Aptos rolls out Encrypted Mempool to curb frontrunning, sandwich attacks
Reported by Cointelegraph · AI-assisted summary by ChikoCorp AI News Desk
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Summary
Layer-1 blockchain Aptos has introduced an optional Encrypted Mempool feature on its mainnet aimed at protecting traders from maximal extractable value (MEV) attacks such as frontrunning and sandwich attacks. The feature encrypts transaction details until block ordering is finalized, preventing bots from exploiting visible pending transactions. Aptos developed the feature for institutions, traders, AI agents, and builders seeking to reduce MEV risks.
Why it matters
This development matters because it helps shield users from costly MEV attacks that can result in significant financial losses, such as the $60 million in sandwich attack costs reported on Ethereum and $29.7 million on Solana. By hiding transaction details until ordering is finalized, the feature reduces the ability of bots to front-run or sandwich trades, potentially improving fairness and market integrity for users.
Key context
MEV attacks exploit visibility of pending transaction details in the mempool to insert or reorder trades profitably. Aptos’ Encrypted Mempool works by encrypting transaction contents on the user's device and keeping them hidden from validators until a joint decryption step after order finalization. This approach contrasts with solutions on other chains like Gnosis Chain and Ethereum, where separate committees or trusted builders perform decryption or private routing. The system imposes some additional gas costs and a minor delay in block processing.
Key numbers and entities
Aptos (layer-1 blockchain) launched the Encrypted Mempool feature. Sandwich attacks cost Ethereum traders about $60 million over 12 months through October 2025 and generated $29.7 million for bots on Solana over an 11-month period. Gnosis Chain and Ethereum also have MEV protection measures; Aptos distinguishes itself by having existing validators handle both ordering and decryption. The new feature adds approximately 20 milliseconds delay per block at 50 nodes and requires twice the network’s base minimum gas price for encrypted transactions.
What remains unclear
The source does not specify how many users or applications currently use the Encrypted Mempool feature or how extensively it will be adopted across the Aptos ecosystem. It is also unclear how the increased gas costs and slight latency impact general network performance or user experience at scale. Finally, there is no detailed explanation of how robust the encryption method is against potential validator collusion or other novel attack vectors.