BNB Chain has successfully activated the Bohr hard fork on the BSC testnet, marking a significant milestone in enhancing the blockchain’s efficiency and scalability. The mainnet upgrade is scheduled for September 26, although the date is subject to change, according to the BNB Chain Blog.

Bohr Hard Fork Details

The Bohr hard fork incorporates four Binance Chain Evolution Proposals (BEPs):

• BEP 341: Enables validators to produce consecutive blocks.
• BEP 402: Completes missing fields in the block header to generate signatures.
• BEP 404: Clears miner history when switching validator sets.
• BEP 410: Adds an agent for validators.

BEP 341, which allows validators to produce consecutive blocks, is considered the most critical upgrade. This change is expected to significantly improve block production capacity and meet the growing demands of the ecosystem.

A Closer Look At BEP 341

BEP 341 introduces a method for validators to produce consecutive blocks, transitioning from the current single-slot system. This upgrade aims to enhance block production efficiency and address the ecosystem’s increasing demands.

BEP 341 has two essential elements:

• Number of consecutive blocks (n): Defines the number of successive blocks a validator can produce within a single epoch.
• AntiMEV Ratio: Adjusts the transaction fee split to the SystemRewardContract to counteract potential MEV abuse. The transaction fee split increases linearly with the validator’s consecutive block priority and is capped by the systemRewardAntiMEVRatio, initially set to zero. Any changes require governance approval.

Governance Process for Adjusting Consecutive Block Production in BEP 341

While BEP 341 is part of the Bohr hard fork, its initial implementation does not immediately alter the current setting of consecutive block production. An on-chain governance process will take place after the Bohr hard fork, estimated for October 2024. BNB holders and stakers will vote to decide on the change, making this setting governable by the community.

Benefits Of BEP 341

The implementation of BEP 341 with the Bohr hard fork offers several benefits, including increased efficiency, greater decentralization, and fair revenue distribution.

• Improved Efficiency: Enabling consecutive block production can enhance BSC’s block production efficiency, throughput, and ability to meet the ecosystem’s growing demands.
• Fair Revenue Distribution: BEP 341 ensures that validator and delegator revenue is evenly distributed as block production efficiency improves. The AntiMEV mechanism prevents high-performance validators from gaining an undue advantage, promoting fairness on the network.

In Closing

The Bohr hard fork is a crucial upgrade for BNB Chain, improving efficiency by allowing validators to produce consecutive blocks. This change meets growing ecosystem demands while maintaining fairness through measures like the AntiMEV Ratio. As it approaches deployment on the mainnet, Bohr is set to enhance the chain’s scalability and security, ensuring it remains robust and decentralized.

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