Hashrate Concentration
Hashrate Concentration measures the distribution of computational power among mining entities or geographical regions within a Proof of Work network. High concentration implies that a small number of entities control a significant portion of the network hashrate, which introduces systemic risk.
If a single entity or pool controls more than fifty percent of the hash power, they could potentially execute a double-spend attack or censor transactions. This phenomenon is a major concern in Systems Risk and Contagion, as it threatens the decentralization and immutability of the blockchain.
Market Microstructure studies this concentration to assess the vulnerability of the protocol to collusion. Effective decentralization relies on a wide distribution of hardware across diverse, independent operators.