Ethereum developers are assessing whether encrypting the public mempool can reduce sandwich attacks and other MEV (maximal extractable value) strategies that exploit visible pending transactions before they are included onchain. The issue is set for discussion on an Aug. 19 "Encrypt the Mempool" call, where protocol researchers will review designs meant to hide transaction details until block ordering has already been committed. One leading draft, EIP-8184 or LUCID, would have block builders commit to sealed transactions with encrypted payloads before knowing their contents, with decryption data released only afterward by the sender or an off-protocol key publisher. The approach aims to preserve permissionless access to blockspace while avoiding the intermediary dependence that comes with private relays, but it introduces unresolved questions around decryption, key withholding, penalties and enforcement. Researchers say no known cryptographic construction currently meets all of Ethereum's requirements at scale, and alternative approaches such as threshold decryption or trusted hardware bring their own tradeoffs. The work also ties into Ethereum's broader roadmap, including FOCIL (validator transaction inclusion framework) targeted as a consensus-layer priority for the Hegotá upgrade in 2027.