General
Beginner
What is
Decentralization?
Distribution of control across many participants rather than concentration in a single authority.
Decentralization means no single entity controls the network. In blockchain, this is achieved through distributed nodes, open participation, and consensus mechanisms. Ergo prioritizes decentralization via ASIC-resistant mining (Autolykos), fair launch (no pre-mine), and accessible full nodes (NiPoPoWs, storage rent).
Key Points
- No single point of failure
- Censorship-resistant by design
- Fair launch ensures no insider control
- ASIC-resistance keeps mining accessible
- Storage rent prevents state bloat
- NiPoPoWs enable light node participation
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Frequently Asked Questions
Questions about Decentralization
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 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
Is Ergo safe and secure?
Yes, Ergo is highly secure. It uses Proof-of-Work (the same security model as Bitcoin), has never been hacked, and the eUTXO model eliminates entire classes of smart contract vulnerabilities. The code is open-source and peer-reviewed. Your security also depends on proper seed phrase management.
Explainer
Getting Started