General
Beginner
Updated 1/15/2025
What is
Fair Competition?
Equal opportunity for all participants without insider advantages. Ergo's fair launch, ASIC-resistance, and MEV-resistance embody this principle.
Fair competition in blockchain means creating equal opportunity for all participants without privileged access or insider advantages. Ergo exemplifies this through: fair launch (no pre-mine, no ICO, no VC allocation), ASIC-resistant mining (anyone with a GPU can participate), MEV-resistance (transactions can't be front-run), and open-source development (anyone can contribute). This contrasts with blockchains that had large pre-mines, private sales to VCs, or mining algorithms that favor specialized hardware manufacturers.
Key Points
- No pre-mine or insider token allocation
- No VC or private sale advantages
- ASIC-resistant GPU mining for all
- MEV-resistance prevents front-running
- Open source - anyone can contribute
- Level playing field from day one
Use Cases
1
Evaluating blockchain fairness and decentralization
2
Understanding tokenomics and distribution
3
Comparing project launch models
4
Assessing long-term value distribution
Technical Details
Ergo's fair competition mechanisms: 1) Genesis block had no pre-mined coins - all ERG comes from mining, 2) Autolykos algorithm prevents ASIC advantages, 3) eUTXO model prevents MEV extraction that plagues Ethereum, 4) Permissionless - anyone can mine, build, or participate, 5) Transparent development on GitHub.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Questions about Fair Competition
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
What is MEV resistance and why does Ergo have it?
MEV (Maximal Extractable Value) is profit extracted by reordering, inserting, or censoring transactions - think front-running and sandwich attacks. Ergo's eUTXO model provides structural MEV resistance: transactions reference specific boxes (UTXOs), making reordering attacks much harder. There's no shared global state to exploit like in account-based chains.
Explainer
Technology