Empty Blocks

Contents

• Empty Blocks (block_count_empty_6b)

• Consecutive Empty Blocks (block_count_consecutive_empty)

• Missed Slots (block_missed_slots)

Empty Blocks

Definition

The number of empty blocks in the past 6 blocks. Empty blocks are blocks that do not contain any transactions other than the coinbase. They may be a result of no underlying economic activity leading to no user transactions to mine, or they can be a result of deliberate action by miners. As explored here, there are incentives for miners to work on empty blocks. Since empty blocks consume less space, they can be propagated faster. Additionally, empty blocks can increase fees in times of vibrant network activity, as unprocessed transactions accumulate. If persistent, empty blocks can be very disruptive to a network.

Dictionary

Name	MetricID	Category	Sub-category	Type	Unit	Interval
Empty Blocks	block_count_empty_6b	KRI	Empty Blocks	Sum	Number of blocks	1 block

Methodology

The 6 blocks from the tip of the blockchain (including the most recent block) are assessed, and the number of empty blocks is counted.

Available Assets

Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH)*

*Ethereum data is available up to the merge on 9/15/2022. After that date Ethereum data for this metric is not available

Sample Query

https://api.coinmetrics.io/v4/timeseries/asset-metrics?api_key=%3Cyour_key%3E&assets=btc&frequency=1b&limit_per_asset=1&metrics=block_count_empty_6b&pretty=trueapi.coinmetrics.io

Consecutive Empty Blocks

Definition

The count of consecutive empty blocks captured within the most-recent 1-minute interval.

Dictionary

Name	MetricID	Category	Sub-category	Type	Unit	Interval
Consecutive Empty Blocks	block_count_consecutive_empty	KRI	Empty Blocks	Sum	Count of Blocks	1b

Methodology

The set of most recently-processed blocks within a 1-minute window are captured and their contents are evaluated. Every consecutive empty block within the window is counted. For Ethereum, the maximum possible value this metric is 5 given that the time between blocks in that network is fixed at 12 seconds.

Available Assets

Ethereum (ETH)

Sample Query

https://api.coinmetrics.io/v4/timeseries/asset-metrics?api_key=%3Cyour_key%3E&assets=eth&frequency=1b&metrics=block_count_consecutive_empty&pretty=trueapi.coinmetrics.io

Missed Slots

Definition

The count of missed slots within the most-recent 1-minute interval. For context, a slot represents an opportunity for a block producer (or validator) to create a block. If the validator fails to produce a block at the slot, it is considered missed and the blockchain progresses to the following slot.

Dictionary

Name	MetricID	Category	Sub-category	Type	Unit	Interval
Missed Slots	block_missed_slots	KRI	Empty Blocks	Sum	Slots	1b

Methodology

This metric infers the number of missed slots on the basis of the time between blocks. If a block takes more than 12 seconds to arrive, it can be inferred that a slot has been missed as per Ethereum’s consensus rules. Note that if two slots are missed consecutively, we would still need to wait until for valid slot to arrive to capture it, as per the methodology.

Available Assets

Ethereum (ETH)

Sample Query

https://api.coinmetrics.io/v4/timeseries/asset-metrics?api_key=%3Cyour_key%3E&assets=eth&frequency=1b&metrics=block_missed_slots&pretty=trueapi.coinmetrics.io

API Endpoints

Empty Blocks metrics can be accessed using these endpoints:

• timeseries/asset-metrics

and by passing in the metric ID's block_count_empty* in the metrics parameter.

