Aptos Labs proposes encrypted mempool to blunt frontrunning, pending governance
Aptos Labs has proposed an optional encrypted mempool that hides pending transactions until ordering is done, adding 27ms of latency in its tests and needing governance approval.
Why it matters
Until a governance vote happens and the feature ships, Aptos transaction handling does not change; the proposal exists in an Aptos Labs blog post and research reporting. If built, keeping pending transactions hidden would deny validators and other participants the order information they use to reorder or front-run trades, and the 27 milliseconds of added latency is the cost Aptos has published for that change.
Where the sources disagree
when the encrypted mempool proposal was first put forward
Oct. 30, 2025 blog post outlining the proposal
Crypto.News
May 12, 2026 crypto.news report of the same proposal as pending governance approval
Crypto.News
Oct. 5, 2026 publication date on the article reviewed
Crypto.News
The piece is published Oct. 5, 2026 but dates the Aptos blog post announcing the proposal to Oct. 30, 2025 and cites the outlet's own May 12, 2026 coverage of the same proposal, so the record does not show what changed in October 2026.
Key facts
Aptos Labs has proposed an optional encrypted mempool that lets users submit transactions whose contents stay hidden while validators decide the order.
Reported by Crypto.News
Transaction details would be revealed before execution, the normal public record would be retained after confirmation, and completed transactions would stay public.
Reported by Crypto.News
Aptos says the feature is intended to reduce orderflow leakage, censorship and frontrunning, which it ties to pending transactions on most chains being visible to validators and other participants who can copy trades, change their order or trade ahead of users.
Reported by Crypto.News
Aptos's claim to be the first L1 offering native protection of this kind is conditional on governance approval.
Reported by Crypto.News
Aptos researchers reported 27 milliseconds of added proposal-to-execution latency in tests, which Crypto.News reports as 14% relative to their baseline system.
27 msReported by Crypto.News
Aptos Labs outlined the proposal in a blog post dated Oct. 30, 2025.
Disputed figureReported by Crypto.News
Crypto.News covered the same proposal on May 12, 2026, reporting it as dependent on governance approval.
Disputed figureReported by Crypto.News
Aptos has committed more than $50 million to products, research, trading infrastructure and AI partners.
50,000,000 USDReported by Crypto.News
What happened
Crypto.News reports that Aptos Labs has proposed an optional encrypted mempool for the Aptos chain, described in an Aptos blog post dated Oct. 30, 2025. Users would submit transactions whose contents stay encrypted while validators decide the order, with transaction details revealed before execution and the standard public record kept after confirmation; completed transactions would remain visible. Aptos says the feature is meant to reduce orderflow leakage, censorship and frontrunning, which it attributes to pending transactions on most chains being visible to validators and other participants who can copy, reorder or trade ahead of them. The company calls Aptos the first L1 to offer native protection of this kind, but makes that claim conditional on governance approval. Aptos researchers reported 27 milliseconds of added proposal-to-execution latency in tests, which Crypto.News reports as 14% relative to their baseline system, and the outlet also notes Aptos has committed more than $50 million to products, research, trading infrastructure and AI partners. Governance approval has not been reported, no vote date is given, and the latency figures come from Aptos rather than an outside test.
How the story developed
- First report
First report by Crypto.News
Aptos proposes encrypted mempool to shield trades from frontrunning
- Update
Aptos Labs publishes the encrypted mempool proposal
The blog post describes optional encrypted transaction submission that hides contents while validators decide order.
- Update
Crypto.News reports the proposal as dependent on governance approval
The earlier report said transaction details are revealed before execution and the normal public record is kept after confirmation.
- Update
Crypto.News publishes Aptos test latency and funding figures
The article adds 27 milliseconds of added proposal-to-execution latency in tests and a commitment of more than $50 million to products, research, trading infrastructure and AI partners.
Affected entities
Original sources
| Publisher | Report | Role | Published |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crypto.News Crypto media | Aptos proposes encrypted mempool to shield trades from frontrunning | Original |
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