MEV Strategies Guide: Advanced Extraction Methods
Master the most profitable MEV extraction strategies used by professional traders. Learn step-by-step implementation, risk management, and optimization techniques.
Overview
MEV (Maximum Extractable Value) strategies range from simple arbitrage to complex multi-transaction bundles. This guide covers the most effective strategies, their implementation, and best practices for maximizing profits while minimizing risks.
1. Arbitrage Strategy
Arbitrage involves exploiting price differences of the same asset across different exchanges or liquidity pools.
How It Works
- Monitor prices across multiple DEXs (Uniswap, SushiSwap, Curve, etc.)
- Detect price differences exceeding gas costs and slippage
- Execute buy on lower-priced exchange and sell on higher-priced exchange
- Capture the price difference as profit
Best Practices
- Focus on high-volume token pairs for better liquidity
- Calculate optimal trade sizes to maximize profit while minimizing slippage
- Use flash loans for capital-efficient arbitrage
- Set strict gas price limits to ensure profitability
- Monitor multiple DEXs simultaneously for best opportunities
Example
// Pseudo-code example
if (priceDEX1 < priceDEX2 && profit > gasCost + slippage) {
buyOnDEX1(amount);
sellOnDEX2(amount);
profit = (priceDEX2 - priceDEX1) * amount - gasCost;
}2. Liquidation Strategy
Liquidating undercollateralized positions in lending protocols to earn liquidation bonuses.
How It Works
- Monitor lending protocols (Aave, Compound, MakerDAO) for positions
- Track collateralization ratios and price feeds
- Identify positions below liquidation threshold
- Execute liquidation transaction to earn bonus
Best Practices
- Use fast price feeds and low-latency infrastructure
- Calculate liquidation profitability including gas costs
- Set up alerts for positions approaching liquidation threshold
- Consider flash loans for capital-efficient liquidations
- Monitor multiple protocols simultaneously
3. Back-Running Strategy
Executing transactions immediately after large trades to capture price movement benefits.
How It Works
- Monitor mempool for large swap transactions
- Calculate expected price impact
- Construct optimal back-run transaction
- Submit with appropriate gas to execute in same block
Best Practices
- Focus on high-value swaps for significant price impact
- Use private bundles (Flashbots) to reduce front-running risk
- Calculate optimal trade size considering slippage
- Set gas price to ensure inclusion in target block
- Monitor multiple pools and tokens
4. Sandwich Attack Strategy
Placing two transactions around a target transaction to profit from price manipulation.
How It Works
- Detect profitable target transaction in mempool
- Front-run: Buy before target to move price up
- Target transaction executes at higher price
- Back-run: Sell after target to capture profit
Ethical Considerations
Note: Sandwich attacks can harm regular users by increasing their slippage. Consider focusing on back-running strategies which are less harmful.
Step-by-Step Implementation
Step 1: Set Up Infrastructure
Deploy low-latency nodes and WebSocket connections. Choose a hosting location close to blockchain RPC endpoints to minimize latency. Set up monitoring and alerting systems.
Step 2: Configure Mempool Scanner
Set up mempool scanning with appropriate filters. Focus on high-value transactions, specific DEXs, and token pairs. Implement rate limiting to avoid overwhelming your infrastructure.
Step 3: Implement Arbitrage Strategy
Develop algorithms to detect price differences across DEXs. Calculate optimal trade sizes considering gas costs and slippage. Set up automated execution with proper risk controls.
Step 4: Set Up Liquidation Monitoring
Monitor lending protocols for undercollateralized positions. Calculate liquidation thresholds and set up alerts. Implement fast execution paths for profitable liquidations.
Step 5: Configure Risk Controls
Set slippage limits (typically 0.5-1%), gas price caps, and daily budget limits. Implement circuit breakers for unusual market conditions. Test all controls in simulation mode.
Step 6: Deploy and Monitor
Start with small amounts in simulation mode. Gradually increase capital as you gain confidence. Monitor performance metrics, gas costs, and success rates. Continuously optimize strategies.
Risk Management
Effective risk management is crucial for profitable MEV trading:
- Slippage Limits: Set maximum acceptable slippage (0.5-1% recommended)
- Gas Caps: Limit gas prices to ensure profitability
- Budget Limits: Set daily/weekly capital limits
- Circuit Breakers: Pause trading during unusual market conditions
- Simulation First: Always test strategies in simulation before live deployment
- Monitoring: Set up alerts for failed transactions and unusual patterns
Optimization Tips
- Use low-latency infrastructure close to blockchain nodes
- Optimize gas prices based on network congestion
- Implement efficient mempool filtering to reduce processing load
- Use batch transactions when possible to reduce gas costs
- Monitor and adjust strategies based on performance data
- Consider using Flashbots bundles for better execution
Recommended Tools
- Gas Calculator - Calculate optimal gas prices
- Profit Estimator - Estimate MEV opportunity profitability
- WSS Latency Test - Test WebSocket connection latency
- MEV Relay Status - Monitor Flashbots relay status
Next Steps
Ready to implement these strategies? Check out these resources:
- Flashbots Tutorial - Learn to use private bundles
- MEV 101 - Review MEV basics
- Try FRB Agent - Start trading with our MEV agent
- Ethereum MEV Guide - Network-specific strategies