How Is Validator Selection Randomized in PoS to Prevent Centralization?
Validator selection in Proof of Stake (PoS) systems is randomized to prevent centralization and manipulation. Various methods are used, such as Verifiable Random Functions (VRFs), which use cryptographic sortition to assign block proposal rights in a way that is unpredictable to outsiders but verifiable by anyone.
Other methods involve algorithms that weigh the validator's stake size along with other random seeds from the blockchain's state. This ensures that even the largest stakers cannot predict or control who will create the next block.
Glossar
Validator Selection
Criteria ⎊ : The selection process for validators in Proof-of-Stake systems must incorporate metrics beyond simple stake size or uptime statistics.
Cryptographic Sortition
Selection ⎊ Cryptographic Sortition refers to the mathematically verifiable process of randomly selecting a validator or a committee of validators from the total pool of staked participants.
Stake Centralization
Distribution ⎊ Stake Centralization describes the non-uniform allocation of locked assets across the validator set of a Proof-of-Stake blockchain, often measured by the concentration of staking power in the top few entities.
Block Proposal Rights
Initiation ⎊ Block Proposal Rights, within cryptocurrency governance, delineate the capacity of network participants to formally suggest modifications to the blockchain’s protocol or operational parameters.
Verifiable Random Functions
Functionality ⎊ Verifiable Random Functions (VRFs) represent a cryptographic commitment to a publicly verifiable random value, crucial for decentralized systems requiring unbiased selection processes.
Proof of Stake
Principle ⎊ Proof of Stake, or PoS, is a class of consensus mechanism where network participants, known as validators, secure the blockchain and validate new transactions by committing or "staking" a certain amount of the network's native cryptocurrency.