Proof of Authority
Proof of Authority is a consensus mechanism that relies on the reputation of a set of pre-approved validators rather than computational power or financial stake. In this model, identity is the primary requirement, and validators are typically known, vetted entities who have a vested interest in maintaining the integrity of the network.
Because the number of validators is small and their identities are public, the network can achieve extremely fast transaction processing and low latency. This mechanism is ideal for private or permissioned blockchains where the participants are known and trust is not entirely decentralized.
It offers a balance between performance and the need for a verifiable, immutable ledger. It is less decentralized than other models but highly efficient for specific enterprise use cases.