* **Efficiency:** They allow for efficient verification of …

* **Efficiency:** They allow for efficient verification of transactions without downloading the entire block.
* **Security:** Any tampering with a transaction would affect its hash and cascade up the Merkle tree, altering the Merkle root and invalidating the block.
* **Simplified Data Synchronization:** Helpful in situations like Simplified Payment Verification (SPV) where light clients can verify transactions without needing the full blockchain.