What is EthereumPoW (ETHW)?

Quick Facts

  • Type: Proof-of-Work hard fork of Ethereum
  • Launched: September 2022, one day after The Merge
  • Native token: ETHW, used for gas and miner rewards
  • Consensus: Proof-of-Work (PoW) via GPU mining
  • Replay protection: EIP-155 implemented at launch
  • Governance: Fully community-driven since 2023
  • Compatibility: Supports Ethereum-compatible smart contracts and dApps

Introduction

EthereumPoW (ETHW) is an independent blockchain and the native cryptocurrency created to preserve the original proof-of-work version of Ethereum. When Ethereum transitioned to proof-of-stake, a segment of the community — miners, developers, and PoW advocates — chose to continue running the original mining-based chain.

The result was ETHW: a live, community-governed blockchain that retains the Ethereum codebase while keeping miners at the center of network security.

History & Background

In September 2022, Ethereum completed The Merge, shifting from energy-intensive proof-of-work to proof-of-stake. This made GPU mining on Ethereum obsolete overnight.

A coalition of miners and developers, prominently including crypto industry veteran Chandler Guo, responded by forking the pre-Merge Ethereum chain. The ETHW mainnet went live the day after The Merge. The project was initially guided by an 'ETHW Core' team, which later dissolved in late 2023, transitioning governance entirely to the community.

How EthereumPoW Works

EthereumPoW operates as its own independent public blockchain, not a token on Ethereum. It uses the same proof-of-work mining model that Ethereum originally used — miners compete to solve computational puzzles, validate transactions, and earn ETHW rewards.

The network is EVM-compatible, meaning smart contracts and decentralized applications written for Ethereum can run on ETHW. It also implements EIP-155 replay protection to prevent transactions from being replicated across chains.

Tokenomics

ETHW was distributed at the time of the fork based on a snapshot of Ethereum wallet balances. Anyone holding ETH in self-custody during The Merge automatically received an equivalent amount of ETHW on the new chain.

New ETHW is issued as block rewards to miners who secure the network. The economic model mirrors early Ethereum: mining incentives drive participation, and transaction fees are paid in ETHW. There are no staking pools or validator bonds — security comes from raw computational power.

Circulating supply ? 107.82 million ETHW
Total supply ? 107.82 million ETHW
Max supply ? -- ETHW
Updated 2w ago

Ecosystem & Use Cases

Because ETHW is EVM-compatible, it supports a range of decentralized applications including DeFi protocols, NFT platforms, and token contracts. The ecosystem has grown to host numerous dApps that benefit from a familiar development environment.

Mining pools track and support ETHW, giving GPU miners a continued revenue stream following Ethereum's shift away from PoW.

Team, Governance & Community

EthereumPoW launched as a community-led initiative and has since become fully decentralized. After the ETHW Core team stepped back in 2023, governance moved entirely to sovereign developers and community participants.

The project is active on Twitter/X (@EthereumPoW), Telegram, and Discord, where mining updates and technical developments are regularly shared.

Advantages

  • Proven security model: PoW is a battle-tested consensus mechanism with decades of history.
  • EVM compatibility: Developers can port Ethereum dApps with minimal friction.
  • Miner accessibility: Standard GPU rigs used for Ethereum mining can secure the ETHW network.
  • Decentralized governance: No central team controls protocol decisions.
  • Replay protection: EIP-155 ensures cross-chain transaction safety.

Risks & Challenges

  • Limited adoption: ETHW remains a niche chain with lower liquidity and ecosystem activity than Ethereum.
  • 51% attack risk: A smaller hash rate relative to Bitcoin or legacy Ethereum makes the network more vulnerable to majority attacks.
  • Competitive pressure: Ethereum Classic (ETC) competes directly for PoW miners and developers.
  • Stablecoin limitations: Major stablecoins backed by real-world assets cannot be natively supported on the forked chain.
  • Regulatory uncertainty: PoW blockchains face increasing scrutiny in some jurisdictions due to energy consumption.

Long-Term Vision

EthereumPoW aims to establish itself as a viable, permanent alternative for those who believe in the proof-of-work model for security and decentralization. The project's goal is to maintain a robust mining community while expanding its dApp ecosystem for developers who prefer PoW infrastructure.

Whether PoW Ethereum can carve out a lasting niche alongside proof-of-stake chains remains the central question — but the network's community-driven resilience since 2022 shows it intends to keep answering that question.

Frequently Asked Questions

EthereumPoW (ETHW) is an independent blockchain that forked from Ethereum in September 2022 to preserve proof-of-work mining after Ethereum switched to proof-of-stake. ETHW is its native token, used for gas fees and miner rewards.

It was created by miners and developers who opposed Ethereum's shift to proof-of-stake. The goal was to give GPU miners a continued revenue stream and to preserve the original mining-based Ethereum chain.

Ethereum (ETH) now uses proof-of-stake consensus, where validators lock up tokens to secure the network. ETHW uses proof-of-work, where miners use computing power to validate transactions and earn rewards.

ETHW was distributed via a snapshot of Ethereum wallet balances at the time of The Merge in September 2022. Anyone holding ETH in self-custody at that moment automatically received an equivalent balance of ETHW.

Yes. EthereumPoW is EVM-compatible, meaning Ethereum smart contracts and decentralized applications can run on the ETHW chain with minimal changes. However, stablecoins backed by real-world assets are not natively supported.

EthereumPoW is fully community-governed. The original ETHW Core team dissolved in late 2023, leaving protocol decisions in the hands of the broader developer and miner community.

Key risks include a smaller hash rate making the network more susceptible to 51% attacks, limited liquidity and ecosystem activity compared to Ethereum, and competition from Ethereum Classic for PoW users.

ETHW can be mined using the same GPU rigs previously used for Ethereum mining. Miners join mining pools, contribute hash power, and earn ETHW as block rewards in return for securing the network.