Question 1

What hardware do I need to mine ETC?

Accepted Answer

ETC uses the ETCHash algorithm, which is compatible with both GPUs (4GB+ VRAM for current DAG size) and ASIC miners. Popular GPUs include NVIDIA RTX 3060/3070/3080 and AMD RX 6600/6700/6800. ASIC options include iPollo V1 Mini, Jasminer X4, and Bitmain E9. ASICs offer higher efficiency but less flexibility than GPUs. See our Mining Hardware guide for detailed comparisons.

Question 2

What mining software works with ETC?

Accepted Answer

Popular miners include lolMiner (AMD + NVIDIA), T-Rex (NVIDIA), TeamRedMiner (AMD), and GMiner (NVIDIA). All support the ETCHash algorithm. Configure your miner with your pool's stratum address, your wallet address, and worker name. Most miners auto-detect the ETCHash algorithm when connecting to an ETC pool.

Question 3

I was mining ETH. How do I switch to ETC?

Accepted Answer

Since Ethereum moved to Proof of Stake in September 2022, your ETH mining hardware can mine ETC with minimal reconfiguration. Change your mining software's pool address to an ETC pool, update your wallet address to an ETC address, and ensure ETCHash (not ETHash) is selected. The DAG size is similar, so hardware that mined ETH should work for ETC.

Question 4

What is a mining pool?

Accepted Answer

A mining pool combines the hash power of multiple miners to find blocks more frequently, then distributes rewards proportionally to each miner's contributed hash rate. Solo mining requires significant hash power to find blocks regularly — pools provide more consistent (but smaller) payouts. Pools typically charge a 1-2% fee on rewards.

Question 5

Which pools support ETC mining?

Accepted Answer

Major ETC mining pools include F2Pool, 2Miners, K1Pool, Poolin, EMCD, and GTPool. Choose a pool based on fee structure, payout method (PPS, PPLNS, PROP), minimum payout threshold, server locations, and current pool hashrate. Distributing across multiple pools helps network decentralization.

Question 6

How do I choose the best mining pool?

Accepted Answer

Consider: fee rate (typically 1-2%), payout method (PPS for consistent payouts, PPLNS for potentially higher but variable payouts), minimum payout threshold, server proximity (lower latency = fewer stale shares), and pool hashrate relative to total network (avoid pools with >40% of network hash). Check the Mining Pools page for current options.

Question 7

Is mining ETC profitable?

Accepted Answer

Profitability depends on your hardware efficiency, electricity cost, ETC price, and network difficulty. Use our Profitability Calculator to estimate returns based on your specific setup. Key factors: electricity cost below $0.10/kWh is generally needed for GPU profitability, ASICs are more efficient per watt, and network difficulty adjusts with total hash power.

Question 8

What is the ETCHash algorithm?

Accepted Answer

ETCHash is a modified version of ETHash (Ethereum's original mining algorithm). The modification, introduced via ECIP-1099 (Thanos fork, November 2020), reduced the DAG epoch length to keep the DAG size manageable for 4GB GPUs. This ensures broader hardware accessibility for mining while maintaining the same security properties as ETHash.

Question 9

What is the current block reward?

Accepted Answer

As of Era 5 (starting block 20,000,001 in May 2024), the block reward is 2.048 ETC per block. Rewards decrease by 20% every 5 million blocks under ECIP-1017. The next reduction to 1.6384 ETC will occur at block 25,000,001. Visit our Supply page for the full emission schedule and countdown to the next reduction.

Question 10

Should I use ASICs or GPUs for ETC mining?

Accepted Answer

ASICs (like iPollo V1 Mini or Jasminer X4) offer higher hashrate per watt, meaning better efficiency and potentially higher profit margins. GPUs are more flexible — you can mine other coins or repurpose them. For dedicated ETC mining with low electricity costs, ASICs typically have better ROI. For miners who want hardware flexibility, GPUs are the safer choice.

Question 11

Will ETC ever switch to Proof of Stake?

Accepted Answer

No. Ethereum Classic's commitment to Proof of Work is a foundational principle, not a temporary technical choice. The network explicitly chose to maintain PoW when Ethereum transitioned to PoS. ETC's security model, censorship resistance properties, and permissionless participation all depend on Proof of Work. There are no proposals to change this.

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