<p>Shorter block times hurt decentralization</p>
<ul>
<li>because they hurt smaller mining pools</li>
<li>because smaller mining pools depend on orphaning rate more</li>
<li>because orphaning rate depends on the number of competing blocks in unit time</li>
<li>
<ul>
<li>since network connection quality becomes more important with higher orphaning rate</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>
<ul>
<li>and of competing blocks, the larger miner with better connection is more likely to win</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>because the number of competing blocks in unit time depends on the number of blocks in unit time</li>
</ul>
<p>Bitcoin has 6 blocks per hour. Doge has 60. Doge would have more competing blocks. In the end, larger miners are more likely to unfairly (i.e. not proportional to hashrate) win with the competing block. Hence longer block times means fairer block reward distribution to pools.</p>
<p>Unfair: Larger pools get larger more easily, smaller pools can't achieve their fair potential and would lose some % of their blocks hence their rewards and might not be able to compete.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-03-04T20:12:57.357Z
2021-03-04T20:12:57.357Z
MCCCS
<p>For example, dogecoin has 1 minute blocktimes and they seem to be doing fine for the past 5 years. What are some issues they might run into with 1 minute blocktimes and increased adoption? What other downsides does something like dogecoin have vs bitcoin, in relation to a shortened blocktime?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-03-04T20:54:45.583Z
Note: I don't think this should be closed as off-topic. It mentions altcoins, but the question/answer is entirely relevant to *why* bitcoin doesn't implement shorter blocktimes.
chytrik
<dogecoin><block-interval><block-propagation-time>
What are some pitfalls of having 1 minute blocktimes? What vulnerabilities would this introduce?
Patoshi パトシ
# What are some pitfalls of having 1 minute blocktimes? What vulnerabilities would this introduce?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2021-03-04)

For example, dogecoin has 1 minute blocktimes and they seem to be doing fine for the past 5 years. What are some issues they might run into with 1 minute blocktimes and increased adoption? What other downsides does something like dogecoin have vs bitcoin, in relation to a shortened blocktime?

**Tags:** dogecoin, block-interval, block-propagation-time

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Note: I don't think this should be closed as off-topic. It mentions altcoins, but the question/answer is entirely relevant to *why* bitcoin doesn't implement shorter blocktimes.  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2021-03-04. Score: 3

Shorter block times hurt decentralization

* because they hurt smaller mining pools
* because smaller mining pools depend on orphaning rate more
* because orphaning rate depends on the number of competing blocks in unit time
* + since network connection quality becomes more important with higher orphaning rate
* + and of competing blocks, the larger miner with better connection is more likely to win
* because the number of competing blocks in unit time depends on the number of blocks in unit time

Bitcoin has 6 blocks per hour. Doge has 60. Doge would have more competing blocks. In the end, larger miners are more likely to unfairly (i.e. not proportional to hashrate) win with the competing block. Hence longer block times means fairer block reward distribution to pools.

Unfair: Larger pools get larger more easily, smaller pools can't achieve their fair potential and would lose some % of their blocks hence their rewards and might not be able to compete.


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