- Flowra launches an open auction for Solana blockspace and MEV.
- Early tests showed a 20.6% increase in compute units per block.
- Programmable policies give Solana validators more control over blocks.
Flowra has launched an Open Orderflow Auction (OOA), a new block-building framework for Solana designed to introduce greater competition into the network’s maximal extractable value (MEV) market and potentially increase validator revenue.
The Seoul-based blockchain infrastructure company said the system allows registered searchers to compete for transaction inclusion through a transparent auction instead of relying on closed orderflow channels.
Flowra said the approach could improve price discovery while allowing validators to capture more of the value generated by MEV.
Flowra opens Solana block building to competition
The Open Orderflow Auction is intended to create an open marketplace for Solana blockspace, allowing searchers to compete through bids for transaction inclusion.
Flowra’s approach is inspired by competitive block-building models that have emerged on Ethereum.
The company said open bidding on Ethereum has contributed to higher proposer revenue and believes Solana’s high throughput and low-latency architecture could support a similar model.
In early testing on a single validator, a Flowra-enabled setup increased compute units per block by 20.6%.
The validator moved from 84% of the network average to 101%, according to the company.
Flowra also reported higher block fees than comparable validator software, alongside 100% block production and 99.999% block engine uptime during the test.
The results are based on early testing rather than a broader network-wide deployment.
Programmable policies give validators more control
Alongside the auction system, Flowra is introducing Programmable Block Policy, which allows validators to establish their own transaction inclusion policies at the block-building layer.
The company said the feature is designed to provide validators with greater operational flexibility, including the ability to meet regulatory and institutional compliance requirements without modifying the underlying Solana protocol.
Flowra recently announced a collaboration with compliance infrastructure provider Honeypot to bring sanctions and risk screening to this layer.
According to Flowra CEO Harry Hwang, Solana’s technical performance has helped make it a leading blockchain network, but its MEV market remains concentrated.
“By opening block building to transparent competition, we’re creating a more efficient market for blockspace,” Hwang said. He added that the system would give validators greater control over block construction while providing verifiability and auditability.
The company’s architecture separates these block-building policies from changes to the underlying network protocol, according to the announcement.
Flowra targets institutional validators
Flowra is currently onboarding institutional-grade validators to its Open Orderflow Auction, with a broader rollout planned as participation in the Solana ecosystem expands.
The OOA is now available to validators and searchers participating in the Solana ecosystem, although the company did not provide details on the number of participants currently using the system.
Flowra describes itself as a blockchain infrastructure company focused on validator and orderflow solutions for Solana. Its products include validator infrastructure, delegation programs and MEV-related technologies.
The company said its broader objective is to improve transaction transparency, value distribution and incentive alignment among validators, users and builders.
The launch comes as Flowra seeks to apply a more market-based approach to Solana’s block-building process.
Its initial testing suggests potential improvements in block utilization and validator fees, while the Programmable Block Policy adds a mechanism for validators to customize transaction inclusion.
The broader impact of the system will depend on adoption among validators and searchers as Flowra expands its rollout across the Solana ecosystem.
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