Are there any alternative consensus mechanisms to PoW that are commonly used in cryptocurrencies?

1 answers

• Krisjane RealizaJan 07, 2026 · a month ago
  Yes, there are alternative consensus mechanisms commonly used in cryptocurrencies. One such mechanism is Proof of Stake (PoS), where validators are selected to create new blocks based on the number of coins they hold and are willing to 'stake' as collateral. This mechanism aims to reduce the energy consumption associated with PoW. Another alternative is Delegated Proof of Stake (DPoS), where a limited number of trusted nodes are elected to validate transactions and create new blocks. DPoS is known for its high transaction throughput and low latency. Other alternative consensus mechanisms include Proof of Authority (PoA), where a limited number of trusted authorities validate transactions, and Practical Byzantine Fault Tolerance (PBFT), which is commonly used in permissioned blockchains. These alternative mechanisms offer different trade-offs in terms of decentralization, security, and scalability.
  910

  455