Question 1

What is Ethereum Classic (ETC)?

Accepted Answer

Ethereum Classic is a proof-of-work (PoW) smart-contract blockchain, and ETC is its native asset. Anyone can deploy and call decentralized applications without permission; the network uses the EVM to execute smart contracts, while miners compete to produce blocks and maintain on-chain state.

Question 2

What role does ETC play in the network?

Accepted Answer

ETC is the native protocol asset of the Ethereum Classic network, rather than a wrapped claim on another asset. It is used for protocol incentives and value transfers on the network; miners whose blocks are successfully produced and accepted by the network may receive ETC rewards under the issuance rules.

Question 3

What consensus mechanism does ETC use?

Accepted Answer

Ethereum Classic reaches consensus through proof of work. Miners commit computing resources to compete to create blocks, while other nodes validate blocks and transactions according to the protocol; the accepted chain records state. The security of this mechanism is related to hash power continuously participating in mining and does not rely on token staking to select block producers.

Question 4

What can ETC be used for?

Accepted Answer

ETC runs the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM), so it can execute smart contracts and host decentralized applications. EVM compatibility means contract-development patterns share a common foundation with the Ethereum technology stack; however, deployment, interaction, and asset settlement actually occur on the Ethereum Classic network, and users must still confirm which chain they are connected to.

Question 5

What is the relationship between ETC and ETH, and what are their main differences?

Accepted Answer

ETC and ETH shared history before 2016; after a contentious hard fork, the new consensus rules formed what is now Ethereum, while Ethereum Classic continued to run the unforked protocol. The two chains still have EVM technical similarities, but Ethereum switched to proof of stake in 2022 while ETC retained proof of work, so their block production and security participation differ.

Question 6

How does ETC issuance work?

Accepted Answer

New ETC issuance mainly comes from miner rewards related to blocks and uncle blocks. ECIP-1017 divides rewards into “eras” of 5 million blocks each: upon entering the next era, all rewards are reduced by 20% from the preceding era. Therefore, issuance reductions are triggered by block height rather than fixed calendar dates, and the issuance rate declines across eras.

Question 7

What specifically changes with “a 20% issuance reduction every 5 million blocks”?

Accepted Answer

Under ECIP-1017's 5M20 model, the static block reward in the first era is 5 ETC; it falls to 4 ETC in the second era and continues to decline by 20% in every subsequent 5 million-block era. In addition to the winning-block reward, miners including uncle blocks and miners of included uncle blocks may also receive rewards, so the actual new issuance attributable to an individual block is not determined by the static reward alone.

Question 8

How should ETC's supply cap be understood?

Accepted Answer

ECIP-1017 does not provide an exact terminal value unaffected by conditions, but an estimated range related to uncle-block creation and inclusion: under its supply-maximizing assumption, total supply does not exceed approximately 210.7 million ETC; if the uncle rate maintains the efficiency assumption stated in the proposal, the estimated lower bound is approximately 198.5 million ETC. Uncle-block rewards change cumulative issuance, which is why a range exists.

Question 9

What does ETC mean by “code is law”?

Accepted Answer

“Code is law” is a principle emphasized by the ETC community: as long as transactions and contracts are valid under network rules, their execution results should not be arbitrarily changed by an off-chain centralized authority. This is a claim about protocol neutrality and censorship resistance; it does not mean contracts have no vulnerabilities, nor does it remove users' responsibility to verify addresses, permissions, and private-key security.

Question 10

Who manages Ethereum Classic, and how does the protocol evolve?

Accepted Answer

Ethereum Classic has no single entity or top-down governing body. Individuals and teams can contribute clients, infrastructure, and code through open collaboration; protocol specifications and potential changes are generally proposed, discussed, and documented through the ECIP process. Contributors' reputations and actual maintenance work may create influence, but this is not equivalent to unilateral control.

Question 11

How can the status of an ETC protocol change be determined?

Accepted Answer

When assessing an upgrade, first distinguish a proposal from a finalized specification. ECIP pages indicate status; for example, ECIP-1017 is marked “Final,” meaning its core specification is in final status rather than still an idea open for comment. Whether specific clients and the network have adopted it should also be determined using implementation information for the relevant specification, rather than inferred from a proposal title alone.

Question 12

What should be verified before using the ETC network?

Accepted Answer

Network-monitoring tools or block explorers can be used to check on-chain state, including blocks, transaction confirmations, and address records. Before transferring funds or calling a contract, confirm that the wallet is connected to Ethereum Classic rather than another network with a similar name or technology, and check each recipient address and transaction parameter; on-chain operations that have been confirmed generally cannot be directly reversed by the protocol.

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