Betweenness Centrality
Betweenness centrality measures the extent to which a node acts as a bridge or a connector along the shortest paths between other nodes in a network. In financial systems, a node with high betweenness is often a critical intermediary, such as a major exchange, a bridge, or a liquidity aggregator.
These nodes control the flow of information or capital between different segments of the market. High betweenness indicates a potential bottleneck; if this node fails or is blocked, the connectivity of the entire network could be severely disrupted.
This metric is essential for identifying critical infrastructure and potential points of failure. It helps analysts understand the dependency structure of the market and assess the impact of losing key intermediaries.
By identifying these "bridge" nodes, researchers can develop strategies to enhance network redundancy and reduce systemic risk. It is a key indicator of structural vulnerability in decentralized networks.