Bitcoin mining is the process of verifying and adding transaction records to the public ledger (the blockchain). The blockchain is a decentralized ledger that records all Bitcoin transactions.
Bitcoin nodes use the block chain to differentiate legitimate Bitcoin transactions from attempts to re-spend coins that have already been spent elsewhere.
Mining is how new bitcoins are created. Miners are rewarded with bitcoin for verifying and committing transactions to the blockchain.
Mining is also the mechanism used to introduce bitcoins into the system: Miners are paid any transaction fees as well as a “subsidy” of newly created coins. This both serves the purpose of disseminating new coins in a decentralized manner as well as motivating people to provide security for the system.
Bitcoin mining is intentionally designed to be resource-intensive and difficult so that the number of blocks found each day by miners remains steady. Individual blocks must contain a proof of work to be considered valid.
This proof of work is verified by other Bitcoin nodes each time they receive a block. Bitcoin uses the Hashcash proof of work function.
The primary purpose of mining is to allow Bitcoin nodes to reach a secure, tamper-resistant consensus. Mining is also the mechanism used to introduce new bitcoins into the system.
Miners are paid transaction fees as well as a subsidy of newly created coins, called a block reward. This both serves the purpose of disseminating new coins in a decentralized manner as well as motivating people to provide security for the system through mining.
In order to ensure that sufficient decentralization is achieved, miners need to have dedicated hardware and connect to robust internet connections. In order for miners to continue earning rewards, they need access to cheap, reliable electricity so they can power their dedicated hardware around-the-clock.
If you want to get started with mining, you’ll need to make sure you have the right computer hardware and software set up. Below, we’ve outlined some things you’ll need in order to start mining bitcoin:.
A computer with a fast CPU: Mining bitcoins requires significant computational power which means you’ll need a fast CPU in order to keep up with the hashing required for mining new blocks of transactions. A powerful GPU: While your CPU might be fast enough for general computing tasks, it’s not going to be fast enough for bitcoin mining which requires specialized hardware known as ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits). You’ll need a powerful GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) in order to mine bitcoin effectively. An ASIC miner: ASIC miners are specialized pieces of computer hardware that are designed specifically for mining bitcoins (or other cryptocurrencies). ASIC miners usually come in the form of USB sticks or larger rigs that can be connected directly into your computer’s motherboard. If you’re serious about mining bitcoin, an ASIC miner is going to be necessary in order to see any sort of return on your investment.
A reliable power supply: In order for your ASIC miner or GPU rig to run 24/7 without interruption, you’re going to need a reliable power supply that can provide enough power for all your devices without overloading your circuit breaker. A quiet place to set up your rig: ASIC miners and GPU rigs can be quite loud when they’re running so you’ll want to make sure you have a quiet place set up away from any other noise sources in your home or office. A cooling system: Because ASIC miners and GPU rigs generate a lot of heat, you’ll need some way of cooling them down such as fans or air conditioning units. Otherwise, your devices will overheat and shut down automatically which will interrupt your mining operation. Internet access: You’ll need high-speed internet access in order for your devices to communicate with the bitcoin network and mine new blocks effectively. A Bitcoin wallet: In order for you receive any rewards from mining, you’re going to need somewhere to store them and a Bitcoin wallet is where you’ll do just that. There are many different types of wallets available but we recommend using either a software wallet such as Electrum or a hardware wallet such as Trezor if you’re serious about security and convenience when storing your mined bitcoins.