Shardeum’s consensus mechanism is Proof of Quorum (PoQ) while its sybil deterrence mechanism is Proof of Stake (PoS). Read more about them in our whitepaper.
Proof of Quorum means to generate a receipt showing that a majority of the consensus group has voted for the transaction. Each node in the consensus group signs the transaction hash and gossips it to other nodes in the consensus group. Nodes collect these votes, and when the number of votes is more than 50%, these votes form a receipt that can prove consensus on the transaction. Note Shardeum will use both PoQ and PoS (Proof of Stake) consensus algorithms to keep the network safe, where validating nodes must stake a minimum of 2400 SHM to ensure they operate as per network protocols while getting evicted/penalized for misbehavior or non-compliance with network rules.
Further, the consensus algorithm also plays a key role in assigning a ‘node ID’ randomly to validator nodes before they join the network. On Shardeum, there will be a third set of nodes apart from validator and archive nodes, called ‘standby nodes’. These are nodes waiting for their turn to be validator nodes. Standby nodes use-case on Shardeum is not limited to just accommodating more capacity when the demand surges. With the help of node IDs, the network will constantly auto-rotate the validator and standby nodes to make it even more difficult for bad actors to take over at any given point in time.
Because of cycle rotation and a random but deterministic lottery to accept nodes into the network, an attacker would have to take over 51% of all nodes in the list waiting to join a network and the usual 51% of nodes that would be in a network. Nodes waiting to join a network are not part of the consensus. To ever have a majority of nodes in the network, an attacker would also need to have > 51% of nodes waiting to join for a sustained period. To illustrate, consider a scenario where there are 10,000 nodes in the network but 100,000 waiting to join. In this case, the attacker would need to maintain control of more than 50,000 nodes for an extended duration, as the network continually cycles its complete set of nodes in and out. Only after this sustained control, would over 5,000 of these nodes eventually become integrated into the network.
Moreover, Shardeum uses Proof of Stake (PoS) as sybil deterrence mechanism, to mitigate Sybil attacks and protect the network from misbehaving and faulty nodes. In order to participate in the network, a validator node will need to lock up some stake amount as a disincentive for malicious behavior or not providing the expected service. It is therefore why Shardeum will have solid and robust security.
Always start with this golden rule: Do Your Own Research (DYOR). It’s especially crucial in a space like Web3, which blends cutting-edge technology with elements of finance, economics, capital markets, and governance. Blockchain isn’t just about innovation—it’s about empowering individuals with true ownership of their assets and data, offering a decentralized alternative to traditional systems. At its core, it promotes transparency, permissionless access, and open-source infrastructure—all of which make informed decision-making essential
With this foundation in mind, you can start with setting up a self-custodial wallet and connecting to Shardeum network. This blog guides you through that process and highlights other key steps to help ensure a secure experience.
Shardeum is designed to ensure high fairness by processing transactions strictly in the order they are received by the network. The FCFS execution model eliminates the possibility of transaction reordering, front-running, or back-running—key components of MEV attacks seen in many other blockchains.
Unlike traditional blockchain networks where all transactions in a block are considered to occur simultaneously—allowing validators or bots to reorder them for profit—Shardeum performs consensus on each transaction individually. This transaction-level consensus gives precise time resolution and prevents malicious actors from manipulating the order for personal gain.
By enforcing fair transaction sequencing at the protocol level, Shardeum not only defends against MEV but also ensures a more secure, transparent, and user-friendly experience for all participants.
In addition to embedding security at the protocol level, Shardeum implemented several proactive measures to ensure a secure mainnet launch:
Three separate bug bounty programs were conducted, in partnership with Immunefi, engaging the global security community to identify and report vulnerabilities.
Independent third-party audits were carried out to uncover and fix potential issues.
Ongoing internal testing and simulations were used to stress-test network behavior under different attack scenarios and performance loads.
These combined efforts significantly reduced the risk of critical exploits, strengthened network reliability, and laid the foundation for a secure, resilient blockchain at launch.
