Blockchain security is considered to be among the key issues which digital currencies are facing these days. Unfortunately, few major cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin and Ethereum, have the high potential to become playgrounds against malicious hackers exploiting the network for their personal gain.
Nevertheless, securitizing the Blockchain can easily be achieved through numerous methods in which the original Proof of Work (PoW) system is the most common one. This system was introduced for Bitcoin in 2009.
Overview
Delegated Proof of Stake (DPoS) is a reliable security alternative utilized by digital currencies such as Cardano and EOS. It is also known as Consensus Algorithms.
A consensus algorithm is a central approach for all cryptocurrency transactions. A trust system is developed across the Blockchain through the network of consensus algorithms, and all the transactions are accurately cataloged.
Delegated Proof of Stake is an improved version of the Proof of Stake (PoS) system in which it allows the coin holders to vote on those who have mined new blocks. As a result, it rewards only superior miners who can simply amass the most coins or harness the computing power.
How does DPoS work?
All those Blockchains using Delegated Proof of Stake rely upon the reliable voting system to achieve consensus. Each user holding the DPoS blockchain's coins can vote over the nodes validating transactions on a network.
Voting power is generally based on how many coins are being staked by the user. Therefore, users staking more coins will have a greater influence on determining which nodes are elected. Elected nodes are also known by the name of delegates.
Every single DPoS-based network is hence based on its own set of voting systems. In short, each delegate candidate will make their proposal once they ask for the votes.
If elected, candidates can also promise to share the block rewards with the other users who have voted for them. These rewards are the coins that are earned for validating the transactions.
For every single Blockchain network, the total number of elected delegates also varies on a vast level. However, all the DPoS-based networks think that most elected delegates are reliable and honest even in the middle of this huge quantity.
The main goal of delegates is to secure the network in which they will never try to validate fraudulent transactions. If this situation remains true, the honest nodes will earn some block rewards, and dishonest nodes won't make any.
Voters have a financial incentive in which they elect the delegates working in the best interest of the whole network. Elections are generally held frequently. Therefore, delegates have the financial incentive in which they have to stay honest all the time.
Dishonest nodes can be voted out at any point, and they are replaced by honest nodes in the coming next election.
Some of the DPoS-based networks also use real-time reputation scores. With these scores, voters have displayed an honesty level between current and the previously-elected delegates.
Honest nodes are the ones who have higher reputation scores. Therefore, they have high chances of being elected as a delegate and can earn more rewards.
Which cryptocurrencies are using Proof of Stake?
All those networks using Proof of Stake are quite easy to look for among the cryptocurrency landscape. A few of the popular platforms that are using the Proof of Stake validation method are:
Ethereum 2.0
Cardano
Polkadot
Algorand
Nxt
Cosmos
ThorChain
Advantages
DPoS blockchains have excellent protection from double-spending.
It is extra democratic and financially inclusive because of the lesser staking amount required by node or user.
DPoS provides more decentralization because more people are taking part in the consensus because of the low entry threshold.
It does not require enough power to run a network. And therefore, this system turns out to be more sustainable.
All the transactions in the DPoS are not dependent on the computing power required for running a network. This element makes it more scalable.
The DPoS system is based on a foundation for implementing a few great governance models within Blockchain applications. In short, it even forms a sort of democracy.
Disadvantages
For an effective operation and decision-making of a network, delegators should stay updated, well-informed and appoint real and honest witnesses.
DPoSblockchain is very much susceptible to a few problems related to weighted voting. Users with a smaller stake can also refuse to vote once they see their vote to be an insignificant one.
Limitations of the Delegated Proof of Stake
The utilization of Delegated Proof of Stake has been quite commonly found by a wide range of prominent blockchain projects. This shows that this fantastic consensus mechanism has a wide range of benefits.
But apart from benefits, it has some prominent limitations too. Blockchain projects should consider the drawbacks and limitations before they implement Delegated Proof of Stake consensus mechanism. A few major limitations are discussed below:
1. Voting power concentration
DPoS generally removes the ability for the large stakes to directly influence the entire network. Instead, those users who stake maximum coins will have more voting power inside delegate elections. But some wealthy users also try to control the network indirectly.
