Intermediate Ethereum Classic Mining Guide Etchash

Ethereum Classic Mining Guide 2026: How to Mine ETC with GPUs

9 min read

Ethereum Classic (ETC) is the continuation of the original Ethereum chain — the one that refused to reverse the 2016 DAO hack — and since Ethereum's switch to proof-of-stake in September 2022 it has become the largest GPU-minable network by market capitalisation. If you own gaming GPUs and want to mine a major, exchange-listed asset, ETC is the default answer in 2026. This guide covers Etchash, hardware selection, miner software, and full setup.

Etchash: ETC's GPU-Friendly Algorithm

Ethereum Classic mines with Etchash, a variant of Ethash adopted in November 2020 via ECIP-1099. Like Ethash, it is memory-hard: the miner repeatedly reads from a large dataset (the DAG) held in GPU VRAM, making memory bandwidth — not raw compute — the bottleneck. The 2020 recalibration halved the DAG epoch size, keeping 3–4 GB cards viable and invalidating the Ethash ASICs of the day.

After Ethereum's Merge in 2022, a wave of orphaned GPU hashrate migrated to ETC, permanently raising its difficulty baseline. The miners who remained profitable were those with efficient cards, tuned undervolts, and cheap power — that is still the formula in 2026.

Hardware: Which GPUs Make Sense

Indicative Etchash performance (tuned/undervolted):

  • NVIDIA RTX 4090 — ~62 MH/s at ~350 W stock, dramatically better around 250–280 W undervolted. Top single-card output.
  • NVIDIA RTX 3080 Ti — ~48 MH/s at ~290 W; abundant on the used market from the last mining boom.
  • AMD RX 6800 XT — ~39 MH/s at ~150 W tuned; outstanding efficiency per watt, the value pick.

Tuning is not optional. Stock power limits sacrifice 20–40% efficiency. Standard practice: lower the core clock/voltage, raise the memory clock, and target the card's efficiency sweet spot. Compare cards directly on our GPU comparison pages.

Step-by-Step: Mining ETC

Step 1 — Create an Ethereum Classic Wallet

ETC uses standard EVM addresses (0x…). Options: a hardware wallet (Ledger, Trezor), MetaMask configured for the Ethereum Classic network (chain ID 61), or an exchange deposit address for immediate selling.

Step 2 — Choose a Pool

Major ETC pools in 2026: 2Miners (PPLNS 1%, SOLO option), F2Pool (~2%), K1Pool, and Nanopool. Fee tables and payout thresholds on our Ethereum Classic pools page.

Step 3 — Install Mining Software

Standard choices: lolMiner and GMiner (NVIDIA + AMD), T-Rex (NVIDIA), TeamRedMiner (AMD). Typical launch line:

  • lolMiner --algo ETCHASH --pool etc.2miners.com:1010 --user 0xYourAddress.rig1

Verify reported hashrate matches the pool dashboard after 30 minutes, then start tuning power limits per card.

Ethereum Classic Network Statistics (June 2026)

  • Algorithm: Etchash (memory-hard, GPU-dominated)
  • Block time: ~13 seconds (~6,600 blocks/day)
  • Block reward: 2.048 ETC → 1.6384 ETC at the next "fifthening" (−20% every 5M blocks, ECIP-1017)
  • Supply cap: ~210.7 million ETC (fixed by the emission schedule)
  • Address format: EVM-compatible (0x…), chain ID 61

Profitability and Strategy

Run your cards through the live ETC calculator with tuned (not stock) figures. Strategic notes:

  • Efficiency beats raw speed — a 150 W RX 6800 XT often out-earns a stock 350 W card per dollar of electricity
  • GPUs hold resale value — unlike ASICs, a GPU that stops mining profitably is still a gaming/AI card; your downside is cushioned
  • Watch the fifthening — pencil in the 20% reward cut when modelling payback periods longer than a year
  • Dual-mining options — some miners pair ETC with a second coin (e.g. Kaspa-family or Alephium) on supported software to squeeze more from the same watts; see our Alephium guide
Calculate your mining profitability right now

Use our real-time calculator with live difficulty and prices.

ETC Calculator → RVN Calculator → All Calculators

Frequently Asked Questions

It can be, with efficient cards and reasonable electricity. ETC absorbed much of the GPU hashrate displaced by Ethereum's 2022 move to proof-of-stake, which keeps margins thin. An undervolted RTX 4090 or RX 6800 XT at $0.07–$0.10/kWh typically sits modestly above break-even; older inefficient cards usually don't. Check the live Ethereum Classic calculator with your card's real hashrate and power draw.
Etchash is Ethereum Classic's modified version of Ethash, adopted in November 2020 (ECIP-1099). It recalibrated the DAG size so that 3–4 GB GPUs — obsoleted on Ethereum at the time — could keep mining ETC, and it deliberately broke compatibility with existing Ethash ASICs. The mining workflow is otherwise identical to classic Ethash.
ETC reduces its block reward by 20% every 5 million blocks (roughly every two years) under ECIP-1017 — the community calls it the "fifthening" rather than a halving. The reward fell to 2.048 ETC in 2024; the next scheduled reduction takes it to 1.6384 ETC. The gradual 20% steps make revenue planning smoother than Bitcoin's 50% cliff.
For now, yes — Etchash's recalibrated DAG was designed to keep 4 GB cards alive, and the DAG grows slowly. However, 4 GB cards are close to the end of their useful window, and their efficiency (hashrate per watt) is usually poor by 2026 standards. Treat them as free-hardware opportunities, not purchases.
Topics: Ethereum Classic Mining Guide Etchash GPU Mining Getting Started
Francesco Zinghinì

Francesco Zinghinì

Cryptocurrency analyst and technology writer specialising in blockchain infrastructure, mining economics, and digital asset markets. Founder of Redbit S.r.l.s. and editorial director of tuttosemplice.com.

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