Economic Security Model
An economic security model defines the incentives and penalties that ensure a blockchain remains secure against adversarial behavior. It relies on the cost of corruption, which is the amount of capital an attacker would need to control to successfully compromise the network.
By requiring participants to lock significant value as collateral, the protocol ensures that an attack would result in substantial financial loss for the attacker. The model must be robust enough to withstand varying market conditions, including high volatility and low liquidity.
It is the foundation of trust in permissionless systems, as it replaces centralized authority with cryptographic and economic guarantees. A well-designed model aligns the interests of all participants, making the cost of honesty lower than the cost of malice.