This is exactly why ASIC-resistant algorithms like RandomX were invented.
Bitcoin uses SHA-256, which is only profitably mined on specialised late-generation ASICs, made in one country that has a fraught relationship with both Bitcoin and its neighbors.
If they (alone) wanted to, they could commandeer and build-out enough hashing power to launch a 51% inside twelve months.
If they got together and decided to collude with their frenemies on the Potomac, they could do it today.
RandomX (and a few others like Ghostrider) are only profitably minable with general purpose CPUs. There are a boatload of those out there (compared with the number of SHA256 ASICs), and a (small) number of countries able to build them. It doesn't entirely prevent a 51%, but it both sets the bar higher and gives others a better chance of countering such an effort.
Login to reply
Replies (4)
i don't agree.. it is much more easy to allocate cpu hashrate than asic hashrate..
just imagine microsoft /AWS / google and there number of servers that could easily switch to mining ramdomX within seconds.. for free without any investment.. buying or making enough asics on the other hand comes with huge costs..
If you have some hard numbers I'd like to see them
Thanks for responding. The BTC community doesn’t not spend much time doing threat assessments.
Also… tried to zap you.