Recently, I’ve been seeing people in the group chat talk about bundles and block builders, and it feels like a lot of people want to figure it out but think the barrier is high. In fact, I think retail users don’t really need to know the details. Knowing one thing is enough: the transaction you send doesn’t go directly into a block—it first arrives at the mempool, where the builder selects it. They can decide who goes first and who goes later, and they can even sandwich you. So don’t just stare at how much gas you set—occasionally checking whether your transaction got front-run is also important.

During that period when the funding rates were at their most extreme, the community was arguing fiercely. Some said it would reverse, while others shouted to keep squeezing the bubble. As for me, I think at times like this, doing less is stronger than anything else—wait until the emotions cool down, then decide.

Anyway, that’s where I’m at for now. I’m going to sketch out a rough diagram and map out the relationship between block builders, bundles, and retail users. Once I’m done, I’ll share it.