Solana targets MEV with a new protocol design
Solana researchers have introduced Constellation, a proposed protocol architecture aimed at reducing Maximal Extractable Value (MEV) by limiting how much control validators have over transaction ordering. The design is intended to reduce opportunities for delaying, reordering, or front-running transactions within the network.
The proposal moves away from a single-leader block production model and instead adopts a system of multiple concurrent proposers (MCP). Under this approach, transaction submissions are distributed across several proposers rather than concentrated in one leader, with the goal of making transaction sequencing less vulnerable to manipulation by any single actor.
Attesters and timestamps are central to the model
In the Constellation framework, multiple proposers submit transaction batches at the same time. These submissions are then checked by attesters, who verify them and assign timestamps before final block assembly. This added layer is designed to make transaction processing more transparent and to constrain validator discretion over ordering.
The proposal also introduces fixed economic ticks, which are meant to create predictable intervals for transaction inclusion. By narrowing uncertainty around when and how transactions enter blocks, Solana aims to remove some of the conditions that allow MEV extraction to occur in the first place.
Fairness is the goal, but implementation remains a key question
More broadly, Constellation reflects Solana’s push to align blockchain infrastructure more closely with execution standards seen in traditional financial markets, especially around fairness and predictability. The proposal presents a structural answer to MEV rather than relying only on incentives or off-chain coordination.
Still, the outcome will depend on how well the system performs under real-world conditions. According to the source material, the design relies on synchronized clocks and additional coordination layers, which could make implementation more complex. As a result, Constellation may offer a promising framework for MEV mitigation, but its practical effectiveness has yet to be proven.