E
vsC
Ergo vs CBDCs
Money Without Masters vs Programmable Control
Privacy by Design
Sigma Protocols for privacy vs total surveillance capability
Censorship Resistance
Permissionless transactions vs freezable, controllable money
No Expiration
Your money doesn't expire vs programmable expiration dates
Self-Custody
You hold your keys vs bank-controlled accounts
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Ergo | CBDCs |
|---|---|---|
| Consensus | PoW (Autolykos v2, GPU-friendly) | Centralized (permissioned) |
| Launch & Distribution | Fair launch: No ICO, no premine, no VC | 100% central bank controlled |
| State / Accounting Model | eUTXO (Programmable UTXO) | Account-based (centralized ledger) |
| Smart Contracts | ErgoScript + Sigma Protocols | Programmable restrictions |
| L1 Privacy | Programmable privacy (Sigma Protocols) | Full surveillance |
| Demurrage / Storage Rent | Storage rent on inactive boxes (~4+ years) | N/A (centralized) |
| MEV Resistance | MEV-aware design (eUTXO + local ordering) | N/A (no open market) |
| Fees & Finality | ~$0.01 fees; ~2 min blocks; stable PoW finality | No fees (but full control) |
| Light Clients | NiPoPoWs (trustless, ~1MB proofs) | N/A (centralized) |
| Censorship Resistance | Strong (PoW, no validators to pressure) | None (fully censorable) |
| Native Assets | Native L1 tokens (no wrapper contracts) | Single currency only |
indicates advantage in that category. Last updated: 2025-11-26
Deep Dive
Surveillance vs Privacy
CBDCs give central banks complete visibility into every transaction. They can track, analyze, and profile all spending. Ergo's Sigma Protocols enable privacy by default, with selective disclosure only when users choose.
Ergo Advantage
Financial privacy is a human right. Ergo protects it; CBDCs eliminate it.
Programmable Control
CBDCs can be programmed with spending restrictions, expiration dates, geographic limits, and approved merchant lists. Your money becomes a tool of control. Ergo's programmability serves users, not authorities.
Ergo Advantage
Smart contracts that empower users, not restrict them.
Financial Sovereignty
With CBDCs, your money exists at the pleasure of the central bank. It can be frozen, seized, or devalued at will. Ergo enables true self-custody where only you control your funds.
Ergo Advantage
Not your keys, not your coins. Ergo ensures your keys, your coins.
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