In addition, stakers can also earn a huge percentage of block rewards. These block rewards are in the form of coins that the delegates have distributed among their voters.
2. Active Participation
To hold frequent delegate elections, users should be willing to stake coins actively and must be active to take part in the voting process. Plus, it even requires that most of the delegates elected for each voting round are the honest nodes.
Over the larger DPoS-based networks, security challenge is not a major issue because more funds are being staked, and maximum users are participating in elections.
For the smaller DPoS-based networks, it is expected that a rogue group of stakers can pool their resources and might vote for the dishonest nodes. Thus, dishonest nodes will always act in the network's best interest.
3. Censorship
Decentralized blockchains are meant to be censorship-resistant. This means that nodes should not be stopping the transactions from happening unless they are invalid.
DPoS-based networks are basically more centralized as compared to those networks which are PoS-based or PoW-based. This is because just a few nodes are responsible for the transaction validation within the DPoS network. Therefore, it gets easier for the nodes to block any valid transactions and sometimes freeze the accounts.
Proponents of the DPoS stated that this authority is just utilized for security reasons in complex circumstances. For example, this can be blocking those accounts which are based on stolen funds.
According to detractors of DPoS, fewer nodes might even result in a collision in which specific users are censored for no such justifiable reason.
Who are the delegates in delegated Proof of Stake?
Users participating in DPoS systems also cast their vote for the group of delegates who oversee blockchain governance. However, they are not playing any part in transaction control.
Delegates can even propose some changes based on block size. Once the delegate proposes certain changes, the user of Blockchain can vote whether to adopt it or not.
Block validators in delegated Proof of Stake
Block validators in the DPoS system are generally the full nodes that make sure that the blocks created by the witnesses follow the major consensus rules or not. Any user can run a block validator or can verify a network. No incentive is given on being a block validator.
What does DPoS mean for individual investors?
In this portion, we will discuss DPoS meaning for individual investors!
For individual investors, these all-proof stake cryptocurrencies offer a lower cost and are an efficient system for selling, buying, and trading currencies. Therefore, they are extremely useful for everyday transactions compared to the currencies dependent upon Proof of Work.
Furthermore, Proof of Stake also requires a lesser computational power as compared to Proof of Work. Therefore, it even reduces the environmental transaction impact towards that network. This can be a major factor that can impact the investors.
Users on specific chains of delegated Proof of Stake can also stake on smaller cryptocurrency amounts to earn huge rewards. These rewards can, later on, be used to create new blocks or transaction validations.
To acquire the cryptocurrency through the mining system, the Proof of Stake protocol offers a reprieve from the expensive mining, which is only basic computer equipment.
What are the important alternatives to Proof of Stake?
No doubt that Proof of Stake is considered to be a popular and efficient validation method. But this is not the only choice. There are varieties of other Blockchain validation types, which you can pick as a reliable alternative. Let's highlight a few below:
Proof of authority
Those Blockchains that use Proof of authority rely on the specific nodes known as authorities. They do this with specific permission for validating and creating new blocks.
Proof of burn
To take part in mining within the Proof of burn network, all the new participants must "burn." Then, as much currency an account will buy, the maximum chances will come into the way for validating the next block to earn some rewards. For example, Slimcoin coin generally uses the method of Proof of burn.
Proof of capacity
Through Proof of capacity, those nodes with the maximum hard drive space will validate the next block and earn some rewards. Signum currency utilizes the validation method of Proof of capacity.
What is Proof of Work?
Proof of Work basically works as an original security system for the cryptocurrency! This security system was introduced by a Bitcoin creator named Satoshi Nakamoto.
Digital currencies are always under a security threat that other physical assets such as stocks, cash, and gold don't have. If you buy any stock, you own a specific share of a publicly-traded company that is either cataloged or recorded.
Before digital brokerages, brokers used to send an actual certificate to the investors, who later verified their stock ownership claim. As a result, buying two shares twice is not possible.
