MEV Relays: Dumb Pipes or Something More? with Alex Nathan

Relays are fundamental participants in the current MEV extraction framework, they are responsible for relaying blocks from the block building marketplace to the proposers. However, this role requires more than simply being a dumb pipe facilitating the separation of proposers from builders; their performance and configuration can impact both proposer rewards and network censorship. In this talk, I will provide an in-depth exploration of the operational performance of MEV Relays, including their role and responsibilities in the MEV supply chain. I will also review examples of how different operational performance metrics (such as missed bids, relay latency, and registrations) can affect validator rewards. Lastly, I will discuss the transaction censoring performed by relays in response to OFAC regulations. While in-protocol PBS may eventually eliminate Relays from the MEV supply chain, the on-going impact of their operation should not be ignored. Alex Nathan Infrastructure + Scalability Stage