Dominant Strategy
A dominant strategy is a course of action that provides a higher payoff for a participant regardless of what other players do. In the context of financial markets, finding a dominant strategy is the holy grail for traders, as it guarantees the best possible outcome without needing to predict competitor behavior.
However, true dominant strategies are rare in efficient markets, as competition usually forces strategies to converge. In blockchain protocols, a dominant strategy might involve always choosing the most profitable path, such as prioritizing the highest-fee transactions.
If a protocol has a clear dominant strategy that harms the network, it indicates a design flaw that must be addressed through mechanism changes. Identifying these strategies allows analysts to determine the predictable path of market evolution and protocol adoption.