3 January 2026 — The Ergo network has successfully reached another scheduled emission milestone: the block reward has been reduced from 9 ERG to 6 ERG per block.
This reduction is part of Ergo’s predetermined emission schedule, which systematically decreases miner rewards by [3 ERG every quarter until the final floor of 3 ERG per block is reached in April 2026. 
](http://docs.ergoplatform.com)

---

## Recent and Upcoming Reward Steps

| Date (≈) | Reward (ERG per block) | Daily New Supply* |
|----------|-----------------------|-------------------|
| 6 Oct 2024 | 21 | 15 120 |
| 5 Jan 2025 | 18 | 12 960 |
| 6 Apr 2025 | 15 | 10 800 |
| 6 Jul 2025 | 12 | 8 640 |
| 4 Oct 2025 | 9 | 6 480 |
| **3 Jan 2026** | **6** | **4 320** |
| 3 Apr 2026 | 3 | 2 160 |

*Figures assume the 120-second block interval.

## What Changed?
**Previous block reward:** 9 ERG
**New block reward (from ~block 1,692,000):** 6 ERG
**Next scheduled reduction:** Toward the final emission floor of 3 ERG per block in April 2026. 
As a result of this update, the issuance of new ERG continues to slow, reinforcing the scarcity of the native token as the network matures. This mechanism mirrors the economic design seen in other long-lived proof-of-work networks, helping ensure predictable supply dynamics over time.

## Emission Status

According to real-time emission tracking:
- **Current block reward:** 6 ERG per block
- **Circulating supply:** ~82.7 million ERG
- **Supply in circulation:** ~84.7 % of capped emission
- **Next reward reduction:** Scheduled in approximately 75 days, leading to the 3 ERG per block regime in April 2026. Live data and charts are available on [ErgoWatch](https://ergo.watch/dashboards/emission)

This gradual decrease in new ERG issuance marks another step toward the conclusion of the primary emission schedule that has been in place since the Ergo mainnet launch. Under this schedule, miner rewards decrease smoothly each quarter until the minimum reward level is reached. (docs.ergoplatform.com)

Emission reductions are fundamental to Ergo’s monetary policy. With each reduction:
- Miner rewards diminish, lowering the rate of new ERG entering circulation.
- Scarcity increases, potentially impacting supply dynamics and market interest.
- The network approaches its emission schedule’s long-term goal of balancing issuance with demand.

## Supply Data in Real Time

The **[ErgoWatch emission dashboard](https://ergo.watch/dashboards/emission)** presents live charts for circulating supply, emission rate, and future reductions.  
Anyone can confirm each step and cross-check the data with on-chain figures. Sigmaspace.io provides a nice [web dashboard](https://sigmaspace.io/en/storage-rent) that shows Upcoming Expired Boxes. 

---

## Mining Pools to Know

| Pool | Key Points |
|------|------------|
| **[Sigmanauts Pool](https://sigmanauts.com/mining/)** | Community-run DAO. The pool distributes storage-rent proceeds along with block rewards. |
| **[HeroMiners](https://ergo.herominers.com/)** | Global service with pool and solo modes. The site includes detailed statistics and payout history. |
| **[2Miners](https://2miners.com/)** | Altcoin mining pool for GPU and ASIC |
---

## Looking Ahead

While emissions alone do not determine price trends, they are a key part of the economic infrastructure that supports the Ergo ecosystem.
Stay tuned for the next scheduled reduction as Ergo approaches the final stage of its emission roadmap in early April 2026.

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Ergo Block Reward Drops to 6 ERG — 3 Jan 2026

Ergo Block Reward Drops to 6 ERG

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Rosen Bridge has officially launched Bitcoin Runes support on mainnet, opening a direct, decentralized path between Bitcoin assets and the broader UTXO DeFi world. With Runes now live, tokens issued on Bitcoin can move across Ergo and onward to connected networks like Cardano through a single, trust-minimized bridge.

Rosen Bridge + Bitcoin Runes Is Live

Banxa now provides US dollar on-ramp access for ERG. Users in most states can buy and sell ERG directly through Banxa’s gateway.

The rollout completes the [Onramper x Banxa integration](https://ergoplatform.org/en/blog/Ergo-Onramper-Banxa/) funded by the community raffle earlier this year. [That campaign raised 20,000 USD](https://ergoraffle.com/raffle/show/ccf1fb1949cfbba4a00e9134b8325eaa1f52afb7bc8e6255c62b46da90d8445f) to cover setup fees and technical work. The Ergo Foundation paid the remaining costs and managed coordination with Banxa to bring ERG support online.

Banxa’s coverage includes nearly all US regions. Hawaii, Louisiana, and New York remain restricted under local rules. The service connects to regulated payment networks and converts fiat to ERG and back in a single step. 

This integration removes a long bottleneck for US users. Before today, entering the Ergo ecosystem required routing funds through exchanges or swapping multiple assets. Now ERG can be purchased and sold directly from Banxa’s interface, and in future directly from within the [Nautilus wallet](https://www.nautiluswallet.com/) as they integrate Banxa fully, enabling in-wallet ERG transactions and introducing BRL (Brazilian Real) on-and off-ramp support to further broaden accessibility. And it’s not only U.S. Ergonauts celebrating: Banxa's global coverage across more than [100 other countries](https://support.banxa.com/en/support/solutions/articles/44002216505-what-countries-are-supported-by-banxa-) makes it easier than ever for anyone, anywhere, to grab some ERG.

