CPU Mining for all

Central Processing Units (CPUs) and Application-Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs) are both used for mining cryptocurrencies. However, CPUs are general-purpose processors, while ASICs are specialized hardware designed specifically for mining.

Bitcoin began as a CPU mineable coin and its unclear if Satoshi Nakamoto ever intended it to be mined with ASICs when he released the whitepaper.

The growth of a CPU mineable coin creates a positive feedback loop in which the increasing value of the coin incentivizes more people to mine with their existing CPUs, drawing in more users and increasing usage. This, in turn, pushes up the price of the coin further, incentivizing even more people to CPU mine.

In contrast, the growth of ASIC mining is often limited by the concentration of mining power into a few groups. While these groups can increase their mining power with more ASICs, this does not necessarily invite new users. Instead, it often just increases the difficulty among the few large established miners, thus not increasing the user base much.

In a scenario where large percentages of the global population use CPU mining CPU mineable coins are arguablye safer from 51% attacks than ASICs. This is because it is much harder to control 51% of the CPU power than 51% of the limited number of proprietary ASICs created and owned by a handful of companies.

In a CPU mineable coin scenario, the widespread use of CPUs means that there are a large number of independent miners, each with relatively low hashing power. This makes it much more difficult for any one miner or group of miners to gain control of the network and execute a 51% attack.

In contrast, ASICs are typically owned and operated by a small number of individuals or groups who have invested heavily in the hardware. This concentration of mining power creates a higher risk of 51% attacks, as it only takes a small number of actors to control a significant portion of the network’s hashrate.

• Availability: CPUs are found in almost all electronic devices, such as desktops, laptops, smartphones, tablets, and even some appliances, making them widely available. In contrast, ASICs are not as widely available and are only designed for mining, limiting their functionality and versatility.
• Affordability: CPUs are relatively affordable and accessible to most people. They are commonly used for everyday computing tasks, and the cost of acquiring one is relatively low compared to ASICs. ASICs, on the other hand, are expensive and require significant investment, making them less accessible to the average user.
• Accessibility: CPUs are easy to use and can be quickly set up for mining by anyone with basic computer skills. In contrast, ASICs require technical expertise to operate and maintain, making them more challenging to use.
• Repurposability: CPU coins can be repurposed to perform other useful tasks such as scientific research or data analysis, making them more productive than just being used for mining. This feature not only increases the overall productivity of the network but also enables users to subsidize the cost of upgrading their computers. ASICs, however, are designed only for mining and cannot be repurposed for other tasks.

The best CPU mineable coins available today are Monero (XMR ) and Wownero ( Wow )