Why Is Fast Execution Critical for Profitable Arbitrage in DeFi?

Fast execution is critical because arbitrage opportunities in DeFi, which are often caused by temporary price deviations, are quickly spotted and exploited by competing bots. The first bot to have its transaction confirmed by a validator will capture the profit.

This competition leads to a "gas war," where bots bid up transaction fees to incentivize validators to prioritize their transactions. The speed of execution, often measured in milliseconds, is the difference between profit and a failed, costly transaction.

How Does the “First-In, First-out” (FIFO) Method Apply to Crypto Taxation?
What Is the Difference between “Gas” and “Gas Limit” in Transaction Fees?
How Does Gas Cost Impact the Profitability Threshold for an Arbitrage Trade?
How Do Flash Loans Create Unique Arbitrage Opportunities in Decentralized Finance (DeFi)?
How Does the “Gas Price” Differ from the “Gas Limit” in Ethereum?
How Do Flashbots Aim to Mitigate the Negative Externalities of MEV?
How Does Transaction Latency Affect the Profitability of High-Frequency Spot-Futures Arbitrage?
What Is the Concept of “Gas Limit” and How Does It Differ from Gas Price?

Glossar