Community effort made this possible. The raffle, the foundation’s funding, and the technical integration together built a bridge between traditional finance and Ergo’s native currency.

Users can access the service at [banxa.com](http://banxa.com)


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Banxa Fiat-Ramp Support Is Live

After more than a year of development and testing, **Lithos Protocol** is preparing to open its public testnet. The team confirmed that the goal for the rollout is for the **week of November 2, 2025,** following the recent Ergo 6.0 upgrade.

Lithos first appeared during _ErgoHack VI _and was introduced in the blog series [Mining Pool Innovation Part I ](https://ergoplatform.org/ru/blog/Mining-Pool-Innovation-Lithos-Protocol-Part-1/)and [Part II](https://ergoplatform.org/ru/blog/Mining-Pool-Innovation-Lithos-Protocol-Part-2/). Those posts described the vision of running mining pools entirely on-chain through smart contracts. The upcoming testnet moves that work from theory into practice.

At the [Ergo Live Meetup 2025](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlSTE7PVDik&t=15584s), project lead Kirat (@Cheese Enthusiast) explained the motivation behind:

>“Mining pools today act as black boxes. They can censor transactions or adjust payments without anyone seeing it. Lithos makes every part of mining transparent and verifiable so power stays with miners.”

The testnet will let miners try the new client, check payouts, and help locate any remaining issues before the mainnet release. 

Lithos introduces an open pool structure where each miner sets their own share difficulty and receives rewards directly from on-chain contracts. Payments and block construction no longer depend on a central operator. The approach removes the control that conventional pools hold over miner data and block selection.

For the Ergo ecosystem, the release continues the path laid out in the earlier Lithos posts on transparent governance, fair distribution, and accessible GPU mining. Community participation in the testnet will help strengthen this model before it expands to other PoW chains.

**Testnet launch window:** Week of November 2, 2025
**Client:** Lithos Client (CLI and HTML interface)

Follow @LithosProtocol and @ergoplatformorg on X for instructions and live updates once the testnet launches.


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Lithos Testnet Launches the Week of November 2

# Ergo Block Reward Drops to 9 ERG — 4 Oct 2025

Ergo has just completed it's most recent step in it's scheduled emission plan.  
The base reward fell from **9 ERG** to **6 ERG**, exactly three months after the previous reduction.  
Blocks arrive every 120 seconds, so about 720 new blocks appear each day.

---

## Recent and Upcoming Reward Steps

| Date (≈) | Reward (ERG per block) | Daily New Supply* |
|----------|-----------------------|-------------------|
| 6 Oct 2024 | 21 | 15 120 |
| 5 Jan 2025 | 18 | 12 960 |
| 6 Apr 2025 | 15 | 10 800 |
| 6 Jul 2025 | 12 | 8 640 |
| **4 Oct 2025** | **9** | *6 480** |
| 3 Jan 2026 | 6 | 4 320 |
| 3 Apr 2026 | 3 | 2 160 |

*Figures assume the 120-second block interval.

---
## Current Network Data

- Circulating supply: ≈ 82 150 353 ERG 
- Supply in circulation: 84.05 %
- Current block reward: 9 ERG
- Next reduction: ~81,8 days

Live data and charts are available on [ErgoWatch](https://ergo.watch/dashboards/emission).

---

## Supply Data in Real Time

The **[ErgoWatch emission dashboard](https://ergo.watch/dashboards/emission)** presents live charts for circulating supply, emission rate, and future reductions.  
Anyone can confirm each step and cross-check the data with on-chain figures. Sigmaspace.io provides a nice [web dashboard](https://sigmaspace.io/en/storage-rent) that shows Upcoming Expired Boxes. 

---

## Mining Pools to Know

| Pool | Key Points |
|------|------------|
| **[Sigmanauts Pool](https://sigmanauts.com/mining/)** | Community-run DAO. The pool distributes storage-rent proceeds along with block rewards. |
| **[HeroMiners](https://ergo.herominers.com/)** | Global service with pool and solo modes. The site includes detailed statistics and payout history. |
| **[2Miners](https://2miners.com/)** | Altcoin mining pool for GPU and ASIC |
---

## Looking Ahead

The next reduction will lower the reward to 6 ERG in about 80 days, moving toward the 3 ERG final floor expected by April 2026.
This predictable, gradual descent helps the market and miners adapt smoothly to a tightening emission curve while preserving long-term sustainability.



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Ergo’s Block Reward Drops to 9 ERG

From May 25 to June 1, 2025, something electric stirred in the Ergo community. Developers, dreamers, and builders gathered once again for [ErgoHack X](https://ergohack.io/), the 10th edition of our community-led hackathon series. But this wasn’t just another competition—it marked ten years of ErgoHack history, driven by a shared vision of decentralization, experimentation, and pushing boundaries.

With **$9,000 in ERG prizes** and the theme **"AI on the Ergo Blockchain,"** teams set out to imagine what happens when artificial intelligence meets the architecture of Ergo. Over a week, ideas turned into prototypes, and prototypes into bold statements about the future of Web3.

Let’s revisit the highlights—and meet the winners who stood out among a field of truly visionary projects.

