Proof-of-Work Coins by Market Cap and Volume

Proof-of-Work (PoW) coins are cryptocurrencies that are secured through mining. The most prominent PoW cryptocurrency is Bitcoin. Bitcoin miners deploy their computer hardware to solve computationally-intensive mathematical problems and ensure that all transactions are valid. Miners are compensated for their work with the cryptocurrency they are mining – for example, Bitcoin miners earn BTC.

Proof-of-Work is a decentralized consensus algorithm used by cryptocurrency networks that guarantees that transaction and balance data on the blockchain is verified and synchronized across all network nodes. The Proof-of-Work consensus algorithm involves solving mathematical problems that require a lot of computational power. Individuals or groups solving these problems to verify on-chain information and produce new blockchain blocks are called cryptocurrency miners.

Proof-of-Work involves solving complex mathematical problems which ensures a consensus about the state of the distributed ledger is reached by all network participants. Before a new block can get added to the PoW blockchain, all previous transaction data must be reconfirmed by cryptocurrency miners, which are compensated for employing their computational power with block rewards. While some smaller and fastest coin to mine are consumer-grade CPU and GPU mineable, the biggest PoW coins need specialized ASIC mining hardware.

The benefits of Proof-of-Work cryptos include the decentralization of a public ledger, which stores transaction data, network security, and mineable coins. Contrary to Proof-of-Stake (PoS) cryptocurrencies, which typically distribute rewards among those who own a large share of PoS coins, access to crypto rewards in PoW crypto networks is available to all who have access to appropriate hardware.

All Proof-of-Work coins tend to have limited scalability and can only process a limited number of transactions per second. In addition, PoW blockchains that aren’t backed by a lot of computing power can be vulnerable to 51% attacks, where one entity controls more than 50% of the network’s hashrate. This isn’t a major issue for Bitcoin or Ethereum but can be devastating for smaller coins.

While some examples of the biggest Proof-of-Work crypto assets include Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Litecoin, an increasing number of digital currencies use the Proof-of-Stake (PoS) consensus algorithm due to its higher efficiency and faster operations. The main differences between PoS and PoW coins include the speed of transactions, degree of decentralization, and maintenance costs.

Proof-of-Work guarantees transaction and balance data integrity of the blockchain. Without the Proof-of-Work consensus mechanism, network participants could have different ideas about the ledger's state, which would render blockchain systems virtually useless.

Since Bitcoin’s launch in 2009, the Proof-of-Work design has demonstrated that it is a viable method of securing cryptocurrency networks. Thanks to the popularity of top Proof-of-Work coins, the cryptocurrency mining community is robust and offers plenty of resources available to anyone who wants to get started with cryptocurrency mining.

Hash rate is a measure of the total computational power being used by a Proof-of-Work cryptocurrency. A high hash rate indicates that a large number of cryptocurrency miners are participating in the process of securing and verifying blockchain data. Hash rate is measured in the number of calculations the combined computational power backing Proof-of-Work networks can complete in a single second.

Proof-of-Work coins consume a large amount of energy, since the process of cryptocurrency mining requires a considerable amount of computing power. Electricity consumption of PoW digital currencies is typically directly proportional to their network’s size. As the biggest PoW coin, Bitcoin consumes the most electricity, followed by Ethereum.

While present since the crypto industry’s early days, Proof-of-Work cryptocurrencies are not outdated. Given the fact that the Proof-of-Work algorithm is used by Bitcoin–which is the largest cryptocurrency in the sector–the mechanism will remain relevant for at least as long as the biggest Proof-of-Work coin is around. However, new consensus algorithms did emerge over the years, with each offering its distinct set of pros and cons.