Researchers at the University of Arizona published a study called Block Propagation applied to the Nakamoto network. The authors of that research recommend a maximum increase in block size to 5 MB, with a capacity to use of 890 kB per block, to keep transaction commissions at 0.01 DASH per MB and to make mining profitable under the current Dash (DASH) blockchain. The study used a simulator initially intended for Bitcoin (BTC), Litecoin (LTC) and Dogecoin (DOGE).
This simulator was modified to assume larger blocks and be able to analyze the scalability of the Dash (DASH) network. Additionally, it was established that the systems should have a minimum of 6,000 nodes in each simulation. The study lasted long enough for a minimum of 700 blocks to be executed, the researchers said.
For the study, the authors assumed that miners extract blocks of similar sizes. The research effort focused on three block propagation protocols, namely, a traditional block propagation in which the block is fully transmitted, one in which a compact block propagation called Cor16 is made, and an extra thin block propagation called “xthin.”
Blocks with a used capacity of more than 890 kB would not be profitable for Dash (DASH) mining
“With traditional block propagation, we recommend that the code limit on block size should not be greater than 5 MB and that you should not expect a capacity throughput much greater than 890 kB per block. It should be noted that users who include a higher rate can make blocks over 890 kB profitable for mining,” said Dragan Boscovic, Nakul Chawla, and Darren Tapp, researchers at the Blockchain Laboratory at the University of Arizona.
To reach this conclusion, the researchers assumed that all transactions would be 0.01 Dash (DASH) per MB with a mining reward of 1.67 DASH.
Among other conclusions of the study, the researchers state that the maximum block sizes of Dash (DAS) could reach 6 MB and even 8 MB using the compact block propagation method. With the “xthin” block propagation method, blocks could reach a size of up to 10 MB. The authors suggest that the network could go beyond 10 MB.
