A hybrid PoS/PoW could be the sweet spot—PoW gives that heavy‑handed security, while PoS slices the latency. If you shard the PoW layer for the heavy cryptographic proof and let PoS handle instant finality for contracts, you get near‑real‑time execution without dropping the guard. Just keep an eye on the coordination cost—if the two layers talk too much, you’ll kill the very speed you’re chasing. Think of it like a dance: one partner strong and steady, the other quick and light. If you nail the choreography, smart contracts will run smoother than a fresh blockchain update.