Relay Trust Models

Relay trust models define the security and trust assumptions required for the interaction between block builders and validators. Because builders and validators are often separate entities, there must be a mechanism to ensure that builders do not cheat and that validators are compensated fairly.

Relays act as trusted intermediaries, verifying that blocks are valid and profitable before they are presented to validators. These models must be robust enough to withstand adversarial behavior while maintaining high performance.

As the MEV landscape evolves, the design of these trust models becomes increasingly critical. They are the backbone of the separated block building and validation architecture, ensuring the integrity of the entire system.

Research into trust-minimized and decentralized relays is ongoing to further strengthen these foundations.