The Proof-of-Stake (PoS) consensus mechanism is responsible for the securing of a blockchain network and the verification of transactions without resorting to the high energy consumption of the Proof-of-Work method. PoS selects validators based on the amount of coins they “stake,” or lock up in the form of collateral; the stakes become the users’ computers instead of competing through solving complicated puzzles. The user who stakes the most has the highest probability of being the one to create the next block.
The validator when chosen carries out the transaction verification and appends a new block to the chain. In return, they are rewarded which is mostly in the form of the native cryptocurrency of the network. If a validator tries to trick or gives the go-ahead to fake transactions, a portion of their staked amount can be confiscated as a punishment known as “slashing.” This system rewards truthfulness and at the same time helps protect the network’s purity.
The PoS system has surfaced as the most acceptable method since it allows the blockchain to operate faster and consume less power than the Proof-of-Work method. The Merge, a major update of Ethereum, switched the network from PoW to PoS for this same reason.
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Among various PoS types like Delegated Proof-of-Stake (DPoS) the basic idea remains the same: the network is kept safe by users staking their coins, and the system pays them accordingly.