Why did Ethereum stop being minable and can Monero be next?
Ethereum stopped being mineable in September 2022 because it replaced mining with proof of stake, a system that uses deposited coins instead of computing work to help secure the network. Monero could theoretically make a similar change, but as of 2026 it still uses mining, and there is no adopted plan to follow Ethereum’s path.
Why Ethereum switched off mining
Before the change, Ethereum used proof of work. Miners ran computers to compete for the right to add the next block—a batch of transactions—to its shared record.
On September 15, 2022, Ethereum completed the Merge. Its transaction history continued, but responsibility for adding blocks moved from miners to validators. These are participants who lock up, or “stake,” ETH and run software that checks transactions and proposes blocks.
The biggest reasons for the switch were to:
- Cut the network’s electricity use dramatically.
- Replace mining hardware and electricity costs with financial stakes as the basis of security.
- Follow Ethereum’s long-planned technical roadmap.
Validators can lose some of their staked funds for certain dishonest actions. That financial risk helps discourage cheating.
The Merge did not simply make mining harder or less profitable. Ethereum stopped accepting mining as a way to create valid blocks. It also did not, by itself, make ordinary transactions much cheaper.
What that meant for Ethereum miners
Once the Merge happened, mining equipment could no longer earn newly issued ETH by securing Ethereum.
Some miners moved their graphics cards to other proof-of-work networks. Others stopped mining. Ethereum Classic remained mineable, but it is a separate network with a separate coin—not a way to keep mining ETH.
That distinction matters when you see an “Ethereum mining” offer today. A service might mine another coin and pay you in ETH, but that is not Ethereum mining. Claims that your browser or graphics card directly mines current Ethereum are misleading.
Could Monero make the same change?
Technically, yes. Monero’s rules are software, and people can propose changing them. But replacing mining would require a major consensus change—a change to the rules computers use to agree on valid transactions and blocks.
Developers could write such software, but they could not make everyone accept it. Broad support from users, network operators, exchanges, and other participants would matter. A disputed change could split the network.
Monero currently takes a different approach. Since November 30, 2019, it has used RandomX, a mining method designed to favor ordinary computer processors, or CPUs, rather than specialized mining machines.
Keeping mining accessible through general-purpose hardware is an important part of Monero’s design direction. Moving to staking would change that security model substantially, rather than merely upgrade its mining software.
Will Monero eventually run out of mining rewards?
Not under its current rules. Monero has tail emission: an ongoing base reward of 0.6 XMR per block, with blocks arriving roughly every two minutes. This began around June 2022.
There is therefore no scheduled date when newly issued mining rewards disappear and force a switch to staking. However, continuing rewards do not guarantee that your own mining will be profitable.
For browser mining, also check what work the service actually performs, its fees, and its payout rules. A mining label alone proves little.
The bottom line
Ethereum stopped being mineable through a deliberate network upgrade, not because mining naturally expired. Monero could change its rules too, but its current direction remains CPU-focused proof of work, with ongoing mining rewards and no adopted switch to staking.
