Should mev-boost have a default mainnet relay?

[come-maiz]

When we just run mev-boost, should it connect to a default trusted relay?

Or should the validators always pass in an argument the URL and public key of the relay they want to connect to?

[come-maiz]

For a discussion on ways to manually configure relay options, see #186.

[isidorosp]

If you want to make this as neutral as possible then it should probably not have a default relay. However this obviously introduces a UX concern/hurdle, but I'm not sure it's that high.

[allboxes]

If the only candidate default relays are required to blacklist/censor (https://github.com/flashbots/rpc-endpoint/pull/92), then I think a small UX hurdle is feature here.

Flashbots' stated goal is to reduce the erosion of "neutrality, transparency, decentralization, and permissionlessness."

A default relay with permissioned transactions works directly again 3 of those goals.

MEV-Boost, by itself, creates a alternative pathway for validators to extract MEV if they so desire, in theory guiding them away from large centralized pools. Without a default relay, validators motivated to extract MEV are forced to actively choose a relay and can evaluate it's merits in a decentralized way.

MEV-Boost must either not have a default relay, or the default must be neutral and permissionless towards transactions.

If Flashbots is unable to run a relay that meets these requirements, I hope they will stand by their stated goals and not force their relay on MEV-Boost users and on the Ethereum ecosystem.

[pappas999]

MEV-Boost must either not have a default relay, or the default must be neutral and permissionless towards transactions.

If Flashbots is unable to run a relay that meets these requirements, I hope they will stand by their stated goals and not force their relay on MEV-Boost users and on the Ethereum ecosystem.

this 100%!

[metachris]

We've decided against having a default relay. Closing now.