Overview
Flashblocks bring sub-second transaction confirmations to OP Stack rollups, now available through Gelato RaaS.Instead of waiting for full blocks (e.g. 2s on Optimism or 12s on Ethereum), Flashblocks deliver execution preconfirmations in ~200ms by streaming lightweight partial blocks.
Why Flashblocks?
- Near-instant confirmations: Users see transaction receipts in milliseconds.
- No EVM-equivalence trade-offs: Expensive operations like state root generation are deferred to full blocks.
- Efficient scaling: Amortizes computation while supporting higher gas throughput.
- Better UX: Feels like Web2 responsiveness, critical for DeFi, gaming, and real-time apps.
How It Works
- Transactions are executed in ephemeral partial blocks every 200ms.
- Heavy computation (state roots, consensus) happens only once per full block.
- RPC nodes can serve flashblock state directly, enabling wallets and dApps to reflect balances or swaps instantly.
Open Source Infrastructure
Flashblocks are powered by Flashbots contributions:- op-rbuilder – Rust-based block builder separating execution from state commitment.
- Rollup-Boost – TEE-based, verifiable block building framework.
- Flashblocks WebSocket Proxy – Streams flashblocks securely to RPC nodes (contributed by Base).
Benefits
- Real-time DeFi with more capital-efficient markets.
- Ultra-low latency for trading, payments, and gaming.
- Compatible today with OP Stack rollups via Gelato RaaS.