Dec 14, 20255 min readComparisons & MatricesIntermediate

Ergo vs Major L1s – Feature Checklist

Consensus, launch, privacy, storage rent, MEV — all in one table.

Ergo

Bitcoin

Ethereum

Cardano

Monero

Zcash

Solana

CBDCs

VC chains

fair launch

consensus

storage rent

MEV

privacy

Feature matrix titled “Ergo vs Major L1s – Feature Checklist”, comparing Bitcoin, Ethereum, Cardano, Monero, Zcash, Solana, a typical VC chain, CBDCs and Ergo across rows like consensus, launch & distribution, state model, smart contracts, L1 privacy, storage rent, MEV resistance, light clients and censorship resistance, with the Ergo column highlighted in vibrant green.

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About This Infographic

This infographic condenses the design choices of major L1s into a single feature checklist, covering consensus, launch model, state model, smart contracts, L1 privacy, storage rent, MEV resistance, light clients and censorship resistance.

Each column represents a chain such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, Cardano, Monero, Zcash, Solana, a typical VC-style chain, CBDCs and Ergo, while each row shows how strongly that chain supports a particular feature, from red (absent or weak) to vibrant green (strong or ideal within its narrative).

The Ergo column is highlighted to show how fair-launch PoW, eUTXO with ErgoScript and Sigma extensions, L1 Sigma-based privacy, built-in storage rent and MEV-aware design combine into a unique mix that differs from both Bitcoin-style payment chains and VC-driven smart-contract platforms.

Consensus, Launch & State Model

Shows how each chain approaches consensus (PoW, PoS, central-bank issuance, VC-driven PoS/DPoS) and launch model (fair launch vs ICO, premine, foundation or central bank).
Highlights the difference between account models, eUTXO, privacy-focused ledgers and centralized account balances.
Ergo: PoW Autolykos with GPU-friendly, ASIC-resistant mining, a fair launch with no ICO or VC and an eUTXO state model extended with Sigma logic.

Smart Contracts, Privacy & Sustainability

Compares smart-contract depth from limited scripting through full EVM stacks to Sigma-based DeFi programming.
Shows where L1 privacy is absent, opt-in, payment-only or fully programmable at the contract layer.
Summarizes sustainability mechanisms such as the presence or absence of protocol-level storage rent and the resulting state-bloat or issuer-driven rewrites; Ergo stands out with built-in storage rent on inactive boxes.

MEV, Light Clients & Censorship Resistance

Evaluates MEV resistance, from low-MEV payment chains to high-MEV DeFi platforms and MEV-aware eUTXO designs.
Compares light-client and SPV options, from heavy RPC reliance to NiPoPoWs and mobile-friendly wallets.
Contrasts censorship resistance across PoW, PoS and centralized designs—showing Ergo’s high PoW-based resistance versus the weaker guarantees of foundation or issuer-controlled systems.

Key Points

The matrix compares nine different L1 designs across core categories such as consensus, launch & distribution, state model and smart contracts.

Bitcoin scores well on PoW security and censorship resistance but lacks L1 privacy, storage rent and rich smart contracts.

Ethereum, Cardano and Solana provide strong smart-contract capabilities but rely on PoS, VC or foundation-heavy launches and account-model or parallel-account state designs.

Monero and Zcash focus on payment privacy but have limited programmability or require trusted setups.

CBDCs and typical VC chains cluster toward centralized launches, transparent or issuer-visible ledgers and weaker censorship resistance.

Ergo combines fair-launch PoW Autolykos, eUTXO with ErgoScript and Sigma extensions, programmable L1 privacy, built-in storage rent, MEV-aware eUTXO and NiPoPoWs + SPV for light clients, while preserving strong censorship resistance.

How to Read This Infographic

01.

Scan each row to understand the feature being evaluated (consensus, launch & distribution, state model, smart contracts, L1 privacy, storage rent, MEV resistance, light clients and censorship resistance).

02.

Move across the row to see how each chain scores, using the color legend from red (0) to vibrant green (3) to gauge relative strength or absence.

03.

Pay special attention to the highlighted Ergo column to see how its combination of features differs both from Bitcoin-style sound-money chains and from VC-driven smart-contract platforms or CBDCs.

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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