• Computer Science > Networking and Internet Architecture [Submitted on 16 Feb 2026 (v1), last revised 20 Feb 2026 (this version, v2)] Title:Bitcoin Under Stress: Measuring Infrastructure Resilience 2014-2025 View PDFAbstract:Bitcoin’s design promises resilience through decentralization, yet the physical infrastructure supporting the network creates hidden dependencies. • We present the first longitudinal study of Bitcoin’s resilience to submarine cable failures, using 11 years of P2P network data (2014–2025) and 68 verified cable fault events. • Applying a Buldyrev-style cascade model at country level, we find that Bitcoin’s clearnet (non-TOR) critical failure threshold $p_c \approx 0.72$–$0.92$ for random failures, meaning the vast majority of inter-country cables must fail before significant node disconnection. • Targeted attacks are an order of magnitude more effective ($p_c = 0.05$–$0.20$). • To address the majority of nodes now using TOR with unobservable locations, we develop a 4-layer multiplex model incorporating TOR relay infrastructure. • Because relay bandwidth concentrates in well-connected European countries, TOR adoption increases resilience under current relay geography ($\Delta p_c \approx +0.02$–$+0.10$) rather than introducing hidden fragility.
Article Summaries:
- A recent study tracks Bitcoin’s resilience to physical network failures over 11 years (2014‑2025). Using 68 verified submarine cable faults and 11‑year peer‑to‑peer data, researchers applied a cascade‑percolation model to show that random cable losses would need to affect 72‑92 % of inter‑country links before major node disconnection occurs, whereas targeted attacks can cripple the network with only 5‑20 % of links lost. The team extended the model to include the TOR overlay, finding that TOR relay concentration in Europe modestly raises resilience (Δp_c ≈ 0.02‑0.10). Empirical validation indicates most cable faults have minimal impact, confirming weak physical‑layer coupling.
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