General
Beginner
What is
Blockchain?
A distributed, immutable ledger that records transactions across a network of computers without central authority.
A blockchain is a decentralized database shared across network nodes. Transactions are grouped into blocks, cryptographically linked in chronological order. Once recorded, data cannot be altered without changing all subsequent blocks, making blockchains tamper-resistant. Ergo is a PoW blockchain optimized for smart contracts and long-term sustainability.
Key Points
- Decentralized - no single point of control
- Immutable - transactions cannot be reversed
- Transparent - anyone can verify the ledger
- Secure - cryptographically protected
- Consensus-driven - network agrees on state
- Permissionless - anyone can participate
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Frequently Asked Questions
Questions about Blockchain
Common questions about this topic
Is Ergo a good investment?
This is not financial advice. Ergo has strong fundamentals: fair launch (no VC dump risk), innovative technology (eUTXO, Sigma Protocols, NiPoPoWs), active development, and a cypherpunk ethos. It's a smaller market cap project with higher risk/reward than established chains. Research thoroughly, understand the technology, and never invest more than you can afford to lose.
Comparison
Getting Started
How to get started with Ergo?
Start by getting a wallet (Nautilus for browser, Terminus for mobile). Back up your seed phrase securely offline. Get some ERG from an exchange (Gate.io, KuCoin) or DEX (Spectrum). Make a test transaction. Then explore: try DeFi on Spectrum, check out NFTs, or dive into the technology if you're a builder.
How-to
Getting Started
What is storage rent on Ergo?
Storage rent is Ergo's solution to state bloat. Boxes (UTXOs) that remain unspent for 4+ years can have a small fee deducted by miners. This incentivizes cleaning up unused state, provides long-term miner revenue after emission ends, and keeps the blockchain sustainable. Lost coins eventually return to circulation instead of being locked forever.
Explainer
Technology
What can I do with Ergo?
Ergo supports a full ecosystem: trade on Spectrum DEX, use SigmaUSD stablecoin, mix transactions with ErgoMixer, collect NFTs on SkyHarbor, mine with GPUs, lend/borrow on DuckPools, bridge to other chains via Rosen, and build dApps with ErgoScript. It's a complete platform for decentralized finance and applications.
Explainer
Getting Started