Berachain's Proposal for 200ms Transaction Preconfirmations to Enhance DeFi and Gaming
The Berachain community has introduced a new proposal aimed at reducing transaction inclusion times from two seconds to approximately 200 milliseconds. This move aligns with a growing trend among blockchain networks to provide near-instant transaction feedback.
The proposal, titled “BRIP-0007: Berachain Preconfirmations,” details an optional "fast lane" for users seeking speed without sacrificing security.
This mechanism allows transactions to appear confirmed in under a second, enhancing the responsiveness of decentralized finance (DeFi) swaps, onchain gaming interactions, and other latency-sensitive applications to levels comparable with traditional Web2 applications.
The preconfirmation layer will not alter the network’s existing consensus design. Instead, it introduces a sequencer that bundles transactions into small "partial blocks," providing wallets and decentralized applications (DApps) with near real-time feedback before the final settlement occurs through the traditional two-second block cycle.
Benefits of Preconfirmations for Berachain
The introduction of a lightweight sequencer temporarily validates and broadcasts partial transaction data, reducing perceived latency. This ensures users see their transactions included within 200 milliseconds, while full finality still occurs within the original two-second timeframe.
This enhancement would make decentralized exchanges (DEXs) and Web3 games feel faster, offering an experience indistinguishable from centralized systems. It allows developers to build applications where swaps, moves, or payments appear instant, even if the full settlement slightly lags.
The proposal also emphasizes safety and liveness. If the sequencer fails to synchronize, Berachain would revert to its default two-second block building cycle, maintaining network stability.
Preconfirmations in Other Blockchain Networks
The concept of preconfirmations is not unique to Berachain. It originated in Ethereum research, where developers explored providing “soft confirmations” before finalizing transactions onchain.
Ethereum layer-2 networks have been experimenting with similar features through shared sequencers and fast lane systems. In July, Base introduced Flashblocks to its mainnet, bringing preconfirmations to the forefront.
Recently, preconfirmations were implemented on the Ethereum mainnet through a new Remote Call Procedure (RPC) by Primev, enhancing the speed of transfers and smart contract interactions.