Transaction Interception
Transaction interception is the act of observing or manipulating a transaction before it is finalized on the blockchain. In the context of decentralized finance, this is often done by front-running bots that monitor the mempool for profitable trades or liquidations.
By paying a higher gas fee, these bots can get their transactions processed before the original user's transaction. This can lead to slippage and lost profits for users.
Interception is a significant concern in market microstructure and order flow. It represents a form of competitive game theory where participants vie for priority.
Protecting against interception requires using private transaction relays or other advanced techniques. It is a key challenge for any protocol that relies on transparent public ledgers.
Understanding how transactions are intercepted is essential for building fair and efficient markets. It is a central topic in the study of decentralized market mechanics.
Every transaction is visible to the entire network.