WHAT IS THE MERGE, THEN?
The Ethereum blockchain is about to merge with another blockchain, fundamentally altering how transactions are handled and new ether tokens are produced.
According to developers, the new “proof-of-stake” system will reduce the energy consumption of the Ethereum blockchain by 99.9%. Numerous investors and environmentalists have criticized the majority of blockchains, including bitcoin’s, for consuming excessive amounts of energy.
The Ethereum Foundation, a well-known non-profit that declares support for Ethereum, claims the upgrade will open the door for additional blockchain updates that will enable less expensive transactions. Two of the main problems users currently have with the Ethereum network are high costs and lengthy transaction times.
AND WHEN IS IT HAPPENING?
Very soon Although the exact date is uncertain, the merge is expected to be finished between September 10 and September 20. Independent estimations indicate that September 15 is the most likely date.
Ether deposits and withdrawals will be suspended throughout the merger, according to prominent cryptocurrency exchanges oinbase">Coinbase Global and Binance. According to them, users won’t have to make any changes to their funds or digital wallets as a result of the upgrade.
WHAT KIND OF DEAL IS THIS?
Supporters of Ethereum claim that the $1 trillion cryptocurrency industry will benefit greatly from the Merge.
Supporters predict that the Merge will improve Ethereum’s price and usability relative to its bitter rival bitcoin, the most popular cryptocurrency in the world.
As a result, Ethereum applications might be used more frequently. Investors anticipate a significant shift in the price of ether, which has increased by more than 50% since the end of June while bitcoin has only slightly declined.
PROOF-OF-STAKE? APPEARS TECHNICAL
It is. However, it’s also crucial.
There are various methods for verifying transactions on the blockchain, the program that powers the majority of cryptocurrencies. New transactions are examined by cryptocurrency miners in the “proof-of-work” system that Ethereum currently employs.
Powerful computers are used by miners to update the blockchain and solve challenging math problems in exchange for new cryptocurrency tokens. This secures the blockchain’s records but consumes a lot of energy.
To verify new records on the blockchain under the “proof-of-stake” system, ether owners must lock up a predetermined amount of their coins, earning additional coins on top of the “staked” cryptocurrency.
SURELY THIS IS A no-brainer?
Maybe. While Ethereum developers claim that the proof-of-stake model has security measures to thwart hackers, others claim that under the new system, criminals could attack the blockchain.
A single entity could change the blockchain and steal tokens if it gathered the majority of the ether staked to approve new transactions. Additionally, according to crypto experts, there is a chance that technical difficulties could ruin the Merge and that con artists might exploit confusion to steal tokens.
Additionally, it might get simpler for programmers to create applications for the Ethereum network, potentially increasing adoption. Nevertheless, those updates are probably still months or even years away.
