EVM (Ethereum Virtual Machine)
16/04/2026
The EVM (Ethereum Virtual Machine) is the sandboxed runtime environment that executes smart contracts on Ethereum and all EVM-compatible blockchains. Every node in the network runs the EVM and executes the same contract code, guaranteeing that all nodes reach identical results.
How the EVM works
Smart contracts are written in high-level languages (primarily Solidity) and compiled to EVM bytecode. When a transaction calls a contract, every node executes the bytecode in their local EVM. All executions must produce the same output — this is what makes the blockchain trustless.
Each operation costs gas — a fee paid in ETH (or the native coin on EVM-compatible chains) that compensates validators/miners for computation.
EVM-compatible chains
Many blockchains implement the EVM standard, allowing the same smart contracts to run across multiple networks:
| Chain | Native coin |
|---|---|
| Ethereum | ETH |
| BNB Smart Chain | BNB |
| Ethereum Classic | ETC |
| Polygon | MATIC |
Relevance to miners
- Miners on EVM PoW chains (ETC) execute and validate EVM transactions
- Gas fees from EVM contract interactions go to miners as part of the block reward
- Most tools miners use to swap or bridge coins (DEXes, bridges) run on EVM chains
