Scalability
Advanced
Updated 11/26/2025
What is
NiPoPoWs?
Non-Interactive Proofs of Proof-of-Work - cryptographic proofs that allow light clients to verify blockchain state without downloading the full chain.
NiPoPoWs (Non-Interactive Proofs of Proof-of-Work) are succinct cryptographic proofs that demonstrate a blockchain's cumulative work without requiring the full chain data. Ergo's implementation enables trustless light clients, cross-chain bridges, and sidechains by compressing proof-of-work verification into ~1MB proofs instead of gigabytes of blockchain data.
Key Points
- Compress PoW verification from gigabytes to ~1MB
- Enable trustless mobile wallets without full node
- Power cross-chain bridges without trusted intermediaries
- Based on 'superblocks' - blocks with extra-difficult PoW
- Logarithmic proof size relative to chain length
- Native support in Ergo's block headers
Use Cases
1
Mobile wallets that verify transactions without trusting servers
2
Trustless bridges to other blockchains (Bitcoin, Ethereum)
3
Sidechains with security inherited from mainnet
4
IoT devices with limited storage/bandwidth
Technical Details
NiPoPoWs work by sampling 'superblocks' - blocks whose hash has more leading zeros than required. These form a subchain that probabilistically represents the full chain's work. Ergo includes interlink vectors in block headers, enabling efficient proof generation. Proofs are verified by checking superblock connectivity and comparing cumulative difficulty.
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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
What are NiPoPoWs and why do they matter?
NiPoPoWs (Non-Interactive Proofs of Proof-of-Work) are cryptographic proofs that compress blockchain history. Instead of downloading gigabytes of blocks, light clients can verify the chain with just kilobytes of data. This enables true trustless light wallets, efficient cross-chain bridges, and sidechains - all without trusting third parties.
Explainer
Technology
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