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.
ETHW Mining: What It Is, How It Works, and Why It Matters
When Ethereum switched from proof-of-work to proof-of-stake in 2022, most miners left. But not everyone. ETHW, the original Ethereum chain that continued using proof-of-work after the merge. Also known as EthereumPoW, it’s the last active version of Ethereum that still relies on miners to validate transactions and secure the network. Unlike Ethereum (ETH), which now runs on staked coins, ETHW depends on GPU rigs, electricity, and hash power—just like Bitcoin did in its early days.
ETHW mining isn’t just a relic. It’s a live, functioning blockchain with its own community, exchanges, and mining pools. Miners who stuck with it did so because they believed in the original Ethereum vision: decentralized, open, and powered by real computational work. The chain still processes transactions, supports smart contracts, and even has its own version of DeFi apps. But here’s the catch—ETHW has no official backing. No team, no roadmap, no marketing budget. It survives because miners keep running nodes and users keep sending transactions.
What makes ETHW different from other post-merge chains? It’s the only one that kept the old mining algorithm (Ethash) and block structure. That means any GPU miner who owned an NVIDIA 3080 or AMD 6700 XT before the merge can still plug in and start earning. You don’t need to stake 32 ETH. You don’t need to run a validator node. You just need hardware, a cooling setup, and a mining pool like Ethermine or 2Miners. The reward? Around 2 ETHW per block, paid out in real-time. But the value? It’s volatile. At its peak, ETHW hit $15. Today, it trades under $1. That’s why miners aren’t chasing riches—they’re chasing continuity.
Some call ETHW a zombie chain. Others call it a protest. Either way, it’s still alive. And it’s not alone. Chains like Ravencoin and Ergo also run on proof-of-work, but ETHW is unique because it carries the Ethereum name, history, and codebase. It’s the digital equivalent of a classic car still running on old fuel—no upgrades, no modern features, but it still gets you where you need to go.
Behind ETHW mining is a quiet but stubborn group of people: former Ethereum miners, crypto purists who distrust staking, and developers who still believe in work-based consensus. They’re not trying to replace Ethereum. They’re keeping a version of it alive. And if you’re curious about how mining works in practice—how rigs are set up, how payouts work, how the network stays secure—you’ll find real-world examples below. From Nigeria’s underground mining setups to miners in Iran using surplus power, the stories aren’t theoretical. They’re happening right now.