Blockchain Architecture Tradeoffs

Scalability

Designing a distributed ledger requires managing the tension between transaction throughput and network decentralization. Increasing block size or gas limits improves settlement speed but often centralizes validation to entities with superior hardware, effectively raising the barrier to entry for smaller nodes. Quantitative traders monitoring crypto derivatives must account for these bottlenecks, as network congestion directly impacts the ability to update collateral positions or exercise options before expiration.