The Fractal Bitcoin mainnet launched on September 9, 2024. Fractal Bitcoin mining became available on the EMCD pool on September 10, 2024.
When you connect your equipment to mine Bitcoin with EMCD, you can also receive Fractal Bitcoin. You do not need to purchase additional equipment or configure your ASIC separately.
What Is Merged Mining?
Merged mining, also known as Auxiliary Proof-of-Work (AuxPoW), allows the same computational work to be used for mining multiple compatible coins.
In the BTC + FB pair:
Bitcoin acts as the parent chain
Fractal Bitcoin uses the same computational work
Your ASIC continues to mine Bitcoin as usual
The pool uses the submitted work for both networks
Simply put, your equipment performs the work once, and the result can be accepted by both networks.
How Does Merged Mining Work?
The pool prepares a mining job
The mining pool creates a combined job for Bitcoin and Fractal Bitcoin and sends it to the connected devices.
The equipment performs the calculations
Your ASIC calculates hashes in the same way as during regular Bitcoin mining. You do not need to switch between BTC and FB.
The pool checks the results
The pool checks the submitted solutions against the requirements of both networks.
Rewards are credited separately
If a solution meets a network’s requirements, the pool submits the corresponding block for validation. BTC and FB rewards are recorded separately.
Fractal Bitcoin uses the Cadence Mining model: some blocks are produced through merged mining with Bitcoin, while the remaining blocks are mined separately on the Fractal Bitcoin network. This does not affect how you configure your equipment with EMCD. Learn more about Cadence Mining
Benefits of Merged Mining
You can receive FB in addition to BTC
You do not need a separate ASIC for Fractal Bitcoin
You do not need to change your equipment settings
Mining FB does not reduce your Bitcoin hashrate
No additional load is placed on your ASIC
The amount of FB credited is not fixed. It depends on your hashrate, network difficulty, pool terms, and the blocks found.
Another Example: Litecoin and Dogecoin
Another well-known example of merged mining is Litecoin (LTC) and Dogecoin (DOGE).
In 2014, Dogecoin added support for AuxPoW. This allows the computational work performed while mining Litecoin to also be used for mining Dogecoin. The change increased Dogecoin’s effective hashrate and made the network more resistant to 51% attacks. Learn more about AuxPoW in Dogecoin
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Disable Fractal Bitcoin Mining and Mine Only Bitcoin?
No. On the EMCD pool, Fractal Bitcoin is mined automatically alongside Bitcoin. There is no separate setting for disabling FB mining.
Does Fractal Bitcoin Mining Affect My Bitcoin Hashrate?
No. Your ASIC does not split its computing power between BTC and FB. The same calculations are used for both networks, so mining FB does not reduce your Bitcoin hashrate.
Your displayed hashrate may fluctuate due to equipment performance or the quality of your connection to the pool. These fluctuations are not caused by merged mining.
How Are BTC and FB Rewards Credited and Paid Out?
Bitcoin and Fractal Bitcoin rewards are displayed separately:
BTC is credited to your Bitcoin balance
FB is credited to your Fractal Bitcoin balance
Payout settings are configured separately for each coin
For payouts to external wallets, provide a separate wallet address for BTC and FB.
Do I Need to Configure My Equipment Separately?
No. If your equipment is already connected to Bitcoin mining on the EMCD pool, you do not need to connect Fractal Bitcoin separately.
FB mining is enabled automatically. You do not need to change the pool address, ASIC settings, or firmware.
Does Merged Mining Increase Electricity Consumption?
No. FB mining uses the same calculations your equipment already performs for Bitcoin. It does not create an additional load on your ASIC.
Actual power consumption may vary depending on firmware settings, operating frequency, temperature, and the cooling system. These changes are not caused by merged mining.