EthereumPoW (ETHW) is a proof-of-work fork of Ethereum created after The Merge in 2022. It lets miners continue using GPUs, but its value, security, and adoption are rapidly declining.
Ethereum PoW fork: What Happened and Why It Matters
When Ethereum moved from Ethereum PoW fork, a blockchain split that preserved the original proof-of-work mining chain after Ethereum’s mainnet switched to proof-of-stake. Also known as Ethereum Classic, it was never meant to be the future — but for a while, it kept the old system alive. This wasn’t just a technical change. It was a philosophical divide. One side believed in immutability — no matter what. The other believed in progress — even if it meant leaving mining behind.
The Ethereum proof-of-work, the original consensus method that used powerful computers to solve complex math problems and validate transactions was the backbone of Ethereum until September 2022. Miners poured millions into hardware, paid for electricity, and ran rigs 24/7. When Ethereum switched to proof-of-stake, a system where validators lock up ETH to secure the network instead of using energy-hungry hardware, those miners had a choice: quit or keep going on a forked chain. Most chose to leave. But a small group kept mining the old chain — creating the Ethereum PoW fork. It wasn’t a new coin at first. It was the same Ethereum, just frozen in time.
That fork didn’t last. The network lost hash power fast. Exchanges didn’t list it. Developers didn’t build on it. Wallets stopped supporting it. What was left was a ghost chain — barely used, barely secure, and slowly dying. The few who kept mining it were either loyalists, speculators hoping for a rebound, or people who didn’t understand the risks. Meanwhile, Ethereum’s main chain soared — cheaper, faster, and greener.
What you’ll find here are real stories from that time: how miners reacted, how users got caught in the split, and why the Ethereum PoW fork collapsed under its own weight. You’ll see how it connects to other blockchain forks, why mining communities fight to preserve old systems, and what lessons it teaches about change in crypto. No theory. No fluff. Just what happened, who it affected, and why it’s still worth remembering.