# Sequencers and Proposers: Who Builds the Block

URL: https://www.caijing188.com/sequencers-and-proposers/
Published: 2026-10-27T22:56:47+08:00 | Updated: 2026-10-27T22:56:47+08:00
Verified: 2026-10-27

## Quick answer
One sequencer orders and executes transactions, so it can censor or reorder. Forced inclusion and escape hatches are what keep that power tolerable for ordinary users.

## Summary
A sequencer decides transaction order on a rollup, which means it can delay, reorder or exclude. Here is where that power sits, what it cannot do, and how forced inclusion limits it.

## FAQ
Q: Is a sequencer the same thing as a validator?
A: No. A validator participates in base-layer consensus under a protocol rule. A sequencer orders transactions for one rollup and is usually appointed administratively. Some chains use one entity for both roles, but the obligations and penalties differ.
Q: Can a sequencer steal my funds?
A: Not by reordering alone, because it cannot produce a signature for your account. It can only include, exclude, or delay. Theft requires a flaw in the proving system or control over upgradeable contracts, which is a separate permission worth checking separately.
Q: What happens if the operator goes offline?
A: The chain stops producing blocks. Transactions already published to the base layer are unaffected; those in the operator's queue are not. Recovery depends on whether a backup operator can be activated and whether users can force inclusion or exit.
Q: How long does forced inclusion take?
A: It depends on the venue. Delays commonly range from a few hours to several days, and some designs require the base layer to accept a proof first. Read the parameter rather than assuming a default.
Q: Do all rollups have a sequencer?
A: All rollups have something that orders transactions, but not all concentrate the role in one operator. Base-layer sequencing and shared sets distribute it. The word describes a function, not an organisational shape.
Q: Does decentralising the sequencer remove the risk?
A: It changes its shape. A committee removes single-point downtime and reduces arbitrary exclusion, but adds collusion risk and a threshold that is usually small. Forced inclusion stays necessary, because any ordering set can be captured.