Question 1

What is MEV, and how does it affect regular Ethereum users?

Accepted Answer

MEV Ethereum refers to the profit extracted by Ethereum block builders through controlling transaction order inside an Ethereum block. It appears that strategies like sandwich attacks and front-running often give users worse execution prices on swaps.

Question 2

Is Proposer Builder Separation already live on Ethereum?

Accepted Answer

A version exists through MEV-Boost, but it runs off-chain with no protocol oversight. Vitalik's ePBS proposal would bring it directly into Ethereum's consensus rules.

Question 3

What is FOCIL, and how would it prevent censorship?

Accepted Answer

FOCIL requires builders to include transactions flagged by a validator committee. If a builder ignores those transactions, the network could reject that Ethereum block.

Question 4

When will ePBS or FOCIL go live on the Ethereum mainnet?

Accepted Answer

Both are still in the research phase with no confirmed upgrade timeline. Mainnet implementation is likely still a few years away.

Who Controls Ethereum Blocks and Why Vitalik Wants to Change It