BFT stands for Byzantine Fault Tolerance. It refers to a system’s ability to continue functioning correctly even when some of its parts fail or act maliciously. In the context of distributed networks, such as those used in cryptocurrencies, achieving consensus among participants is crucial. BFT protocols are designed to ensure that a network can reach agreement despite a certain number of participants being unreliable.

This is modeled on the Byzantine Generals’ Problem, where different leaders must coordinate a strategy, but some may betray the group. A key characteristic of BFT protocols is that they can handle a fraction of failures—typically, they can tolerate up to one-third of nodes being faulty or acting against the network’s best interest.

This allows for increased security and reliability. Examples of BFT algorithms include Practical Byzantine Fault Tolerance (PBFT) and Tendermint. Each has unique approaches to managing consensus and maintaining the integrity of the network while protecting against various types of attacks and failures.