## First Place: Game of Prompts

In a world of on-chain games, [Game of Prompts](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApeN_hckNKs&list=PL8-KVrs6vXLScaNb6anQIrmN_YweVBKrc&index=5) dared to ask: what if the game itself was a logic puzzle where AI meets player-created bots? Built by Josemi, this project brought a rich layer of interaction between logic, AI, and game theory. Players design “game services,” while others deploy bots to try and beat them, all with on-chain transparency and trustless execution.

Judges were quick to praise its smart contract depth, real-time challenge mechanism, and innovative Celaut integration. They also applauded the comprehensive white paper, especially its elegant solution to trust issues when a game is run on user hardware.

## Second Place: CodeUTXO

Mark the Shark ( Sigmanauts mining pool dev)  had a vision—what if you could just talk to the blockchain? No complicated queries or dev tools, just questions in plain language. [CodeUTXO](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cb22Sd95Rg4&list=PL8-KVrs6vXLScaNb6anQIrmN_YweVBKrc&index=2) delivers that experience, offering a natural-language chatbot that interfaces with the Ergo blockchain to return real-time insights about contracts, tokens, transactions, and more.

The judges appreciated the thoughtful architecture, which is fully open-source, multi-component, and user-focused. It stood out for its utility, technical strength, and alignment with the hackathon’s theme.

However, some questioned whether the tool’s level of detail was better suited for devs or average users, and they noted that the video’s audio quality held it back slightly. Still, CodeUTXO offered a promising step toward making blockchain data conversational.

## Third Place: Cortex

[Cortex](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxAoBu6I8kQ&list=PL8-KVrs6vXLScaNb6anQIrmN_YweVBKrc&index=3) set its sights on mining—more specifically, how to make it smarter. Built as an advanced, fully open-source GPU miner for the Ergo blockchain, Cortex draws on established foundations like the Ergo Reference Miner, community CUDA/OpenCL miners, and Stratum pool servers. But what sets it apart is its plan to weave AI throughout every layer of development.

From design and code auditing to optimization and even marketing materials, Cortex uses artificial intelligence to boost efficiency, performance, and accessibility. It’s not just about mining harder—it’s about mining smarter.

Judges appreciated its technical depth, particularly the potential of AI-based tuning for better GPU performance. The modular architecture showed promise, though some reviewers wanted more insight into how the optimization works and what real-world gains it produces.

## What the Community Loved

ErgoHack X wasn’t just judged behind closed doors. We opened the floor to the community with polls on Telegram and Discord, giving everyone a chance to highlight what resonated most.

### Telegram Results:
- Pattern – 31%
- Pulse – 21%
- CodeUTXO – 14%

### Discord Results:
- RustChain – 25%
- Pulse – 21%
- Pattern – 15%
- CodeUTXO – 13%

When we averaged the votes, Pulse, [Pattern](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2GEInJx_cY&list=PL8-KVrs6vXLScaNb6anQIrmN_YweVBKrc&index=6), and CodeUTXO emerged as clear favorites. Pulse, in particular, stood out with consistent second-place finishes, showing the community’s appreciation for real-time, decentralized communication tools.

These votes didn’t influence the final rankings, but they offered valuable insight into what inspired and excited the broader Ergo ecosystem.

#### A Decade Down, So Much Ahead
ErgoHack X reminded us why we build. It celebrated a community of makers and tinkerers, and it spotlighted how far we’ve come—and where we’re headed next.
From logic-based AI games to chatbots and agent frameworks, this round of ErgoHack showed that the intersection of blockchain and AI is a fertile ground for innovation.

To the winners: congratulations! To all the participants: thank you! And to the Ergo community—your support powers it all!
We’ll see you at the next ErgoHack.


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ErgoHack X Meet the Winners!

### A Milestone for Ergo DeFi

DexyGold’s public mainnet beta is live and already moving real value. The coin targets the USD price of one troy ounce of gold, relying on two core contracts:

* **Bank Contract** — mints DexyGold when users deposit ERG at the oracle price.
* **AMM Liquidity Pool** — lets traders discover a market rate and enforces guardrails that protect reserves.

Both contracts use the new [**Gold v2 oracle feed**](https://explorer.ergoplatform.com/en/oracle-pool-state/xauerg), which updates faster and adds extra protections against manipulation. With DexyGold doing well, the community is now preparing to update the USD oracle pool to v2 and launch **GluonUSD** and **DexyUSD**. A Telegram group is forming for people who want to run v2 oracles, and help testing the oracle pool update on testnet is much needed too.

---

### Why Aim at Gold, Not Dollars?

Gold sidesteps single-government risk and has kept ahead of long-term inflation for centuries. A gold-pegged stablecoin rounds out Ergo’s DeFi stack, giving users a hedge that complements USD trackers such as SigmaUSD.

---

### Under the Hood

| Engine Part        | Role in the Peg                                                                                                                                                   |
| ------------------ | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Bank Contract**  | Mints DexyGold for ERG at the oracle price. Supply only grows when users add ERG.                                                                                 |
| **Liquidity Pool** | Publishes a live DexyGold / ERG price. Pool math mirrors Uniswap V2 and blocks LP-token redemption if the oracle price slips more than 10 % below the pool price. |
| **Arbitrage Loop** | *Oracle > Pool* → users mint DexyGold and sell to the pool. *Oracle < Pool* → the bank spends idle ERG and buys DexyGold after a 50-block delay.                  |
| **Safety Valves**  | Time-locks on fresh DexyGold, ERG locks in the bank, and an automatic mint-pause when profits look excessive.                                                     |

---

### How to Try DexyGold Today

1. **Install [Nautilus](https://nautiluswallet.io/)** and choose the mainnet network.
2. **Add a modest ERG balance** via exchange, miner payout, or the [Rosen bridge](https://app.rosenbridge.io/).
3. **Open [Crystal Pool](https://crystalpool.cc)**—the only place to mint DexyGold and trade it. Mint in the Bank UI, provide liquidity, or place limit orders.
4. **Start small:** Contracts are live and hold real value while audits and parameter tuning continue. Orders settle on-chain in seconds.


