New mump2p Protocol Cuts Ethereum Propagation Variance
The protocol, now live on mainnet, aims to boost validator performance for 22,000 participants using network coding.
Updated on Oct. 21, 2026 in Data Centers
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Optimum has launched its mump2p data propagation protocol on the Ethereum mainnet. The protocol, which is now live, is currently utilized by 16 node operators and 22,000 validators managing 1.4 million ETH in active stake.
Why it matters
The protocol aims to improve network performance by reducing block propagation variance, which directly impacts the frequency of missed attestations and maximum extractable value (MEV) rewards for validators. This infrastructure layer improvement addresses consistency issues inherent in high-throughput blockchain participation.
The mump2p protocol demonstrates a 7.88x reduction in propagation variance compared to baseline performance, supporting a total value of $3.4 billion. It enables this optimization without requiring modifications to the underlying consensus or execution layers.
The players
Optimum
A developer of blockchain infrastructure protocols focused on high-throughput data propagation and network efficiency.
Ether.fi
A liquid restaking platform with $6 billion in assets under management that requires its node operators to use mump2p.
The details
The protocol propagates data using Random Linear Network Coding (RLNC), a method where information is broken into fragments, coded, and distributed across nodes simultaneously to increase throughput efficiency. By integrating RLNC, node operators can achieve faster block propagation times and lower variance in latency. The implementation is designed to be permissionless for node operators, allowing for integration without altering the established Ethereum consensus or execution layers.
Timeline
October 20, 2026: Optimum launched the mump2p protocol on the Ethereum mainnet.
The Tech Race
mump2p competes with standard block propagation mechanisms by introducing Random Linear Network Coding to the Ethereum stack. This development places Optimum alongside infrastructure providers like Blockdaemon, which secures $110 billion in assets, in the race to minimize network-level latency.
Node operators managing validator keys can now implement the permissionless mump2p protocol to potentially increase MEV rewards. The protocol is currently accessible for immediate use by operators running Ethereum infrastructure.
The takeaway
The move toward specialized propagation protocols marks a shift in focus from basic node operation to optimizing micro-latency at the data layer. Observers should track the rollout of this technology to other blockchains as Optimum targets high-throughput ecosystems beyond Ethereum.
Further reading
For broader context on how infrastructure optimization shifts network efficiency, see our Data Centers section.
More information
Access the node operator onboarding and startup portal for technical documentation.
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