Consensus Parameters
Post-Crescendo Parameters
These are Kaspa’s consensus parameters as of the Crescendo hardfork (May 5, 2025).
| Parameter | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Block rate | 10 BPS | 10 blocks per second |
| Target block time | 100 ms | Average time between blocks |
| k (GHOSTDAG) | 124 | Cluster size for consensus |
| Finality depth | 432,000 blocks | ~12 hours |
| Pruning depth | ~627,000 blocks | ~30 hours |
| Max parent blocks | 16 | Maximum number of parent references per block |
| Merge set size | 248 | Maximum blocks in a merge set |
| Max block size | 125 KB | Maximum block body size |
| Confirmation time | ~1 second | Time to first confirmation |
What These Parameters Mean
Block rate and target time — Kaspa produces 10 blocks every second, with each block targeting a 100-millisecond interval. This is orders of magnitude faster than Bitcoin (~10 minutes) or Ethereum (~12 seconds).
k parameter — This defines how GHOSTDAG identifies well-connected blocks. A k of 124 accommodates the parallelism inherent in 10 BPS while maintaining security. A higher k means more blocks can be produced simultaneously without being misidentified as adversarial.
Finality — After 432,000 blocks (~12 hours), transactions are considered final and irreversible. This is a deep-confirmation guarantee, though practical security is achieved much sooner.
Pruning — Block bodies older than ~627,000 blocks (~30 hours) are pruned from full nodes to manage storage. UTXO state and block headers are retained. Light clients can verify the chain via FlyClient SPV proofs.
Parent blocks — Each block can reference up to 16 parent blocks, which is how the DAG maintains its structure. More parents mean better connectivity and faster convergence.
Merge set — The merge set is the group of blocks that a new block “merges” when it’s added to the DAG. The limit of 248 keeps processing manageable at high block rates.