#### Crystal Pool in Focus

Crystal Pool is a new Layer-1 DEX on the Ergo blockchain focused on direct smart contract interaction with the best available on-chain liquidity. It offers:

* Direct Order Matching on-chain without off-chain order books
* Multi-Token, Multi-Seller Trades in a single transaction
* Real-Time Transaction Chaining, enabling seamless trading for hundreds of users in parallel
* Integrated Charting and Trade History, showing your deals directly on price charts

Coming later in 2025: Limit Order Liquidity Pools, enabling deeper market-making strategies.

Crystal Pool aims to become the core liquidity layer for Ergo DeFi—simple, fast, and transparent.


---

### DexyGold Roadmap

* **Second Audit Pass** to stress-test the arbitrage loop and improve parameter tuning.
* **Collateral Ratio Target** above 150 percent as minting fees build reserves in the bank.
* **USD Oracle Pool v2** rollout with community operators and testing on testnet.
* **GluonUSD and DexyUSD** launches after the USD oracle feed upgrade, expanding the stablecoin suite.

---

### Gold v2 Oracle Adoption Grows

DexyGold is the second project to adopt the Gold v2 feed. The first, **gluon.gold**, recently unveiled a [refreshed beta front-end](https://gluon.gold/reactor) that tracks fees, reserve ratio, TVL, volume, and pending transactions with greater clarity—a testament to how quickly the new oracle is becoming the backbone of Ergo’s gold-based products.

---

### Join the Conversation

Read the draft Dexy white paper, share feedback on **r/ergonauts**, and join the community on [Telegram](http://t.me/dexygold) or [Discord](https://discord.gg/xjfnk9A2cU). Your real-world testing and bug reports will help shape the final parameters of a resilient gold-and dollar-backed stablecoin family on Ergo.


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DexyGold Beta Hits Ergo Mainnet: A New Standard for On-Chain Gold


# Ergo Block Reward Drops to 12 ERG — 6 July 2025

Ergo has just completed it's most recent step in it's scheduled emission plan.  
The base reward fell from **15 ERG** to **12 ERG**, exactly three months after the previous reduction.  
Blocks arrive every 120 seconds, so about 720 new blocks appear each day.

---

## What the Change Means

* **Daily inflation:** The chain now releases **8 640 ERG** per day. Yesterday’s figure was 10 800 ERG.  
* **Quarterly pattern:** The reward falls by 3 ERG every three months until it reaches 3 ERG.  
* **Long-term cap:** Total supply still aims for 97 739 925 ERG. The schedule remains automatic and transparent.

---

## Recent and Upcoming Reward Steps

| Date (≈) | Reward (ERG per block) | Daily New Supply* |
|----------|-----------------------|-------------------|
| 6 Oct 2024 | 21 | 15 120 |
| 5 Jan 2025 | 18 | 12 960 |
| 6 Apr 2025 | 15 | 10 800 |
| **6 Jul 2025** | **12** | **8 640** |
| 4 Oct 2025 | 9 | 6 480 |
| 3 Jan 2026 | 6 | 4 320 |
| 3 Apr 2026 | 3 | 2 160 |

*Figures assume the 120-second block interval.

---

## Supply Data in Real Time

The **[ErgoWatch emission dashboard](https://ergo.watch/dashboards/emission)** presents live charts for circulating supply, emission rate, and future reductions.  
Anyone can confirm each step and cross-check the data with on-chain figures. Sigmaspace.io provides a nice [web dashboard](https://sigmaspace.io/en/storage-rent) that shows Upcoming Expired Boxes. 

---

## Mining Pools to Know

| Pool | Key Points |
|------|------------|
| **[Sigmanauts Pool](https://sigmanauts.com/mining/)** | Community-run DAO. The pool distributes storage-rent proceeds along with block rewards. |
| **[HeroMiners](https://ergo.herominers.com/)** | Global service with pool and solo modes. The site includes detailed statistics and payout history. |

---

## Looking Ahead

The next reduction will cut the block reward to 9 ERG on or around 4 October 2025. Two further steps will bring the chain to its 3 ERG floor by April 2026.  
This smooth staircase limits market shocks while miners, traders, and developers adjust to a gradually tighter supply.



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Ergo’s Block Reward Drops to 12 ERG


From **May 25 to June 1, 2025**, the Ergo community came together for a monumental event — **ErgoHACK X, the 10th Anniversary Edition** of the community-led hackathon series that has powered a decade of decentralized innovation.

With a **$9,000 ERG prize pool** and the theme **"AI on the Ergo Blockchain"**, this edition challenged developers to explore the powerful intersection of artificial intelligence and Ergo’s unique Layer 1 architecture.

