# Consensus Mechanism The consensus mechanism is the fundamental process by which transactions are validated and committed to the blockchain. The Zetrix blockchain employs an advanced hybrid consensus algorithm combining Delegated Proof of Stake (DPoS) and Zetrix Byzantine Fault Tolerance (zBFT). This architecture supports large-scale node participation and enables high-speed transaction processing, making Zetrix well-suited for a wide range of commercial applications. In this model, ordinary nodes must pledge ZETRIX tokens to become part of the validating node set. From this pool, the system randomly selects 21 validators in each consensus round to generate blocks in a cyclical rotation, governed by the zBFT algorithm. Validators are elected via a validator smart contract, ensuring that only trusted and high-performing nodes participate. This setup allows Zetrix to maintain high throughput, strong consistency, and robust decentralisation, aligning with the security and performance needs of enterprise-grade blockchain solutions. --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://docs.zetrix.com/en/architecture/consensus-mechanism.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.