Visible Feeds (like Pyth, Chainlink) excel at providing high-frequency, cross-chain data with robust decentralization. Their strength lies in a transparent, permissionless pull model where data is broadcast on-chain for anyone to consume. For example, Pyth secures over $2B in total value secured (TVS) and delivers price updates on Solana with sub-second latency, making it ideal for high-throughput DeFi applications that require frequent, verifiable external data.
LABS
Comparisons
Visible Feeds vs Embedded Reads: MEV
A technical analysis comparing two primary oracle models for managing MEV exposure. We evaluate Visible Feeds (push) and Embedded Reads (pull) on latency, cost, security, and architectural trade-offs for protocol architects and CTOs.
Chainscore © 2026
introduction
THE ANALYSIS
Introduction: The MEV Oracle Dilemma
Choosing between Visible Feeds and Embedded Reads requires understanding the fundamental trade-off between transparency and integration.
Embedded Reads (native to chains like Solana or Sui) take a different approach by integrating oracle logic directly into the consensus layer. This strategy results in lower latency and cost for on-chain programs, as data is written once and read by many, avoiding redundant transaction fees. The trade-off is a tighter coupling to a specific chain's infrastructure and validators, which can limit data source flexibility compared to multi-chain feeder networks.
The key trade-off: If your priority is maximum data freshness, cross-chain compatibility, and censorship resistance, choose a Visible Feed. If you prioritize ultra-low latency, minimal gas costs for high-volume reads, and deep integration with a specific L1/L2, choose Embedded Reads.
tldr-summary
Visible Feeds vs Embedded Reads: MEV
TL;DR: Core Differentiators
Key architectural trade-offs for MEV extraction and prevention at a glance.
02
Visible Feeds (e.g., Flashbots SUAVE, bloXroute)
Con: Centralization & Trust Risks: Relies on a small set of centralized relay operators and builders, creating a single point of failure/censorship. This matters for protocols and users prioritizing decentralization and credible neutrality, as seen in OFAC compliance debates.
04
Embedded Reads (e.g., Chainlink Data Streams, Pyth)
Con: Limited to Pre-Defined Logic: MEV strategies are constrained by the smart contract's pre-programmed logic (e.g., TWAP vs. spot). This matters for advanced DeFi strategies that require complex, cross-domain opportunity discovery which on-chain oracles cannot dynamically facilitate.
HEAD-TO-HEAD COMPARISON FOR MEV
Feature Comparison: Visible Feeds vs Embedded Reads
Direct comparison of architectural approaches for MEV data access on Solana.
| Metric / Feature | Visible Feeds (e.g., Jito) | Embedded Reads (e.g., Helius) |
|---|---|---|
Primary Data Source | Public mempool streams | Direct RPC node access |
MEV Opportunity Latency | < 100 ms | < 20 ms |
Requires Validator Integration | ||
Access to Failed Transactions | ||
Simulation Capabilities | Basic | Advanced (Helius' enhanced) |
Implementation Overhead | High (run infrastructure) | Low (API calls) |
Real-Time Bundle Submission |
pros-cons-a
MEV Data Accessibility
Visible Feeds (Push Model): Pros and Cons
Comparing the trade-offs between externalized, real-time MEV data feeds and integrated, on-demand reads for protocol design and searcher strategies.
01
Visible Feed Pro: Real-Time MEV Sourcing
Immediate opportunity broadcast: Feeds from services like Flashbots Protect or BloXroute push pending transaction bundles and arbitrage opportunities to all subscribers simultaneously. This creates a liquid market for searchers, driving competition and potentially better execution prices for users. Essential for high-frequency arbitrage bots monitoring DEX pools on Uniswap or Curve.
02
Visible Feed Con: Frontrunning & Centralization Risk
Transparency enables exploitation: Public mempools and visible feeds make naive transactions vulnerable to sandwich attacks. This pushes users towards private RPCs (e.g., Flashbots RPC), consolidating flow through a few relayers. This creates relayer-level centralization, a critical dependency and potential single point of failure/censorship for the MEV supply chain.
03
Embedded Read Pro: MEV-Resilient Design
On-chain execution certainty: Protocols like CoW Swap (batch auctions) or UniswapX (fill-or-kill orders) use embedded, on-chain logic to internalize MEV extraction. This eliminates frontrunning by design, offering users better price guarantees. Ideal for retail-focused dApps where simplicity and safety are prioritized over ultra-low latency.
04
Embedded Read Con: Latency & Composability Tax
Slower, constrained execution: Reading and processing MEV opportunities directly on-chain (e.g., via EIP-4337 bundlers or keeper networks) adds 100ms+ of latency versus off-chain feeds. This reduces the profit margin for complex, cross-protocol MEV (e.g., multi-hop arbitrage across Aave and Balancer), potentially leaving value unextracted.
pros-cons-b
MEV Strategy Comparison
Embedded Reads (Pull Model): Pros and Cons
Key architectural trade-offs between proactive (Visible Feeds) and reactive (Embedded Reads) MEV protection for builders and searchers.
