Bitcoin Universe · Model 11
The global Bitcoin network
No central server: thousands of independent computers check every transaction and block for themselves and pass them on. Send something into the network and watch it spread.
How it spreads
Readout
Everything here is simulated: 26 nodes, their links, positions and latencies are generated from a fixed seed, and positions are illustrative rather than geographic. Time is slowed down so each hop is visible: about ÷17 at Slow, ÷6 at Normal and ÷1.7 at Fast. Each hop is modelled as announce, request and send (three one-way messages) after the node has fully validated the item; real nodes also use compact blocks (which can pass a block on once its header and proof of work check out), many more peers and other optimisations. Real nodes also delay transaction announcements by random intervals of a few seconds for privacy, so real transactions take seconds to spread; this model leaves those delays out. No live network data is shown.