Median Time Past (MTP)
blockchain · consensus · technical
A consensus time value calculated from the median timestamp of the most recent 11 blocks.
Median Time Past (MTP) is the median of the timestamps in the most recent 11 blocks in Bitcoin-derived consensus systems. Using a median reduces the influence of one unusually early or late miner timestamp and gives consensus a monotonically advancing reference.
Bitcoin Cash uses MTP for time-based consensus behavior, including scheduled network-upgrade activation. Transaction lock-time rules can also compare a transaction's time value with a chain-derived time reference.
MTP is not exact wall-clock time. Blocks arrive irregularly and miners have bounded freedom when setting timestamps, so an MTP threshold may be crossed before or after the matching clock time.
Related terms
Block
→A batch of valid transactions added to a blockchain, linked to the previous block by a cryptographic hash.
mining · blockchain · security
Locktime
→A transaction field or script condition that delays when a transaction or spending path becomes eligible for inclusion.
technical · blockchain
Protocol Upgrade
→A coordinated change to the rules, messages, or policies implemented by network software.
governance · blockchain
Consensus
→The process by which blockchain participants agree on valid transactions, blocks, and ledger history.
security · blockchain