**Nine teams** from around the globe brought their boldest ideas to life, combining Ergo’s Sigma protocols, eUTXO model, and native token system with cutting-edge AI technologies. Here's a closer look at each of the pioneering projects that defined ErgoHACK X:

### SigmaQuest
_By @tmr.erg_

An AI-powered game blending mystery, logic, and economics. Players interact with an LLM to solve puzzles, uncover seed phrases, and unlock a wallet filled with ERG. Each message costs 1 ERG — making every interaction a strategic and financial decision. With dynamic death scenes, creative AI puzzles, and real stakes, SigmaQuest is as thrilling as it is unforgiving.

>“The AI generates your challenge. The ERG is real. The keys are hidden. Can you survive the game?”

### RustChain: Proof-of-Antiquity Ledger + Agenic Sophia Core
_By @automatedjanitor7876_ → [GitHub](https://github.com/Scottcjn/sophia-rustchain-bridge)

Imagine a blockchain where older hardware earns more — rewarding sustainability while integrating a covenant-bound AI, Sophia, that recommends but never rules. RustChain is part ethical ledger, part resistance tech, ensuring that AI follows human-aligned principles through Flameholder governance and drift-lock protocols.

>“Legacy matters. Flamebound execution. No drift, no domination — only guided intelligence.”

### CodeUTXO
_By @Marc the Shark x @qx() and @cannon_q_ → [GitHub](https://github.com/codeUTXO/ergo-price-mcp)

A conversational interface to the Ergo blockchain, CodeUTXO lets users interact with data using natural language. Whether querying transactions, analyzing trends, or seeking technical guidance, the AI assistant brings the power of Ergo directly to the user's fingertips — no code required.

>“Talk to the chain. Learn, analyze, build — with words.”

### Pattern
_By @Mehrdad | Pattern ❄#8600_ → [Website](https://mvp.pattern.global/)

Pattern is the Ergo Explorer reimagined. It transforms raw blockchain data into real-time structured knowledge using an orchestrated multi-agent system (OMAS). Like a blockchain co-pilot, Pattern answers complex questions about contracts, addresses, and transactions instantly.

>“From noise to knowledge. Pattern is Ergo’s real-time intelligence layer.”

### Game of Prompts (GoP)
_By @Josemi _→ [GitHub](https://github.com/game-of-prompts/ergo-hack-x)

In this AI-augmented contest, designers create logic-based “game-services” while players deploy solver-bots to beat them. Outcomes and rewards are transparently recorded on the Ergo blockchain, gamifying development and validation.

>“Bots vs brains. On-chain games meet AI logic.”

### Pulse
_By @HQΣr | Wont Dm_

The first decentralized, blockchain-native chat system on Ergo. Pulse supports encrypted group chats, stealth identities, real-time tipping, and an AI assistant — all without servers or custodians.

>“Talk in the open. Safe, private, and decentralized.”

### Cortex
_By @ÅrÖhBê_ → [GitHub](https://github.com/Cortex-Miner/Cortex)

An AI-enhanced GPU miner for Ergo, Cortex integrates performance tuning, hardware health monitoring, and smart workload distribution via machine learning. Fully open-source, it sets a new benchmark for transparent mining optimization.

>“Smarter mining. Real-time tuning. Fully yours.”

### SCypher
_By @Patato_ → [GitHub](https://github.com/moon-miner/bash-BIP39-seed-cypher)

A trustless, censorship-resistant encryption tool hosted entirely on the Ergo blockchain. SCypher enables secure seed phrase ciphering and decryption without relying on centralized servers — all built with AI assistance.

>“Secure your seeds. Hosted on-chain. Trustless forever.”

### Ergomempool Visualizer
_By @2ndTL Mining_ → [Live](https://ergomempool.com/)

Inspired by Bitcoin’s visual mempool tools, this Ergo-native app shows real-time transaction and block data, miner stats, and ERG-to-USD conversion — beautifully displayed and built with Python, hosted on Flux.

>“Watch the Ergo network breathe. Real-time insight. Open source.”

## The Judging Begins

With the week-long hacking concluded, all eyes now turn to the judging panel, featuring some of Ergo’s most respected minds:
- Mark Glasgow – Ergo Foundation member, technical lead in accessibility and inclusion.
- Alex Slesarenko (morphic) – Ergo Foundation board member and core developer of ErgoScript.
- @MrStahlfelge – Longtime Ergo wallet developer and open-source contributor.
- Alison (anon_br) – UX-focused Ergo developer, known for wallet integrations and community tools.

## A Milestone Hackathon for a Decentralized Future
**ErgoHack X** didn’t just celebrate a 10-hack milestone — it redefined what’s possible at the convergence of **AI and blockchain**. Each team pushed the boundaries of decentralized tech, showing that Ergo remains a fertile ground for experimentation, ethics, and cutting-edge applications.

Stay tuned as winners are announced and projects prepare for mainnet deployment. In Ergo, the best ideas don’t end at the hackathon — they evolve into the tools, protocols, and platforms that shape the future of crypto.


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ErgoHack X: A Decade of Innovation Meets the Age of AI

**The Purpose of This Raffle:**
[This raffle](https://ergoraffle.com/raffle/show/ccf1fb1949cfbba4a00e9134b8325eaa1f52afb7bc8e6255c62b46da90d8445f) is to crowdfund the integration of **Onramper and Banxa** into the Ergo ecosystem. Most importantly, this will enable easy US dollar (USD) fiat **on-ramps (to purchase ERG) and off-ramps (to convert ERG back to fiat)**, significantly boosting Ergo's accessibility and utility.

