Blockchain Trilemma

What is the Blockchain Trilemma?

A blockchain cannot simultaneously maximize decentralization, security, and scalability. Developers must prioritize two at the expense of the third.

The Three Properties

• Decentralization: Control spread across many nodes, no single point of failure.
• Security: Protection against attacks like 51% attacks.
• Scalability: Ability to process high transaction volumes quickly and cheaply.

Why It Matters

It drives the design choices behind every blockchain and explains why Layer 2 solutions like rollups exist - to help a secure, decentralized Layer 1 scale without compromise.

Examples

• Bitcoin: High security and decentralization, low scalability (~7 TPS).
• Solana: High scalability, but requires powerful hardware (less decentralized).
• Ethereum: Using a rollup-centric roadmap to solve the trilemma via Layer 2s.