What is proof of stake?
A consensus mechanism where validators lock up the network's own token as collateral and can lose it if they misbehave.
Instead of competing on computation, validators are selected to propose and attest to blocks in proportion to the stake they have committed. Dishonesty or prolonged unavailability is punished by slashing — losing part of that stake.
Why it matters: it uses a tiny fraction of proof of work’s energy, which is why Ethereum moved to it in 2022. The open criticism is that influence follows capital, and that staking through a few large providers can recentralise a network that looks decentralised on paper.
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