INTRODUCTION

Ergo is a blockchain that features decentralized financial (DeFi) capabilities. Ergo achieves this by incorporating features from the leading two cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH). The project utilizes the Proof-of-Word (PoW) consensus mechanism from Bitcoin to secure the network and employs smart contracts similar to Ethereum for its DeFi functionalities.

Ergo uses a mining protocol called "Autolykos," a modified version of Bitcoin's mining protocol. The Autolykos protocol is very resistant to big mining pools and application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) miners, which makes it more energy efficient. In addition, Ergo limits the mining size of each node to further mitigate the harmful environmental effects of Bitcoin's PoW algorithm.


HISTORY AND FOUNDER

Lead developer Alexander Chepurnoy developed this crypto project.  Chepurnoy has written and published a lot of papers on blockchain technology over the years. He has been working with blockchain for a long time and has developed crypto-related software. Prior to establishing Ergo, he worked as a researcher at IOHK, the prominent engineering and research firm renowned for its contributions to the development of Cardano.

In 2019, he collaborated with IOHK researcher Dmitry Meshkov to create Ergo, which was formally released at the start of July 2019. When this project first started, Chepurnoy said that it was made to deliver a significant number of smart contracts and lots of security features.


REASON TO BUILD THE PROJECT

Despite the abundance of cryptocurrencies on the market, there is still an emphasis on bridging the gap between Bitcoin and Ethereum. Even though many solutions have been proposed, one of the most interesting is Ergo, a project that has seen a sudden rise in interest. Ergo was made to fix the problems that both Bitcoin and Ethereum had.

Ergo wants to make smart contracts more reliable by using Proof-of-Work consensus in a smart way. At a time when DeFi hacks are common, this could be very important for the market.


BASE OF PROJECT

Proof-of-Work Model- Ergo uses the Proof-of-Work (PoW) model to mine new coins and verify transactions. When it comes to this consensus technique, anyone mining ERG can use various GPUs on a single Ergo node. The PoW model works, but it uses a lot of energy, which is Bitcoin's biggest problem.

ErgoDEX: ErgoDEX is a noncustodial decentralized exchange (DEX) built on the Ergo network. This DEX lets users transfer funds between the Ergo and Cardano (ADA) networks. ErgoDEX uses an extended Unspent Transaction Output (eUTXO) model to allow liquidity sharing between the two platforms.


USE CASE


Ergo has many different uses, but the main one is making decentralized applications (dApps). dApps such as SigmaUSD, Ergo Auction House, and ErgoMixer all serve distinct purposes. For example, SigmaUSD is a decentralized stablecoin linked to the U.S. dollar. NFT auctions, on the other hand, are supported by the Ergo Auction House. Ergo's use cases will extend over time as it permits the creation of many types of dApps.



MAJOR NEWS AND EVENTS

DATE

NEWS/EVENTS

IMPACT

08/09/2022

Huobi Global lists Ergo (ERG) token

+54% Increase

21/08/2021

Ergo (ERG) Token gets listed on Bitcoin.com Exchange

+85% Increase

 


CONCLUSION

Ergo is a project that integrates a modified version of the PoW protocol and smart contracts. The modified PoW protocol uses less energy because it limits the size of mining and doesn't work with large mining pools or mining equipment. Ergo's miners validate and execute transactions using this Proof-of-Work mechanism. Once block rewards are decreased to zero, transaction fees and storage fees will be used to fund incentives. The programmable blockchain for Ergo doesn't need gas or transaction fees like Ethereum does. This makes it easier for developers seeking to build apps on the platform. Only time will tell if Ergo's technological achievements will lead it to success.