What is The Ethereum Merge?
The Merge (Ethereum 2.0) Definition: The Merge marks Ethereum‘s transition from a proof-of-work (PoW) to a proof-of-stake (PoS) consensus mechanism, uniting the ETH1 execution layer with the ETH2 consensus layer to enhance scalability and energy efficiency.
The Merge marks Ethereum’s transition from a proof-of-work (PoW) to a proof-of-stake (PoS) consensus mechanism, completed on September 15, 2022. This milestone was a core part of Ethereum 2.0, a multi-phase upgrade aimed at improving scalability, security, and sustainability.
Before the Merge, Ethereum used PoW, where miners relied on energy-intensive computational power to validate transactions and secure the network. The shift to PoS replaced miners with validators who secure the blockchain by staking cryptocurrency, significantly reducing energy consumption while enhancing efficiency and security.
The Merge combined the Ethereum mainnet, previously running on PoW, with the PoS-based Beacon Chain, which had operated in parallel to prepare for this transition. This event officially ended Ethereum’s reliance on PoW, drastically cutting its carbon footprint and enabling the network to handle more transactions per second.
This transition not only boosts Ethereum’s eco-friendliness but also strengthens its ability to support decentralized applications and projects. As one of the most widely used blockchains, Ethereum’s successful adoption of PoS sets a precedent for other networks aiming to improve sustainability and scalability in the cryptocurrency ecosystem.
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