Asset metrics

get

Returns requested metrics for specified assets.<br/><br/> Results for block by block metrics (1b frequency) are ordered by tuple (asset, height, block_hash), all other metrics are ordered by tuple (asset, time). You can change the sorting using sort query parameter.<br/><br/> Supported output formats are json (default) and csv, use format query parameter to override it.<br/> To fetch the next page of results use next_page_url JSON response field or x-next-page-url CSV HTTP header if present.<br/><br/> If multiple metrics are requested in the same time the strict policy for partially available metrics among requested ones is applied: <ul>

<li>missing metric name in the JSON response means that the metric is "not a supported metric" for the asset and frequency while some other requested metrics are supported.</li> <li>`null` value of the metric means "no data in the database" while some other requested metrics have data.</li> </ul>

Authorizations

Query parameters

assetsstring[]required

Comma separated list of assets.<br/> Use the /catalog-all/assets endpoint for the full list of supported assets or specify asterisk (*) in order to get metrics for all supported assets.

metricsstring[]required

Comma separated metrics to request time series data for.<br/> Information on all available metrics can be found on page https://docs.coinmetrics.io/info/metrics.<br/> Use the /catalog-all/metrics or /catalog-all/assets endpoint for the full list of supported metrics per asset.

Example: ["AdrActCnt","BlkHgt"]

frequencystring · default: 1d

Frequency of the metrics. Supported values are 1b (block by block), 1s (one second), 1m (one minute), 10m (ten minutes), 1h (one hour), 1d (one day), 1d-ny-close (one day at New York close time). Please refer to the /catalog/metrics endpoint for the full list.<br/> Use the /catalog-all/assets endpoint for the full list of supported frequencies per asset-metric pair.

Example: 1b

statusstring · enum · default: all

Which metric values do you want to see. Applicable only for "reviewable" metrics. You can find them in the /catalog/metrics endpoint.

Options: all, flash, reviewed, revised

start_timestring

Start of the time interval.<br/> This field refers to the time field in the response.<br/> Multiple formats of ISO 8601 are supported: 2006-01-20T00:00:00Z, 2006-01-20T00:00:00.000Z, 2006-01-20T00:00:00.123456Z, 2006-01-20T00:00:00.123456789Z, 2006-01-20, 20060120.<br/> Inclusive by default. Mutually exclusive with start_height and start_hash.<br/> UTC timezone by default. Z suffix is optional and timezone parameter has a priority over it.<br/> If start_time is omitted, response will include time series from the earliest time available.

end_timestring

End of the time interval.<br/> This field refers to the time field in the response.<br/> Multiple formats of ISO 8601 are supported: 2006-01-20T00:00:00Z, 2006-01-20T00:00:00.000Z, 2006-01-20T00:00:00.123456Z, 2006-01-20T00:00:00.123456789Z, 2006-01-20, 20060120.<br/> Inclusive by default. Mutually exclusive with end_height and end_hash.<br/> UTC timezone by default. Z suffix is optional and timezone parameter has a priority over it.<br/> If end_time is omitted, response will include time series up to the latest time available.

start_heightinteger · int64

The start height indicates the beginning block height for the set of data that are returned.<br/> Inclusive by default. Mutually exclusive with start_time and start_hash.

end_heightinteger · int64

The end height indicates the ending block height for the set of data that are returned.<br/> Inclusive by default. Mutually exclusive with end_time and end_hash.<br/> This parameter is disabled for Community users.

start_hashstring

The start hash indicates the beginning block height for the set of data that are returned.<br/> Inclusive by default. Mutually exclusive with start_time and start_height.

end_hashstring

The end hash indicates the ending block height for the set of data that are returned.<br/> Inclusive by default. Mutually exclusive with end_time and end_height.

start_inclusiveboolean · default: true

Inclusive or exclusive corresponding start_* parameters.

end_inclusiveboolean · default: true

Inclusive or exclusive corresponding end_* parameters.

min_confirmationsinteger · int32 · max: 99

Specifies how many blocks behind the chain tip block by block metrics (1b frequency) are based on. Default for btc is 2 and 99 for eth. For example, a min_confirmations of 0 means metrics are being calculated for the block at the tip of the chain (the latest block received by our node) whereas a min_confirmations of 6 means that metrics are being applied to the block that is 6 blocks behind the chain tip (i.e., the 7th block if the chain tip is block 1).

timezonestring · default: UTC

Timezone name for start_time and end_time timestamps.<br/> This parameter does not modify the output times, which are always UTC.<br/> Format is defined by TZ database.

