Blockchain Infrastructure

What is the blockchain trilemma?

The blockchain trilemma is the idea that a blockchain struggles to maximize decentralization, security, and scalability all at once, so improving one tends to pressure the others. It frames the core design trade-off engineers face. For example, a chain that processes more transactions per second often does so by relying on fewer or larger validators, which can reduce decentralization. The term, popularized in the Ethereum community, helps explain why networks make different choices: some prioritize broad node participation and security, while others optimize for speed and low fees.