When you think of Ethereum, you probably think of smart contracts, DeFi, and fast blocks—but Ethereum Classic, the original Ethereum blockchain that refused to reverse the DAO hack. Also known as ETC, it’s the chain that chose immutability over expediency—and still runs today on proof of work. While Ethereum moved to proof of stake in 2022, Ethereum Classic held the line. That decision didn’t just change its tech—it changed its identity. ETC isn’t trying to be the future of finance. It’s trying to be the unchangeable ledger, the digital equivalent of a notarized contract you can’t rewrite, no matter the pressure.
That’s why proof of work, the mining system that keeps ETC secure without relying on staked tokens. Also known as PoW, it’s the core reason miners still run GPUs on this chain matters. Unlike Ethereum, which slashed its energy use by 99.95% after switching, ETC keeps mining alive. That means more decentralization in theory—but also more volatility in price and network hash rate. It’s not a perfect system, but it’s a consistent one. And for some, consistency beats innovation. You’ll find this tension echoed in posts about HSM key management, how exchanges protect private keys on secure hardware. Also known as hardware security modules, they’re used by exchanges handling ETC just like any other asset, and in pieces on blockchain immutability, why tamper-proof records matter in finance and identity. Also known as unchangeable ledgers, they’re the whole point of ETC’s existence.
What you won’t find here are hype cycles or meme tokens. The posts under Ethereum Classic focus on the real: how the chain handles transactions, why some exchanges still list it, how miners keep it running, and what happens when security flaws pop up. You’ll see comparisons with Ethereum’s block time, discussions on how fee structures differ, and even reviews of exchanges that support ETC trading. This isn’t a speculative asset page—it’s a technical and philosophical anchor point in crypto history. If you want to understand why blockchain isn’t just about speed or scalability, but about principles, you’re in the right place.
Historical double-spending incidents reveal how small cryptocurrencies were hacked through 51% attacks, while Bitcoin remained secure. Learn which coins were targeted, how attacks worked, and how the industry responded.