Example: America/New_York

page_sizeinteger · int32 · min: 1 · max: 10000 · default: 100

Number of items per single page of results.<br/> The value of this parameter is ignored if the endpoint supports the format parameter and its value is set to json_stream.

paging_fromstring · enum · default: end

Where does the first page start, at the start of the interval or at the end.

Options: start, end

sortstring · enum · default: asset

How results will be sorted. Metrics with 1b frequency are sorted by (asset, height, block_hash) tuples by default. Metrics with other frequencies are sorted by (asset, time) by default. If you want to sort 1d metrics by (time, asset) you should choose time as value for the sort parameter.<br/> Sorting by time is useful if you request metrics for a set of assets.

Options: asset, height, time

limit_per_assetinteger · int32

How many entries per asset result should contain. For example, this combination of parameters assets=btc,eth&metrics=ReferenceRate&limit_per_asset=1 returns the latest ReferenceRate values for btc and eth.

prettyboolean · default: false

Human-readable formatting of JSON responses.

formatstring · enum · default: json

Format of the response.

Options: json, csv

null_as_zeroboolean · default: false

Nulls are represented as zeros in the response.

next_page_tokenstring

Token for receiving the results from the next page of a query.<br/> Should not be used directly. To iterate through pages just use next_page_url response field.

ignore_forbidden_errorsboolean · default: false

Ignore HTTP 403 Forbidden errors

ignore_unsupported_errorsboolean · default: false

Ignore errors for unsupported assets, metrics or frequencies.

Responses

application/jsontext/csv

application/json

application/json

application/json

200

400

401

403

414

200

application/json

text/csv

application/json

Example of a message with daily metrics.

Example of a message with block by block metrics.

Example of a message with 1s metrics.

Example of a message with daily metrics.

{
  "data": [
    {
      "asset": "btc",
      "time": "2020-02-29T00:00:00.000000000Z",
      "PriceUSD": "8582.09029964933",
      "SplyBMXNtv": "283220.10827406",
      "SplyBMXNtv-status": "reviewed",
      "SplyBMXNtv-status-time": "2020-03-01T09:59:13.847251000Z"
    },
    {
      "asset": "btc",
      "time": "2020-03-01T00:00:00.000000000Z",
      "PriceUSD": "8541.77389392169",
      "SplyBMXNtv": "284691.32323907",
      "SplyBMXNtv-status": "reviewed",
      "SplyBMXNtv-status-time": "2020-03-02T14:00:02.622168000Z"
    }
  ],
  "next_page_token": "0.MjAyMC0wNi0wN1QwMDowMDowMFo,MjAyMC0wNi0wN1QwMDowMDowMFo",
  "next_page_url": "https://api.coinmetrics.io/v4/timeseries/asset-metrics?api_key=<your_key>&pretty=true&assets=btc&metrics=SplyBMXNtv,PriceUSD&page_size=2&next_page_token=0.MjAyMC0wNi0wN1QwMDowMDowMFo,MjAyMC0wNi0wN1QwMDowMDowMFo"
}

Time series of metrics for an asset.

Shell

curl --compressed "https://api.coinmetrics.io/v4/timeseries/asset-metrics?metrics=block_count_empty_6b&assets=btc&pretty=true&api_key=<your_key>"

Python

import requests
response = requests.get('https://api.coinmetrics.io/v4/timeseries/asset-metrics?metrics=block_count_empty_6b&assets=btc&pretty=true&api_key=<your_key>').json()
print(response)

Python Client

from coinmetrics.api_client import CoinMetricsClient

api_key = "<API_KEY>"
client = CoinMetricsClient(api_key)

print(
    client.get_asset_metrics(
        metrics="block_count_empty_6b", 
        assets="btc",
    ).to_dataframe()
)