Hybrid Consensus
Also known as: Dual Consensus, PoW-PoS Hybrid, Consensus Fusion
A blockchain consensus mechanism that combines features of multiple models like Proof of Work and Proof of Stake.
Hybrid consensus is a blockchain design that integrates two or more consensus mechanisms to enhance security, scalability, or decentralization. A common hybrid model combines Proof of Work (PoW) for block production with Proof of Stake (PoS) for finality or validation. This setup benefits from PoW’s sybil resistance and PoS’s energy efficiency and governance capabilities. Blockchains like Decred and Kadena utilize hybrid consensus to balance miner and stakeholder incentives. These systems aim to mitigate weaknesses found in single-model consensus while adding complexity to protocol design and implementation.