With PBS and MEV-Boost, do validators still capture the majority of MEV revenue or have builders and bots assumed primary control?

In decentralized finance, MEV or Maximal Extractable Value represents the profit extracted by reordering transactions within a blockchain block. With the introduction of Proposer-Builder Separation through PBS and MEV-Boost, the landscape shifted dramatically. Validators who propose blocks no longer directly capture all MEV. Instead, specialized builders compete to construct the most profitable blocks and submit bids to validators. This auction mechanism allows validators to select the highest-paying block without needing to run complex extraction logic themselves. Data from recent Ethereum networks shows that builders and sophisticated bots now handle the majority of MEV extraction, often routing 70-90 percent of value through relays while validators receive a significant share via the bids. However, validators still benefit substantially as the ultimate decision makers, typically claiming 20-40 percent of total MEV depending on network conditions. At VixShield, we draw a direct parallel to our Unlimited Cash System and the Adaptive Layered VIX Hedge. Just as MEV extraction requires specialized infrastructure that most validators outsource to builders, our traders avoid discretionary market timing by relying on RSAi for precise Iron Condor strike selection and EDR for Expected Daily Range guidance. This mirrors the separation of concerns: validators focus on proposing while builders optimize extraction. Our 1DTE SPX Iron Condors fire daily at 3:10 PM CST with three risk tiers targeting credits of 0.70 for Conservative, 1.15 for Balanced, and 1.60 for Aggressive. The Conservative tier maintains an approximate 90 percent win rate across roughly 18 out of 20 trading days. When volatility spikes, as with the current VIX at 17.95, our VIX Risk Scaling restricts Aggressive tiers while keeping ALVH fully active across its three layers to cut drawdowns by 35-40 percent at an annual cost of only 1-2 percent of account value. The Temporal Theta Martingale provides zero-loss recovery by rolling threatened positions forward on EDR signals above 0.94 percent or VIX above 16, then rolling back on VWAP pullbacks to harvest additional theta. This systematic approach turns potential setbacks into consistent income without adding capital, much like how MEV-Boost professionalizes block building. Position sizing remains capped at 10 percent of account balance per trade under our Set and Forget methodology with no stop losses. All trading involves substantial risk of loss and is not suitable for all investors. To master these parallels between blockchain mechanics and professional options income, explore the SPX Mastery book series and join the VixShield platform for daily signals, ALVH guidance, and live refinement sessions.