Full exploration of adaptive gas weights and small-number synthetic dimensions

Investigate and fully develop the two proposed practical alternatives to multidimensional pricing for blockchain transaction fee mechanisms—(i) an adaptive one-dimensional mechanism in which the resource weights in the gas calculation are slowly changed based on on-chain resource usage, and (ii) a mechanism that uses only a small number (2–3) of synthetic gas-like dimensions with independently determined base fees—to assess their design choices, equilibrium welfare, stabilization time, and computational properties during congestion, thereby determining whether they effectively balance steady-state and transient-state performance compared to both one-dimensional and fully multidimensional pricing.

Background

The paper analyzes the trade-offs between one-dimensional and multidimensional pricing in blockchain transaction fee mechanisms (TFMs). It proves that multidimensional pricing yields higher welfare at equilibrium but suffers from longer stabilization times and greater computational complexity during congestion, while one-dimensional pricing converges faster and is more tractable in transient regimes.

To mitigate these trade-offs, the authors propose two practical alternatives: (i) a one-dimensional mechanism with resource weights that change slowly based on observed on-chain usage, aiming to capture some benefits of multidimensional pricing without sacrificing stability and tractability; and (ii) a mechanism with a small number of synthetic dimensions (e.g., 2–3), each priced independently, intended to expand feasible allocations and potentially improve welfare while keeping transient-state performance acceptable. The authors explicitly state that they only outline these mechanisms at a high level and pose their comprehensive investigation as an open question.