Proof of Stake vs Proof of Work
**Proof of work (PoW)** miners spend energy to secure the chain. **Proof of stake (PoS)** validators bond capital; misbehavior can be slashed. Energy and issuance economics differ materially.
Step by step
1. Energy & hardware
PoW needs ASICs/GPUs; PoS needs stake + uptime.
2. Reward source
Block subsidies + fees vs staking emissions.
3. Centralization risks
Mining pools vs stake concentration and LST wrappers.
PoW vs PoS
Ethereum’s merge moved a major chain to PoS; Bitcoin remains PoW.
- PoW: Energy-intensive; battle-tested on BTC.
- PoS: Lower energy; slashing; liquid staking trade-offs.
Use our calculators
Common mistakes
- Treating staking APY as risk-free
- Ignoring client/software risk on validators
FAQ
Is PoS always greener?
Generally lower energy per tx, but security assumptions differ.