Lawyers for FTX’s disgraced former boss, Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF), have reached an agreement with prosecutors allowing him to contact certain FTX employees. Besides certain restrictions, the 30-year-old may contact such parties through a host of new mediums. The New Rules Updated terms surrounding Bankman-Fried’s contact restrictions were sent to Lewis A. Kaplan – a judge for the Southern District of New York – in a letter on Monday. Bankman-Fried’s lawyers said the updated conditions were a response to the government…
What Are On-Chain Transactions?
On-chain transactions refer to transactions that are recorded on a blockchain network. In a blockchain network, transactions are grouped in blocks, and each block is linked to the previous block through cryptography. This creates a chain of blocks or a “blockchain.”
When a user initiates a transaction on a blockchain network, the transaction is broadcast to the network and validated by nodes. Once the transaction is validated, it is included in the next block to be added to the blockchain. This process is known as “mining” or “block production.”
On-chain transactions are considered more secure and transparent than off-chain transactions, as they are recorded on a public ledger that is accessible to anyone on the network. Additionally, on-chain transactions are typically processed and settled faster than off-chain transactions, as they do not need to be confirmed by a third party.
However, on-chain transactions are also more costly and slower than off-chain transactions due to the need to validate transactions and produce new blocks.
Benefits and Drawbacks of On-Chain Transactions
On-chain transactions have several benefits, including:
- Transparency: All transactions on a blockchain network are recorded on a public ledger, making them transparent and accessible to anyone on the network.
- Security: Transactions are recorded on the blockchain and secured through cryptography, making them difficult to tamper with or reverse.
- Decentralization: On-chain transactions do not rely on a central authority, making them resistant to censorship or interference.
- Immutability: Transactions recorded on the blockchain are permanent and cannot be altered, creating an auditable history of all activities.
- Faster settlement: Transactions are processed and settled faster than off-chain transactions, as they do not need to be confirmed by a third party.
However, on-chain transactions also have some drawbacks, including:
- Scalability: As the number of transactions on a blockchain network increases, it can become more difficult and expensive to validate and process.
- High fees: On-chain transactions typically require a fee to be paid to the miner for validating the transaction, which can be relatively high.
- Limited privacy: As all transactions are recorded on a public ledger, it can be possible to trace the movement of funds and identify the parties involved.
- Complexity: The technology behind blockchain can be complex and difficult for many people to understand.
- Energy consumption (PoW): Mining and validating transactions on a blockchain network consumes much energy, especially for PoW chains.