Etchash
Also called: Ethash
Etchash is Ethereum Classic's mining algorithm, derived from Ethash, Ethereum's former algorithm. It relies on a large dataset called the DAG.
Ethash was Ethereum's proof-of-work algorithm. It relies on a large dataset, the DAG, which the miner has to keep in memory and read constantly, making memory speed more important than raw computing power. When Ethereum switched to proof of stake in September 2022, Ethereum mining came to an end.
Ethereum Classic, the chain that kept proof of work after the 2016 split, uses Etchash, a modified version of Ethash adopted at the end of 2020. The main difference: the DAG grows half as fast, which lets graphics cards with less memory stay usable for longer. Ethereum Classic thus became one of the main destinations for miners after Ethereum mining ended.
Etchash can be mined with graphics cards or with dedicated ASICs, such as the Antminer E9 Pro, which are far more efficient. With a GPU, the amount of VRAM is the first criterion: the DAG grows over time and eventually rules out cards with too little memory. Hashrate is expressed in MH/s for a graphics card and in GH/s for an ASIC.
Our Ethereum Classic collection brings together the Etchash miners we offer.