**The Opportunity for Ergo:**
Direct fiat on and off-ramps are a critical piece of infrastructure. By integrating with Onramper (a leading fiat gateway aggregator) and Banxa (a major global payment solutions provider), we can drastically lower the barrier to entry and simplify the experience for everyone wanting to **buy, sell, and use ERG**.

This integration aims to provide extensive global coverage, giving access to most places. Key exceptions where services may be restricted include Hawaii, Louisiana, and New York within the US, mainland China, and approximately 30 other smaller countries due to specific regulatory landscapes. While the UK will be supported via Banxa, it won't be available through Onramper because of FCA rules. However, for most users around the world, this will still enable a more seamless experience when interacting with the Ergo ecosystem using traditional currencies.

- [What countries are supported by Banxa](https://support.banxa.com/en/support/solutions/articles/44002216505-what-countries-are-supported-by-banxa-)
- [Onramper Coverage](https://www.onramper.com/coverage)

Additionally, the Onramper widget can be integrated directly into ecosystem tooling like Nautilus to enable effortless onboarding for new users. 

**Focus of Community Funds & Ergo Foundation Commitment:**

The $20,000 USD raised from this community raffle will be directly allocated to cover essential costs for the Onramper and Banxa integration, including but not limited to:

* Initial platform integration fees and setup charges for both on-ramp and off-ramp functionalities at Banxa.
* Integration fees with Onramper.
* Technical development and any other work required for seamless ERG support.


The **Ergo Foundation is substantially co-funding this entire initiative**. They are committed to covering all additional costs beyond the community's $20,000 contribution, ensuring the full scope of the project (including robust on-ramping and off-ramping) is realized and that these crucial fiat gateways are sustainably integrated and supported for the long term. Your contribution is a key part of this larger, collaborative effort to elevate Ergo!

**Let's bring seamless fiat access and exit routes to Ergo and unlock its global potential!**

[Contribute on ergoraffle.com](https://ergoraffle.com/raffle/show/ccf1fb1949cfbba4a00e9134b8325eaa1f52afb7bc8e6255c62b46da90d8445f)

*Disclaimer: This raffle is required before the deal can proceed, but it has not yet been signed. We've been assured there should be no issues, but if it falls through, funds will go to a DAO formed by sending governance tokens to all raffle participants, allowing them to direct future raffles.*

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Ergo Onramper & Banxa Integration: Fiat Access & Off-Ramps

For many years, the Ergo Foundation and community worked very hard to encourage Ledger Hardware wallets to provide support for the Ergo coin and its native assets. The goal was to have an industry endorsed hardware wallet provide secure and user-friendly access to Ergo holders. It has been a long road to get here, but with the support of the Ergo Foundation and the tireless efforts of some Ergo’s most prominent developers, Ergonauts can now fully utilize Ledger with their Ergo wallets.

The first hurdle towards Ledger integration was completed by Captain Nemo of Nautilus Wallet. They undertook laying the framework by completing the code for Ledger usage. Once completed however, the Ergo app was only available via dev mode on the Ledger Live Application.

The Ergo Foundation recently spent funds to have the code audited by a third party auditing firm, and now for the first time ever, Ergo is fully available for download on the Ledger Live Application. Users are no longer required to adjust the application settings in order to access dev mode. The Ergo App is readily available on Ledger Live along with all other asset application listings. Simply install [Ledger Live](https://support.ledger.com/article/6892461437597-zd?redirect=false) on your computer, connect your Ledger device to the computer, and search for Ergo in the list of applications.

Congratulations to all those who worked to make this happen! As we work to make Ergo a blockchain for everyone, this is a monumental industry achievement for Ergo and the community on the cryptocurrency mainstage.


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Ergo Fully Integrated with Ledger

Ergo Wallet Update: Ergo Fully Integrated with Ledger

It is undeniable that the Ergo Platform continues to outpace most of the blockchain industry in developer activity. Since its inception, Ergo’s Rosen Bridge has successfully bridged assets between Ergo, Cardano, Bitcoin, and Ethereum via its secure system of decentralized guards and watchers. As of today, Rosen Bridge now supports the bridging of assets to Binance Smart Chain (BSC).

The addition of Binance Smart Chain opens the door for the immediate flow of Ergo and Cardano assets into BSC and its large market of DEXs. In other words, it is now possible to list an asset such as rsERG on BSC DEXs. In fact, compatible assets from all of the blockchains that are bridged on Rosen Bridge can be used cross-chain to form new liquidity pools on the respective blockchains.

It will come as no surprise that much of the Ergo community has felt that the industry’s major centralized exchanges have been reticent in their willingness to list $ERG on their platforms. Many have cited that Ergo is a unique Layer 1 blockchain, and as such, it would require significant developer resources to integrate it into a CEX. The Ergo developer team has repeatedly offered to assist with such integrations for free, but they have yet to be taken up on that offer.

Rosen Bridge was built to allow for greater interoperability between blockchains and the free flow of money for all bridged assets. With Rosen Bridge, there is no need for CEXs as Ergo can exist on any of the bridged chains and any liquidity pairing can be created for the immediate trading of rsERG on these blockchains. Ergo is no longer at the mercy of having to try and negotiate listing fees or ask for a CEX to consider listing the $ERG coin. Anyone who uses crypto can now easily access any of the tokens on these blockchains without the need for an intermediary. Subsequently, anyone who has not had access to $ERG and its native assets because of CEXs can now acquire these tokens and interact with the incredible products that are being designed on Ergo.

