Vertcoin (VTC) is a Litecoin-derived Proof of Work cryptocurrency launched in January 2014 with the explicit goal of remaining permanently ASIC-resistant — using a mining algorithm (originally Scrypt-N, later Lyra2REv3, now Verthash) designed to favor GPU- and CPU-level hardware over specialized mining rigs.
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Ticker | VTC |
| Price | $0.05 |
| Market Cap | $3.99M |
| 24h Change | +2.1% |
| Circulating Supply | 73.96M VTC |
| Max Supply | 84.00M VTC |
| All-Time High | $9.80 |
How It Works
Vertcoin’s core technical distinction is its mining algorithm:
- ASIC resistance by design — Vertcoin’s founders committed to hard-forking the mining algorithm whenever ASICs are developed for it. This has happened multiple times: from Scrypt-N (2014) to Lyra2REv2 (2015) to Lyra2REv3 (2018) to Verthash (2021).
- Verthash — The current algorithm is memory-hard, requiring access to a 1.2 GB data file during mining. This is feasible on consumer GPUs and CPUs but economically unattractive to build custom ASICs for.
- One Click Miner — Vertcoin maintains an official GPU mining client that lowers the barrier to participation for ordinary users.
- P2Pool integration — Supports decentralized mining pools (P2Pool) to prevent pool centralization.
Supply parameters follow Litecoin’s model: 84 million maximum supply, 4× Bitcoin’s cap, with halving every 840,000 blocks.
Tokenomics
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Ticker | VTC |
| Max Supply | 84,000,000 VTC |
| Launch | January 8, 2014 |
| Consensus | Proof of Work (Verthash) |
| Block Time | ~2.5 minutes |
| Block Reward Halving | Every 840,000 blocks (~4 years) |
| Current Reward | 6.25 VTC per block (after 2022 halving) |
Use Cases
- Decentralized mining participation — The primary use case is providing a PoW coin that individual GPU miners can realistically mine.
- Payments — Functional as a payment network with Lightning Network support implemented.
- Philosophy — Held by believers in grassroots, decentralized mining as a principle.
History
- 2014 — Vertcoin launches on January 8 by early Bitcoin community members. Uses Scrypt-N to differentiate from Litecoin’s Scrypt.
- 2015–2017 — Steady development; adds Segwit (before Bitcoin), Lightning Network support. GPU miners support the project as ASIC manufacturers begin targeting Scrypt coins.
- 2018 — Vertcoin suffers a 51% attack — the longest 51% attack on a major coin at the time, causing ~$100K in double-spend losses. The attack exploits rented hashrate; developers respond by upgrading to Lyra2REv3.
- 2021 — Verthash algorithm deployed, the most memory-hard version yet. Designed to make ASIC development economically unviable.
- 2022 — Block reward halves to 6.25 VTC. Network continues operating with low but consistent hashrate.
Common Misconceptions
“The 2018 attack means Vertcoin failed.”
The team responded with a hard fork and algorithm upgrade. The network recovered and has not been successfully attacked since. The episode is studied in academic work on 51% attack economics.
“ASIC resistance is impossible long term.”
Vertcoin argues that by committing to algorithm changes whenever ASICs appear, they can remain practically resistant even if theoretically a determined manufacturer could always create ASICs for any algorithm. The strategy has held for 12 years.
Social Media Sentiment
Vertcoin has a small, principled community that genuinely believes in decentralized mining. It has low market cap and minimal trading volume in 2024–2026. It is respected among GPU mining communities and cited in academic work on mining centralization and 51% attack vulnerability in small PoW chains.
Last updated: 2026-04