Principle 5 of 10
Deterministic Finality
A confirmed transaction must be irrevocable — mathematically, not probabilistically.
Bitcoin's six-confirmation convention is an engineering heuristic, not a guarantee. A sufficiently motivated and well-funded attacker can always attempt a reorganisation. BFT consensus protocols provide deterministic finality within a single round — once committed, no reorganisation is possible.
Scoring Rubric
| Score | Criteria |
|---|---|
| 7–10 | Deterministic BFT finality within 2 seconds; mathematically proven safety under f < n/3 Byzantine assumption. |
| 4–6 | Finality within 60 seconds with economic slashing as reorg deterrent. |
| 0–3 | Probabilistic finality only; no economic or cryptographic reorg protection. |
Data Sources
- Measured finality times from chain data
- Consensus protocol specification review