What is proof of work in the context of cryptocurrencies?

3 answers

• Mohsen HashemiJun 27, 2025 · 25 days ago
  Proof of work is a consensus mechanism used in cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. It involves miners solving complex mathematical puzzles to validate transactions and add them to the blockchain. This process requires a significant amount of computational power and energy. The first miner to solve the puzzle gets rewarded with newly minted coins. Proof of work is important because it ensures the security and integrity of the blockchain by making it difficult and costly to manipulate the transaction history.
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• Mehdi BenhadriaApr 09, 2023 · 2 years ago
  Proof of work is like a virtual race where miners compete to solve mathematical puzzles. The puzzles are designed to be difficult to solve, but easy to verify. This ensures that miners have to put in real computational effort to validate transactions. The concept of proof of work was introduced to prevent double-spending and ensure that the majority of miners agree on the state of the blockchain. It has been the backbone of many cryptocurrencies, but it's also criticized for its energy consumption.
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• max linderJul 06, 2020 · 5 years ago
  Proof of work is a consensus algorithm used by cryptocurrencies to achieve distributed consensus. It was first introduced by Bitcoin and has since been adopted by many other cryptocurrencies. In proof of work, miners compete to solve a mathematical puzzle, and the first one to solve it gets to add a new block to the blockchain. This process ensures that transactions are validated and added to the blockchain in a secure and decentralized manner. However, proof of work has its limitations, such as high energy consumption and the possibility of 51% attacks.
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