With the decentralized digital currency, the concept of "double-spending" poses a major problem.
Finally, a Proof of Work system was introduced by Satoshi, whose main aim was to give Bitcoin its legitimacy. To avoid any sort of double-spending or fraud, all transactions of Blockchain are secured through digital cryptography.
Bitcoin miners also solve some complex mathematical equations through sophisticated computer technology. And in its return, they are rewarded with new coins.
Mining of new blocks will require the use of high-tech computers and must have certain expertise. Therefore, it is difficult to attack the Blockchain with wicked intent.
You need to have more power for mining Bitcoin because cryptocurrency has the maximum limit, yet rewards for actually mining decrease.
Doing more work for less pay is not significant to expect huge growth in the future. But Bitcoin does not have the high aspirations of the rest of the digital currencies like Ethereum.
Currently, Ethereum is associated with a Proof of Work system, but its long-term goal is to enter into the world of the Proof of Stake system.
What is Proof of Stake?
Most digital currencies are using a Proof of Work system just to secure their transactions. But the Proof of Stake coins is also available.
The first coin is the Peercoin, which did not reward the miners based on their ability to solve sophisticated and unique mathematical equations. Instead, the coin uses the system of Proof of Stake, in which miners are rewarded based on how many coins they have possessed for their portfolio.
Proof of Stake generally solves two major problems by using miners' capital as a form of collateral. First of all, the overall computing power which is required to mine is completely reduced. In addition, the transaction speed is also accelerated.
Proof of Stake coins can easily process maximum transactions per second compared to the coins using the Proof of Work system.
Similarities between PoS and PoW
Both Proof of Stake and Proof of Work act as the security system utilized to reach the consensus mechanisms. Cryptocurrencies are not issued by the central authority but protecting the digital assets from scams has always remained at the forefront of development.
The consensus mechanism gives out all the users of Blockchain an alert that a certain transaction is legitimate. This allows the user to create some new blocks.
Through Proof of Work and Proof of Stake, an issue of double-spending can be solved. Plus, it even prevents cryptocurrencies from being reused.
Both the systems even provide a major incentive to the miners in the form of rewards, including fee collections or the new coins.
Differences between PoS and PoW
Now let's discuss the major differences between PoS and PoW!
Proof of Stake and Proof of Work is responsible for securing the digital assets through cryptography. But certain differences make them both dissimilar from one another. All the cryptocurrency developers do not have the same ideals and goals, which you can see in the differences highlighted below
If we talk about Proof of Work, it is associated with computational power. New blocks are also created by solving certain one-time equations. These equations are the ones that are only handled by powerful computer systems.
One-time equations are a lot unique, and they do act as a time stamp on every transition for verifying the legitimacy. So miners are also rewarded with some new coins for their trouble.
But as regards, Proof of Stake is concerned; they generally assign the whole power to the currency holders. So for mining new blocks or to forge the new blocks as PoS proponents, it is important to hold some digital currency in your wallet or trading platform.
The more coins you will possess or stake, the greater chances you can get of forging new blocks and collecting more rewards. This is actually the transaction fee besides the new coins.
Proof of Stake systems will enable a faster transaction speed, but they have been criticized for sending maximum rewards to the richest miners.
Comparison table of PoS and PoW
POW | POS |
The concentration of power in the hands of major miners | The concentration of votes cast for the richest users |
Exposure of 51% attacks | Exposure of 51% attacks |
Anonymity and lack of common decision | Blockchain oligarchy |
Bottom line
To summarize the whole discussion, let's give you a quick recap of the entire debate!
Delegated Proof of Stake is basically an updated version of Proof of Stake in which people are allowed to vote for the block producers. If they are elected, they can only create the new blocks and append them to the Blockchain.
Within the DPoS network, there is always a limitation on the total number of block producers. Therefore, the one with the maximum votes is elected.
People can cast their vote for the block producers by using tokens. More tokens mean heavier votes. As a result, block producers vote on core protocol changes, which represent people's voices.
If any block producer acts maliciously, they will be voted out from the network and are replaced by a competent and honest delegate.
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