What Is a “Searcher” in the MEV Ecosystem?

A "searcher" is an independent economic actor, typically a bot operator, who runs specialized algorithms to detect and exploit MEV opportunities on a blockchain. Searchers bundle these profitable transactions and submit them to validators/miners via a private relay, often through a "bundle" that specifies the transaction order and the tip (priority fee) to be paid.

They are the engine that finds and capitalizes on MEV.