What Is the Mempool and How Is It Exploited for Front-Running in Crypto?

The mempool (memory pool) is a waiting area for unconfirmed cryptocurrency transactions before they are included in a block. Front-runners monitor the mempool for large pending transactions.

They can then submit their own transaction with a higher gas fee to ensure it is processed immediately before the large transaction, allowing them to profit from the anticipated price movement. This is a common form of MEV exploitation.