Ergo has always been about decentralization and limiting control by singular/centralized entities. It is about empowering people to take control of their money and having fair access to DeFi services, such as decentralized lending and borrowing protocols. Rosen Bridge has just rewritten the script on bridge security, and it has significantly reshaped the way people can interact with all of the bridged blockchains. The question is, who will take advantage of this opportunity and help jump start a true decentralized money revolution?

If you are someone who has a significant $ERG holding and would like to explore earning fees for providing liquidity, then Rosen Bridge may be of particular interest to you. Many Ergonauts are familiar with the Rosen Bridge user experience and interface, but if you are new to this product, we will provide a short guide on how to use the bridge.

## Interacting with Rosen Bridge

1. Visit the [Rosen Bridge Website](https://app.rosen.tech/)

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2. You will then need to select your **Source** and **Target** blockchains. To select your Source blockchain (the chain you wish to move assets off of), just click on the drop menu and choose from Ergo, Cardano, Bitcoin, Ethereum, or Binance Smart Chain. Similarly, you can select your Target blockchain (the chain you want to move your assets to) via the drop menu. 

3. Once you have selected the Source and Target blockchains, you will need to connect your wallet.

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_Please note that you will need to have created wallets on both the Source and Target blockchains before you attempt your transaction._

In the example above, we are using Cardano as our Source blockchain, and after connecting our wallet to the Rosen Bridge, the dApp will be able to read which assets are available for bridging.

4. In order to move the desired assets to Binance Smart Chain, you will need to have your BSC wallet address ready for input in the **Target Address** box on the website. 

5. Select the **Token**, or asset, that you wish to move to BSC in the corresponding field on the dApp’s website.

6. Choose the number of tokens you want to send. 

Once you have completed these steps, you can bridge the desired assets to your Binance Smart Chain wallet. It is important to note that the transaction is not immediate. Rosen Bridge is specifically designed for utmost security. It is an intentional design choice to have bridge transactions carefully vetted and verified via the system of guards and watchers. Instant bridge transactions would be nice, but as history has shown, weak bridges have been prone to attacks and lost funds. Rosen Bridge is built to be secure and it significantly reduces attack vectors through its decentralized design - ensuring that funds are safe and arrive at their target destination. 

If you would like to learn more about Rosen Bridge and its revolutionary design, please visit the [Rosen Bridge website](https://rosen.tech/). The team continues to build infrastructure for more blockchains while simultaneously adding support for an increasing number of native tokens from the respective blockchains. The success of this bridge is well documented, and with time, it is clear that it has the potential to become the main hub for cross-chain interoperability throughout the industry. 

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Rosen Bridge: Binance Smart Chain Integration Goes Live

The Ergo Foundation is proud to announce the approval of a **$24,000 grant** for the **Comprehensive Ergo Mining Ecosystem Development and Community Expansion initiative**. Over the next 12 months, this project will focus on strengthening Ergo's mining infrastructure, promoting decentralization, and empowering the community through education, development, and marketing efforts.

## Key Objectives of the Initiative

### Mining Infrastructure and Community Development

The project will enhance existing mining tools, foster new community-operated pools, and equip miners with resources to thrive in the Ergo ecosystem. These efforts aim to fortify mining infrastructure, increase network resilience, and improve decentralization.

### Community-Driven Development

Equipping miners is a central theme of this initiative. Mining DAO Community members will be able to vote on development priorities and participate in educational programs to learn about Ergo's innovative tools and features.

### Sigma-Rust Python Bindings

Separately, though partially as a result of this proposal, the Ergo Foundation has allocated funds for [bounties to create Python bindings for Sigma-Rust](https://github.com/ergoplatform/sigma-rust/issues/780). The bounty and Python bindings will streamline the overall community development processes and help foster miner-to-developer transitions. 

The bindings will provide a robust alternative to the ergpy library and align with broader ecosystem needs, such as facilitating functional testing for hardware wallets like Ledger. Once the bindings are complete, the team will focus on producing comprehensive documentation, tutorials, and educational content to enable greater community contribution and engagement.

### Treasury Building and Token Distribution

The initiative will fortify a treasury under the Sigmanauts Mining DAO, enabling long-term growth and incentivizing miners to participate in the ecosystem actively.

### Marketing and Community Engagement

Visibility and outreach will include creating high-quality promotional materials to highlight Ergo's mining tools and ecosystem initiatives. These efforts aim to boost Ergo's profile globally while engaging existing and new community members.

## Transparent Progress and Community Updates

The project team will provide regular updates to the community to ensure transparency and accountability. Monthly progress reports and detailed quarterly reviews will highlight:
- Mining pool performance and updates
- Development of new tools and resources
- Engagement in educational programs
- Marketing outcomes and community feedback
- Treasury growth and token distribution impact

## Building on a Strong Foundation

This initiative builds on successful programs like ErgoHack8 and the Sigmanauts, demonstrating Ergo's commitment to fostering innovation and collaboration. By investing in infrastructure and empowering its community, Ergo is well-positioned to lead in the competitive mining landscape.

Stay tuned for updates as we work together to strengthen and expand the Ergo mining ecosystem!