01
Visible Feeds (Proactive)
Pro: Predictable Searcher Competition - Public mempools like Flashbots Protect create a transparent auction, driving MEV revenue back to users/validators. This matters for protocols like Uniswap V3 where front-running is a direct cost. Con: Information Leakage - Broadcasting intent pre-execution exposes transactions to generalized front-running (sandwich attacks), a persistent risk for high-volume DEX traders.
02
Embedded Reads (Reactive)
Pro: Built-In Privacy - The pull model (e.g., SUAVE, Darkside) hides user intent until inclusion, neutralizing front-running. This matters for private voting schemes or OTC trades. Con: Builder Complexity & Cost - Requires custom off-chain infrastructure to simulate and pull profitable bundles, increasing operational overhead versus standard RPC endpoints.
03
Visible Feeds (Proactive)
Pro: Simpler Integration - Builders can subscribe to standardized MEV-boost relays (e.g., BloXroute, Agnostic) using well-documented APIs. This matters for teams prioritizing rapid deployment over maximal extraction. Con: Relay Centralization Risk - Dependence on a handful of trusted relay operators creates a potential censorship vector, contradicting credibly neutral values.
04
Embedded Reads (Reactive)
Pro: Enhanced Finality Guarantees - Transactions are only pulled after a block is proposed, eliminating orphaned transaction risk. This matters for high-value settlements where certainty is paramount. Con: Limited Searcher Ecosystem - The specialized tooling required (custom searcher engines) creates a higher barrier to entry, potentially reducing competition and MEV efficiency.
CHOOSE YOUR PRIORITY
When to Choose: Decision by Use Case
Visible Feeds for MEV Searchers
Verdict: The Essential Tool for Competitive Arbitrage. Strengths: Provides a real-time, public stream of pending transactions from the mempool. This is critical for identifying and constructing profitable arbitrage, liquidation, or sandwiching opportunities before they are included in a block. Tools like Flashbots Protect RPC or BloXroute's Bloxroute Max Profit feed are industry standards. Trade-offs: The visibility creates intense competition, often turning profitable opportunities into gas auctions. Success requires sophisticated infrastructure and low-latency connections to multiple RPC providers.
Embedded Reads for MEV Searchers
Verdict: Limited Direct Utility, but Enables New Strategies. Strengths: While not a direct source for opportunity discovery, embedded reads (via systems like Flashbots SUAVE) allow searchers to execute complex, multi-block or cross-domain MEV strategies with atomicity and privacy. It's for building, not just spotting. Trade-offs: Requires deep integration with specialized infrastructure and is currently less about real-time hunting and more about strategic execution.
VISIBLE FEEDS VS EMBEDDED READS
Technical Deep Dive: MEV Attack Vectors
This analysis dissects the core architectural trade-offs between Visible Feeds (e.g., Flashbots MEV-Share) and Embedded Reads (e.g., Chainlink Functions, Pragma) for managing MEV, focusing on security, performance, and suitability for different dApp strategies.
Embedded Reads provide stronger, built-in protection against front-running. By executing logic directly on-chain in a single transaction (e.g., via Chainlink Functions), they eliminate the public mempool visibility that enables front-running bots. Visible Feeds (like MEV-Share) mitigate, not eliminate, the risk by using a private mempool and conditional order flow auctions, but the intent is still revealed to a subset of searchers before execution, creating a smaller attack surface.
verdict
THE ANALYSIS
Verdict and Decision Framework
Choosing between Visible Feeds and Embedded Reads requires aligning your protocol's MEV strategy with its core operational priorities.
Visible Feeds excel at providing real-time, high-fidelity MEV data to sophisticated searchers and builders because they expose the full transaction mempool. For example, protocols like Flashbots' MEV-Share leverage this visibility to enable transaction privacy and revenue sharing, with searchers competing to extract value, which can result in higher returns for users. This open market approach is ideal for maximizing extractable value and fostering a competitive builder ecosystem, as seen in the billions in MEV revenue captured on Ethereum.
Embedded Reads take a different approach by integrating MEV capture directly into the protocol's consensus or execution layer, as pioneered by chains like Solana and Cosmos with Jito and Skip Protocol. This strategy results in a trade-off: it simplifies user experience and guarantees MEV revenue redistribution through mechanisms like priority fees, but it centralizes control with the validator set and can limit the complexity of extraction strategies compared to a permissionless searcher network.
The key trade-off: If your priority is maximizing user/validator revenue and fostering a permissionless, innovative MEV ecosystem, choose Visible Feeds. This is the standard for L1s like Ethereum and its L2s. If you prioritize user experience simplicity, predictable fee markets, and protocol-controlled economic distribution, choose Embedded Reads. This is often preferred by high-throughput chains prioritizing finality and app-chain sovereignty.
ENQUIRY
Build the
future.
Our experts will offer a free quote and a 30min call to discuss your project.
NDA Protected
Confidentiality24h Response
Time to ValueDirectly to Engineering Team
No Sales Fluff10+
Protocols Shipped
$20M+
TVL Overall