The world of blockchain and cryptocurrencies continues to evolve, driven by innovation, community values, and ideological shifts. One such evolution is EthereumPoW (ETHW), a hard fork of the original Ethereum blockchain that preserves the Proof of Work (PoW) consensus mechanism. While mainstream Ethereum transitioned to Proof of Stake in 2022, ETHW emerged as a response from miners and decentralization advocates who believed in maintaining the original mining-based model.
This article explores what EthereumPoW is, how it functions, its tokenomics, use cases, and future outlook—offering a comprehensive guide for investors, miners, and crypto enthusiasts interested in this resilient blockchain alternative.
What Is EthereumPoW?
On September 15, 2022, Ethereum completed "The Merge," shifting from energy-intensive Proof of Work to the more energy-efficient Proof of Stake model. While celebrated for reducing environmental impact and improving scalability, this transition rendered thousands of miners obsolete overnight.
In response, EthereumPoW (ETHW) was created—a direct continuation of the pre-Merge Ethereum chain. It retains the PoW consensus model, allowing miners to continue validating transactions and earning rewards. ETHW isn't just a nostalgic throwback; it's a deliberate effort to preserve decentralization through distributed mining power.
At its core, EthereumPoW combines the powerful smart contract functionality of Ethereum with the battle-tested security of PoW. This makes it a compelling option for developers and users who value open participation and resistance to centralization.
👉 Discover how blockchain mining can still thrive in a Proof-of-Stake world.
The Team Behind EthereumPoW
EthereumPoW is not driven by a corporate entity but by a decentralized group of developers, miners, and blockchain advocates. The initiative is spearheaded by Chandler Guo, a well-known figure in the mining community and long-time proponent of PoW systems. Other key contributors include Kevin Wang, David Li, and Peter Zhang, all of whom share a vision for an open, permissionless blockchain ecosystem.
This team believes that the pre-Merge version of Ethereum—with its miner-driven validation—remains one of the most promising platforms for hosting decentralized applications (dApps). Their goal is to maintain and grow this legacy through continuous development and community engagement.
How Does EthereumPoW Work?
EthereumPoW operates on the same fundamental principles as Bitcoin and early Ethereum: miners use computational power to solve complex cryptographic puzzles, thereby validating blocks and securing the network.
Each time a block is successfully mined, the miner receives ETHW tokens as a reward. This incentivizes participation and ensures network integrity. Because ETHW uses PoW, it remains accessible to anyone with mining hardware—no large staking requirements or validator thresholds.
Unlike Ethereum 2.0, which relies on validators who stake ETH to participate, ETHW keeps the door open for grassroots involvement. This creates a more democratized system where individual miners still have a meaningful role.
Moreover, ETHW is a hard fork, meaning it permanently diverged from the main Ethereum chain. As such, the two networks are entirely independent—one governed by stakers, the other by miners.
ETHW: The Native Token of EthereumPoW
ETHW is the lifeblood of the EthereumPoW ecosystem. It serves multiple critical functions:
- Transaction fees: Users pay gas fees in ETHW to execute smart contracts or transfer assets.
- Mining rewards: Miners earn newly minted ETHW for securing the network.
- Governance participation: While still evolving, there are plans to expand ETHW’s role in decentralized governance.
- Value transfer: ETHW can be traded, stored, or used across supported wallets and exchanges.
By design, ETHW mirrors the utility of ETH before The Merge—offering full compatibility with existing Ethereum tooling, wallets (like MetaMask), and dApps.
ETHW Tokenomics: No Maximum Supply
One of the defining features of ETHW is its uncapped supply—just like Bitcoin and Litecoin. New ETHW tokens are introduced into circulation exclusively through mining, ensuring predictable issuance without centralized minting.
This contrasts with some modern blockchains that rely on inflationary models or pre-mined allocations. In ETHW’s case, scarcity is achieved through difficulty adjustments and mining competitiveness rather than artificial supply limits.
The initial distribution of ETHW was conducted via an airdrop at a 1:1 ratio to ETH and WETH holders at the time of the fork snapshot:
- 70% – Airdropped to ETH/WETH holders
- 20% – Reserved for the EthereumPoW team and advisors
- 10% – Allocated for marketing and ecosystem development
This fair launch approach helped ensure broad ownership and community support from day one.
👉 Learn how token distribution models impact long-term value and decentralization.
Use Cases of EthereumPoW
Despite being a fork, EthereumPoW supports nearly all the functionalities that made Ethereum popular:
- Smart contract execution: Developers can deploy self-executing contracts without modification.
- dApp development: Projects ranging from DeFi platforms to NFT marketplaces can run on ETHW.
- Decentralized finance (DeFi): Liquidity pools, lending protocols, and yield farming are fully operational.
- NFTs and gaming: Artists and game developers leverage ETHW for low-cost minting and transactions.
- Mining ecosystem: Provides ongoing opportunities for GPU and ASIC miners.
Because ETHW maintains compatibility with the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM), most tools, libraries, and frontends work out of the box—making migration easy for developers.
Future Roadmap: Scaling Security and Adoption
The EthereumPoW team has outlined clear goals for the network’s future:
1. Ecosystem Expansion
The team is actively encouraging developers to build on ETHW by offering grants, technical support, and visibility. The aim is to grow the number of active dApps and user-facing services on the network.
2. Improved Scalability
While PoW chains often face throughput limitations, ETHW developers are exploring layer-2 solutions and sidechains to enhance transaction speed and reduce fees—without compromising decentralization.
3. Enhanced Security
Security remains paramount. Regular audits, node incentivization programs, and anti-51% attack measures are being implemented to strengthen resilience against malicious actors.
4. Community Governance
Long-term plans include introducing decentralized governance mechanisms where ETHW holders can vote on protocol upgrades and funding proposals—further aligning with true decentralization principles.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: What is the difference between ETH and ETHW?
A: ETH refers to Ethereum post-Merge, which uses Proof of Stake. ETHW is a hard fork that continues using Proof of Work, allowing mining and preserving the pre-upgrade consensus model.
Q: Can I mine ETHW?
A: Yes. ETHW is mineable using standard GPU or ASIC mining rigs configured for Ethash or similar algorithms. It offers an alternative for miners no longer supported by Ethereum.
Q: How do I get ETHW tokens?
A: If you held ETH or WETH at the time of the fork snapshot, you were eligible for a 1:1 airdrop. Otherwise, ETHW can be purchased on various cryptocurrency exchanges.
Q: Is ETHW compatible with MetaMask and other wallets?
A: Yes. Since it’s EVM-compatible, you can use MetaMask, Trust Wallet, Ledger, and other standard tools by adding the correct network settings.
Q: Does ETHW have lower transaction fees than Ethereum?
A: Often yes. Due to less congestion and active mining competition, gas fees on ETHW tend to be significantly lower than on mainnet Ethereum.
Q: Is EthereumPoW secure?
A: Like any PoW chain, security depends on hash rate distribution. While smaller than Ethereum’s current network, ETHW maintains sufficient mining activity to deter attacks when properly monitored.
👉 See how decentralized networks empower users beyond traditional finance systems.