Dec 18, 20254 min readComparisons & MatricesIntermediate

Ergo vs Ravencoin: Tokens on PoW – Basic vs Full DeFi

From simple asset issuance to a full PoW DeFi platform.

Ergo

Ravencoin

tokens

PoW

DeFi

asset issuance

smart contracts

privacy

storage rent

Infographic titled “Ergo vs Ravencoin: Tokens on PoW – Basic vs Full DeFi”. On the left, Ergo powers a network of DEXes, stablecoins, lending and programmable DeFi built on native tokens. On the right, Ravencoin focuses on simple asset issuance and transfers, with three comparison panels for token model, smart contracts & DeFi, and privacy & advanced features.

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About This Infographic

This infographic compares two PoW chains that support tokens: Ergo and Ravencoin. Both enable native assets on top of proof-of-work security, but they aim at very different levels of complexity and programmability.

On Ergo, native tokens live at the eUTXO level and integrate directly with smart contracts, enabling DEXes, stablecoins, lending protocols and complex programmable DeFi flows with privacy and storage rent.

On Ravencoin, the emphasis is on straightforward token issuance and transfers on PoW, without a general-purpose smart-contract environment or the same depth of on-chain DeFi and protocol-level features.

Token Model on PoW

Ergo: Native tokens at the eUTXO level, integrated tightly with contracts and box-level logic.
Ravencoin: Native asset issuance and transfers on PoW, optimized for simple token creation and movement.
The token model determines whether assets can participate deeply in DeFi logic or mainly serve as transferable markers.

Smart Contracts & DeFi

Ergo: Full DeFi stack on L1—DEXes, stablecoins, lending and other protocols built with ErgoScript and Sigma.
Ravencoin: No general-purpose smart-contract environment, so DeFi functionality is limited.
Developers seeking rich PoW-native DeFi primitives will find more expressiveness on Ergo.

Privacy & Advanced Features

Ergo: Programmable privacy, storage rent and other research-driven features extend what token-based systems can do on-chain.
Ravencoin: Focuses primarily on token issuance rather than advanced protocol mechanics or privacy extensions.
These advanced features shape how suitable each chain is for long-term, privacy-aware financial applications.

Key Points

Both Ergo and Ravencoin support native tokens secured by PoW, but with different design goals.

Ergo models tokens at the eUTXO level and ties them into contracts, making them first-class citizens in DeFi protocols.

Ravencoin focuses on simple native asset issuance and movement rather than advanced protocol mechanics.

Ergo offers a full DeFi stack including DEXes, stablecoins, lending and complex contract logic.

Ravencoin does not provide a general-purpose smart-contract environment for DeFi.

Ergo adds programmable privacy, storage rent and other research-driven features on top of its token system.

How to Read This Infographic

01.

Start with the main visual: on the left, an Ergo-based web of DEXes, stablecoins, lending and programmable DeFi; on the right, Ravencoin’s streamlined asset-issuance focus.

02.

Then examine the three panels at the bottom—token model, smart contracts & DeFi, and privacy & advanced features—to understand how each project treats tokens and what can be built with them.

03.

Use these comparisons to decide whether you need basic PoW token issuance or a full programmable DeFi platform with privacy and long-term protocol features.

Usage Guidelines

• You can use this infographic in presentations, blog posts, or educational materials
• Please keep the attribution link to ergoblockchain.org
• For custom branding or editable files, contact the Ergo community

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    alt="Infographic titled “Ergo vs Ravencoin: Tokens on PoW – Basic vs Full DeFi”. On the left, Ergo powers a network of DEXes, stablecoins, lending and programmable DeFi built on native tokens. On the right, Ravencoin focuses on simple asset issuance and transfers, with three comparison panels for token model, smart contracts & DeFi, and privacy & advanced features."
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