Transaction Finality Consensus
Transaction finality consensus refers to the point at which a transaction on a blockchain is considered irreversible and cannot be modified or deleted. Different blockchains use different mechanisms to reach finality, ranging from probabilistic finality (where security increases over time) to deterministic finality (where a block is finalized immediately upon inclusion).
For cross-chain bridges, understanding the specific finality model of each connected chain is vital; if a bridge processes a transaction before it is finalized, it risks being exposed to chain reorganizations and double-spend attacks. Bridge protocols must be designed to wait for sufficient confirmation depth or use specific finality gadgets to ensure that only finalized events trigger cross-chain actions, thereby protecting the integrity of the bridge liquidity.