Orphaned Block Rate

Calculation

Orphaned Block Rate represents the proportion of valid blocks mined on a Proof-of-Work blockchain that are not incorporated into the main chain, effectively becoming discarded. This metric directly reflects network hashrate distribution and the potential for chain reorganizations, impacting consensus security. A higher rate suggests increased computational power competing on non-dominant chains or forks, potentially indicating network instability or deliberate attacks. Quantifying this rate provides insight into the efficiency of block propagation and the robustness of the longest chain rule.