Mining#
Mining in the context of cryptocurrency such as Dash refers to the process of searching for solutions to cryptographically difficult problems as a method of securing blocks on the blockchain. The process of mining creates new currency tokens as a reward to the miner. Mining is possible on a range of hardware. Dash implements an algorithm known as X11, which the miner must solve in order to earn rewards. A number of X11 ASICs are available on the market, which help make Dash secure against brute force attacks on the blockchain.
The profitability of mining is determined by the hashrate of your mining device, the current network difficulty and the costs of your hardware and electricity. The following links provide up to date information:
Masternodes vs. Mining#
Dash, like Bitcoin and most other cryptocurrencies, is based on a decentralized ledger of all transactions, known as a blockchain. This blockchain is secured through a consensus mechanism; in the case of both Dash and Bitcoin, the consensus mechanism is Proof of Work (PoW). Miners attempt to solve difficult problems with specialized computers, and when they solve the problem, they receive the right to add a new block to the blockchain. If all the other people running the software agree that the problem was solved correctly, the block is added to the blockchain and the miner is rewarded.
Dash works a little differently from Bitcoin, however, because it has a two-tier network. The second tier is powered by masternodes (Full Nodes), which enable financial privacy (CoinJoin), instant transactions (InstantSend), and the decentralized governance and budget system. Because this second tier is so important, masternodes are also rewarded when miners discover new blocks. The breakdown is as follows: 80% of the block subsidy is split between the miner and a masternode per the distribution found here, while 20% is reserved for the budget system (created by superblocks every month).
The masternode system is referred to as Proof of Service (PoSe), since the masternodes provide crucial services to the network. In fact, the entire network is overseen by the masternodes, which have the power to reject improperly formed blocks from miners. If a miner tried to take the entire block reward for themselves or tried to run an old version of the Dash software, the masternode network would orphan that block, and it would not be added to the blockchain.
In short, miners power the first tier, which is the basic sending and receiving of funds and prevention of doublespending. Masternodes power the second tier, which provide the added features that make Dash different from other cryptocurrencies. Masternodes do not mine, and mining computers cannot serve as masternodes. Additionally, each masternode is “secured” by 1000 DASH. Those DASH remain under the sole control of their owner at all times, and can still be freely spent. The funds are not locked in any way. However, if the funds are moved or spent, the associated masternode will go offline and stop receiving rewards.
Mining Pools#
Mining Dash in pools is more likely to generate rewards than solo mining directly on the blockchain. Mining dash using P2Pool is strongly encouraged, since it is a good way to distribute, rather than centralize, the hashing power.
If you would like to set up your own P2Pool, documentation of the process is available here and the code for p2pool-dash is available on GitHub. Other mining pools are listed below and may be advantageous for different reasons such as ping latency, uptime, fee, users, etc. A guide to using a typical mining pool can be found here.
DISCLAIMER: This list is provided for informational purposes only. Services listed here have not been evaluated or endorsed by the Dash developers and no guarantees are made as to the accuracy of this information. Please exercise discretion when using third-party services. If you’d like to be added to this list, please open an issue on the GitHub repository.
In addition to joining a pool, you will also need to create a Dash address to receive your payout. To do this in Dash Core wallet, see here.
ASIC Mining#
ASIC stands for Application-Specific Integrated Circuit and describes a type of processor that is designed for one purpose only. ASICs are a popular choice for mining cryptocurrency because they can offer a higher efficiency than CPU or GPU miners, resulting in higher profit.
Please note that the information on this page may become obsolete very quickly due to the rapidly changing market and difficulty of mining Dash. You are responsible for carrying out your own research and any listing on this page should not be considered an endorsement of any particular product. A good place to begin your research is the mining section of the Dash Forums.
The following X11 ASIC miners are available on the market today, click the product name to visit the manufacturer’s website:
Name |
Hash rate |
Power |
Weight |
Dimensions (mm) |
Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
119 GH/s ±5% |
1566 W |
7.5 kg |
486 x 265 x 388 |
$1,180 |
|
540 GH/s ±10% |
4400 W |
19.5 kg |
640 x 525 x 185 |
$7,000 |
|
420 GH/s ±8% |
2100 W |
8.5 kg |
370 x 135 x 208 |
ASIC resellers may also have miners available: