Ethereum Classic (ETC) and Ethereum (ETH) share the same technical origins and remain compatible at the smart contract level. However, they differ significantly in consensus mechanism, monetary policy, and philosophy.
Key Differences at a Glance
| Feature | Ethereum Classic | Ethereum |
|---|---|---|
| Consensus | Proof-of-Work (ETCHash) | Proof-of-Stake |
| Supply Cap | Fixed (~210.7M ETC) | Dynamic (no cap) |
| Chain ID | 61 | 1 |
| Block Time | ~13 seconds | ~12 seconds |
| EVM Compatible | Yes | Yes |
Consensus Mechanism
ETC: Proof-of-Work
Ethereum Classic uses proof-of-work consensus with the ETCHash mining algorithm. Miners compete to solve computational puzzles, with successful miners earning block rewards in ETC.
Benefits of PoW for ETC:
- Security derived from external resources (energy)
- Maximum censorship resistance
- Permissionless block production
- Fair coin distribution to contributors
ETH: Proof-of-Stake
Ethereum transitioned to proof-of-stake in 2022. Validators stake ETH as collateral and are randomly selected to propose blocks. This approach uses less energy but has different security tradeoffs.
Monetary Policy
ETC: Fixed Supply
Ethereum Classic has a known, fixed monetary policy similar to Bitcoin. Block rewards decrease by 20% every 5 million blocks, resulting in a maximum supply of approximately 210.7 million ETC.
This predictable emission schedule makes ETC a sound money alternative with:
- Scarcity through mathematical certainty
- No surprises—supply is fully calculable
- Protection against inflation
ETH: Dynamic Supply
Ethereum's supply is not capped. While EIP-1559 introduced fee burning that can make ETH deflationary during high activity, the supply depends on network usage patterns and could increase during low-activity periods.
Technical Compatibility
Both chains run the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM), which means:
- Smart contracts written for one chain work on the other
- Development tools like Solidity, Hardhat, and web3.js work with both
- Wallet addresses are identical (but balances are network-specific)
- Token standards (ERC-20, ERC-721) are compatible
If you can build on Ethereum, you can build on ETC—and often at lower fees.
Ecosystem Comparison
ETC Ecosystem
- ETCswap: Primary DEX with V2 and V3 pools
- Classic USD (USC): USD-backed stablecoin
- Classic OS: DeFi dashboard and economic control center
- BlockScout: Block explorer at etc.blockscout.com
ETH Ecosystem
Ethereum has a larger ecosystem due to greater liquidity and longer post-fork history. However, ETC's ecosystem is growing, and many applications can deploy to both chains.
Which Should You Use?
The choice depends on your priorities:
Choose ETC if you value:
- Proof-of-work security and censorship resistance
- Fixed, predictable monetary policy
- Lower transaction fees
- Mining participation
Choose ETH if you value:
- Larger ecosystem and liquidity
- Staking rewards
- More deployed applications
Using Both Networks
Many users hold and use both ETC and ETH. Since wallets like MetaMask support multiple networks, you can easily switch between them. Just make sure you're connected to the correct network before sending transactions.
Remember: ETC and ETH are separate networks with separate balances. Sending ETC to an ETH address on the wrong network can result in lost funds.
Get Started
Ready to explore Ethereum Classic? Check out our getting started guide to set up a wallet and acquire your first ETC.