What is EthereumPoW (ETHW)?

Deep Dive

1. Purpose & Value Proposition

ETHW exists primarily to continue the Ethereum blockchain under its original proof-of-work (PoW) consensus model. This was a direct community response to Ethereum's landmark upgrade, known as "The Merge," which transitioned the network to proof-of-stake (PoS) on September 15, 2022. A hard fork is a permanent divergence in a blockchain, creating two separate networks. The ETHW fork was driven by participants who believed in the security and decentralization of the PoW model, aiming to preserve the pre-Merge Ethereum ecosystem for miners and users who preferred that system (CoinMarketCap).

2. Technology & Architecture

Technically, EthereumPoW is a near-identical copy of the Ethereum blockchain state up to the block of The Merge. It maintains the same core architecture, smart contract functionality, and address system. The key technical difference is the sustained use of the Ethash mining algorithm, which requires miners to solve complex computational puzzles to validate transactions and create new blocks. The project's core team disabled Ethereum's "difficulty bomb" (a mechanism designed to gradually make PoW mining harder) and made minor adjustments to ensure the chain's sustainability under PoW (EthereumPoW FAQs).

3. Tokenomics & Governance

ETHW tokens were distributed via a 1:1 airdrop to anyone holding ETH in a self-custodied wallet at the time of The Merge snapshot. With a total and circulating supply of approximately 107.8 million tokens, ETHW functions as the native gas and utility token on its own chain, similar to how ETH operates on Ethereum. The project is community-led by a volunteer group called ETHW Core, describing itself as "geeks and crypto investors from all over the world who believe in proof-of-work." Development and governance are donation-based and rely on contributor participation (EthereumPoW FAQs).

Conclusion

EthereumPoW is fundamentally a community-led effort to preserve Ethereum's original proof-of-work blockchain as a separate, living network following a philosophical split over consensus mechanisms. Can it evolve a distinct utility and ecosystem beyond its origin as a fork?