6.5× faster than Ethereum’s Gossipsub baseline for validator data sharing. Tests focused on throughput, latency, and propagation fairness.

Why does decentralization efficiency matter for Ethereum and other blockchains?

Decentralization efficiency matters because central control often fails to scale: as networks grow, single points of control create bottlenecks. Distributed data handling—what Optimum calls a memory layer—allows quicker, parallel propagation and reduces reliance on centralized relays.

What results did mumP2P produce and what do they mean?

In controlled Hoodi testnet trials, mumP2P spread blocks in ~150ms. That measured improvement implies:

• Lower latency: faster block visibility for validators and nodes.

• Reduced arbitrage windows: markets react faster to new information.

• Potential fee benefits: quicker confirmations can indirectly reduce user costs over time.

How does mumP2P differ from Gossipsub?

mumP2P is built on mathematical principles of distributed memory and reliable communication developed by Muriel Médard and colleagues. Unlike Gossipsub’s gossip‑based dissemination, mumP2P focuses on structured, efficient memory-layer propagation that optimizes for latency and redundancy without central coordination.

How can developers test mumP2P on a testnet?

Developers can reproduce Optimum’s experiments by running node software configured for mumP2P on an Ethereum testnet like Hoodi, instrumenting propagation timing, and comparing metrics against a Gossipsub baseline.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does decentralization efficiency mean faster transactions?

Faster data propagation through decentralized memory layers reduces confirmation latency and can speed up transaction visibility, but end-to-end transaction finality still depends on consensus protocols and layer interactions.

Will mumP2P remove all blockchain bottlenecks?

No. mumP2P addresses propagation latency, a major bottleneck, but other constraints—consensus throughput, state processing, and economic models—also affect overall performance.

Who validated the research and tests?

Findings and quotes come from Muriel Médard (Optimum co‑founder), Kanny Lee (SecondSwap founder), and academic commentary from Virgilio Rivas; experimental data reported by Optimum on Hoodi.

Key Takeaways

• Decentralization efficiency: Distributing control and memory can improve scalability and resiliency.
• Performance gain: Optimum’s mumP2P showed ~150ms block spread—about 6.5× faster than Gossipsub on Hoodi.
• Next steps for developers: Reproduce tests on testnets, measure propagation and market simulations to assess real-world impact.

Conclusion

Optimum’s mumP2P tests reinforce that decentralization efficiency is more than ideology—it can be engineered into networks to reduce latency and improve on‑chain markets. Continued testing on testnets like Hoodi and broader experiments will clarify how these gains translate to production networks. For developers and protocol teams, prioritizing efficient propagation is now a measurable optimization path.

Published by COINOTAG — 2025-10-07. Updated 2025-10-07.