Mining
Beginner
Updated 11/26/2025
What is
Autolykos?
Ergo's memory-hard, ASIC-resistant Proof-of-Work mining algorithm designed to keep mining accessible to consumer GPUs.
Autolykos is Ergo's Proof-of-Work consensus algorithm, currently in version 2. It's memory-hard (requiring ~2.5GB RAM), making ASIC development economically unfeasible while remaining efficient on consumer GPUs. This design promotes mining decentralization by preventing hardware monopolies.
Key Points
- Memory-hard: requires ~2.5GB GPU RAM
- ASIC-resistant by economic design, not algorithm obscurity
- GPU-friendly: efficient on consumer graphics cards
- Autolykos v2: removed pool resistance, enabling traditional pools
- ~2 minute block time target
- Difficulty adjustment every epoch
Use Cases
1
Solo mining with consumer GPUs
2
Pool mining for consistent rewards
3
Decentralized network security
4
Fair distribution of new ERG
Technical Details
Autolykos v2 uses a memory-hard function based on Blake2b256 hashing with a large lookup table (~2.5GB). Miners must find a nonce where hash(block_header || nonce || solution) meets difficulty. The solution requires accessing random table elements, making memory bandwidth the bottleneck rather than raw compute.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Questions about Autolykos
Common questions about this topic
Why does Ergo's fair launch matter?
Ergo had no pre-mine, no ICO, no VC allocation. 100% of ERG comes from mining. This means no insiders dumping on you, no VCs controlling governance, no foundation with majority stake. Fair launch creates genuine decentralization - the network belongs to miners and users, not early investors seeking exit liquidity.
Philosophy
Philosophy
What is the best GPU for Ergo mining?
For Ergo mining, GPUs with high memory bandwidth perform best. Popular choices include NVIDIA RTX 3060 Ti, 3070, 3080, and AMD RX 6800 XT. Minimum 4GB VRAM required. The best GPU depends on your budget, electricity cost, and availability. Efficiency (hashrate per watt) matters more than raw hashrate.
Explainer
Mining
What is Autolykos and how does it work?
Autolykos is Ergo's memory-hard Proof-of-Work algorithm designed for GPU mining. It requires significant RAM (currently ~2.5GB), making ASIC development uneconomical. Autolykos v2 (current version) allows pool mining while maintaining ASIC resistance. The algorithm promotes decentralization by keeping mining accessible to consumer hardware.
Explainer
Mining
Why is Ergo sustainable long-term?
Ergo is designed for 100+ year sustainability through three pillars: Autolykos mining (fair, ASIC-resistant), NiPoPoWs (efficient light clients), and storage rent (prevents bloat, funds miners). Unlike chains that depend on infinite growth, Ergo's economics work even with stable or declining usage.
Explainer
Philosophy