Glossary
EtcHash
16/04/2026
EtcHash is the Proof of Work mining algorithm used by Ethereum Classic (ETC). It is a modified version of the original Ethash algorithm, with a reduced DAG growth rate specifically designed to keep the DAG file small enough for GPUs with 4 GB of memory.
Key facts
- Used by: Ethereum Classic (ETC)
- Hardware: GPU
- DAG size: Grows more slowly than Ethash; stays compatible with 4 GB GPUs longer
- Memory-hard: Yes — requires significant GPU VRAM
EtcHash vs Ethash
When Ethereum was still Proof of Work, it used Ethash. After Ethereum switched to Proof of Stake in 2022 (The Merge), Ethereum Classic continued with PoW but adopted EtcHash — a fork of Ethash with a slower-growing DAG to keep older GPUs viable.
| EtcHash | Ethash | |
|---|---|---|
| Used by | Ethereum Classic (ETC) | Ethereum (pre-Merge) |
| DAG growth | Slower | Faster |
| 4 GB GPU support | Yes (longer) | Dropped in 2020 |
