GlossaryIntermediate
Mempool
The waiting area where broadcast transactions sit before being included in a block.
The mempool, short for "memory pool," is where a node temporarily holds transactions that have been broadcast to the network but not yet included in a confirmed block.
Miners or validators typically select transactions from the mempool to include in the next block, often prioritizing ones that pay a higher fee.
Examples
- During periods of high network demand, the mempool can become congested with many pending transactions.
- A transaction with a low fee may sit in the mempool longer before being confirmed.
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