DigiByte (DGB) is a proof-of-work cryptocurrency launched in January 2014 by Jared Tate, designed with five simultaneous mining algorithms to distribute hash power across different hardware types (CPU, GPU, ASIC), real-time difficulty adjustment via DigiShield (later adopted by Dogecoin and others), and a 21 billion DGB supply — making it one of the oldest continuously-developed altcoins.
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Ticker | DGB |
| Price | $0.00 |
| Market Cap | $86.01M |
| 24h Change | +2.9% |
| Circulating Supply | 18.24B DGB |
| Max Supply | 21.00B DGB |
| All-Time High | $0.18 |
How It Works
- Five-algorithm mining — DigiByte uses five separate algorithms simultaneously (originally SHA-256, Scrypt, Groestl, Skein, and Qubit; later including Odocrypt). Each algorithm produces approximately 20% of blocks. This distributes mining power across CPU, GPU, and ASIC miners, preventing any single hardware type from controlling the network.
- DigiShield — DigiByte’s real-time difficulty adjustment recalculates after every block (approximately every 15 seconds). This mechanism prevents mining reward “pools” from monopolizing easy blocks when others leave. DigiShield has been adopted by Dogecoin, Zcash, and other currencies.
- DigiSpeed — DigiByte targets 15-second block times, compared to Bitcoin’s 10 minutes.
- SegWit pioneer — DigiByte implemented Segregated Witness (SegWit) before Bitcoin did (2017 for Bitcoin; early 2017 for DigiByte).
- Digi-ID — A digital identity and authentication protocol using DGB’s blockchain for decentralized login (similar to Log In with X or Google, but blockchain-based).
Tokenomics
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Ticker | DGB |
| Max Supply | 21,000,000,000 (21 billion — 1,000× Bitcoin’s) |
| Block time | ~15 seconds |
| Algorithms | 5 (SHA-256, Scrypt, Odocrypt, Skein, Qubit) |
| Launch | January 10, 2014 |
| Premine | None |
Use Cases
- Peer-to-peer payments — Fast (15-second blocks) and low-fee transactions.
- Cybersecurity — Digi-ID authentication for websites and applications.
- Digital assets — DigiByte’s blockchain supports digital asset issuance.
- Multi-location redundancy — DGB’s distributed multi-algorithm mining makes 51% attacks significantly harder than single-algorithm chains.
History
- 2014-01-10 — DigiByte launches. Jared Tate (founder) creates it inspired by Bitcoin but aimed at faster, more secure, broadly-mined currency.
- 2014 — DigiShield difficulty adjustment algorithm released; later adopted by Dogecoin in February 2014 after Dogecoin experienced rapid hashrate swings.
- 2017 — DigiByte implements SegWit before Bitcoin. DGB remains one of the pioneering chains for SegWit adoption.
- 2021 — Jared Tate publicly confronts Cardano’s Charles Hoskinson on social media over alleged unfulfilled promises to DigiByte. The disagreement is widely covered in crypto media.
- 2021 — DGB peaks at approximately $0.18 during the bull market.
- 2022–2025 — DigiByte continues operating. All original blockchain records maintained. Development continues via community; no venture-funded company backing.
Common Misconceptions
“DigiByte is a Bitcoin fork.”
DigiByte was not forked from Bitcoin’s codebase. It was built from scratch, inspired by Bitcoin’s design but significantly modified (multi-algorithm mining, faster blocks, DigiShield).
“DigiShield was invented by Dogecoin.”
DigiShield was invented by DigiByte and later adopted by Dogecoin (and other chains). Dogecoin popularized it, but DigiByte is the origin.
Social Media Sentiment
DigiByte has a loyal long-term community that emphasizes its technical achievements (DigiShield, early SegWit, 5-algorithm mining) and is frustrated by its low profile relative to these merits. The Jared Tate/Charles Hoskinson confrontation brought mainstream attention in 2021. DigiByte’s anti-premine, decentralized launch narrative earns respect in crypto-native circles.
Last updated: 2026-04