Blockchain Infrastructure

What is MEV (Maximal Extractable Value) in crypto?

MEV, or Maximal Extractable Value, is the extra profit a block producer can capture by choosing the order, inclusion, or exclusion of transactions within a block. Because validators decide transaction sequencing, they can reorder pending trades to their advantage. A common example is front-running: a bot spots a large pending swap on a decentralized exchange and places its own order ahead to profit from the resulting price move. MEV affects fairness and effective execution costs for ordinary users, and it has driven research into fairer ordering and dedicated MEV-mitigation infrastructure.