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Ergo Foundation Unveils $24,000 Grant to Empower Mining Community

It’s almost time for the next Ergo Platform hackathon! ErgoHacks have become a hallmark of the ecosystem, and they have played an integral role in the growth and development of the blockchain. 

With the deployment of numerous dApps, lending protocols, and Rosen Bridge, Ergo is poised to offer much to the world of decentralized finance. In an effort to continue building a blockchain for everyone, the next ErgoHack will encourage developers to build new mining solutions and enhance the user experience through UI/UX.

## ErgoHack IX Details

ErgoHack IX will take place from Oct. 25-31, 2024 on Ergo’s Discord. Participants who have experience as UI/UX designers, front-end developers, and/or blockchain developers are all encouraged to apply. If you are a mining enthusiast or a student/hobbyist in blockchain tech, you are also welcome to submit an application. 

PRIZES TBC

Special Recognition prizes will be awarded to projects with:
- the best UI/UX design
- most innovative mining solution
- a community choice award

## Participant Objectives and Judging Criteria

All participants are encouraged to build solutions that meet the following objectives:

- **Promote UI/UX Excellence**: The judging committee would like to see the building of user-friendly interfaces for Ergo applications.
- **Innovative Mining Solutions**: How can the mining process be made more efficient and accessible?
- **Collaborative Spirit**: Participants are encouraged to find ways to bring the work of multiple developers and dApp designers together to enhance the overall Ergo ecosystem experience.
- **Education**: There is a need for workshops on the best way to design and implement UI/UX and mining solutions.
- **Community Engagement**: Create a meaningful impact on the Ergo ecosystem community. Projects should look to harness the power of the existing community while also creating ways to engage new participants. 

At the end of ErgoHack IX, the judging committee will award the prizes based on the following criteria:

- User Experience
- Innovation
- Technical Execution
- Presentation
- Community Engagement

If you are interested in participating, please visit the [ErgoHack website](https://ergohack.io/) and fill out an application form there. You can also interact with the Ergo Foundation on [X](https://x.com/ergo_platform?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor), [Discord](https://discord.com/invite/ergo-platform-668903786361651200), and [Telegram](https://t.me/ergoplatform) if you have any questions about the application process. 


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ErgoHack IX: Advancing UI/UX Design and Mining Solutions on Ergo

The Ergo Foundation is thrilled to announce the latest step in [its initiative to foster the growth of the Ergo Ecosystem and community-driven projects](https://ergoplatform.org/en/blog/Ergo-Foundation-Announces-New-Initiative-to-Accelerate-Ecosystem-Growth/). As part of this effort, the Foundation has approved a **$12,000 grant** to support **CyberVerse**, an innovative gaming project on the Ergo blockchain. This funding will directly contribute to marketing efforts, community-building initiatives, and long-term engagement within the ecosystem.

## Empowering CyberVerse and Ergo Ecosystem Growth

The CyberVerse grant aims to expand the game's reach and drive user adoption of the Ergo blockchain by supporting key marketing initiatives. These include:
- **Partnering with Content Creators**: Supporting influencers and content creators to showcase CyberVerse across social media platforms, generating organic interest, and attracting new players to the game and the Ergo ecosystem.
- **Community Competitions**: Hosting engaging competitions to foster user-generated content, spark creativity, and incentivize player involvement.
- **Virtual Community Events**: Organizing regular events, such as live streams and tournaments to strengthen community ties and maintain high engagement levels.
- **Professional Marketing Content**: Producing high-quality promotional materials to enhance CyberVerse's visibility and appeal to a broader audience.

This grant not only supports the growth of CyberVerse but also plays a crucial role in introducing new users to the Ergo blockchain, aligning with our mission to foster adoption through innovative and community-driven projects.

## Transparent Reporting and Community Updates

To ensure accountability and transparency, the CyberVerse team will provide regular monthly updates on how the grant funds are being utilized. These updates will be shared with the community, allowing everyone to track the progress and impact of this initiative.

## Looking Ahead

As we continue to support innovative projects like CyberVerse, we are excited about the future of the Ergo ecosystem. By empowering projects that create value and attract users, we believe that Ergo is well-positioned for sustainable growth.

Stay tuned for more updates on CyberVerse’s progress!
- [Telegram](t.me/CyberVersegame)
- [Discord](discord.gg/cyberversegame)


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Ergo Foundation Announces Grant to Support CyberVerse Marketing and Ecosystem Growth

The Ergo Foundation (EF) is excited to unveil a new strategic initiative aimed at fostering the growth and sustainability of the Ergo Ecosystem. This comprehensive plan focuses on two key areas: funding innovative proposals from projects and the community in a budgeted manner and bringing new members into the Foundation gradually over time.

## Empowering Community-Driven Innovation

The heart of this initiative lies in our commitment to funding marketing and development proposals from the Ergo Community. We believe that the best ideas for growing our ecosystem often come from those most passionate about it. To that end, we're introducing a new proposal system with the following key features:

1. **Open Submissions**: Anyone in the community, including core developers, can submit proposals.
2. **Structured Format**: Proposals should include a detailed project description, funding requirements, budget allocation, expected results, and a reporting timeline.
3. **Transparency**: We aim to implement a public submission form to streamline the process.
4. **Responsible Funding**: To ensure sustainability, we've set a monthly funding cap of $10,000 for marketing proposals.

For submissions use the form 👉 https://tally.so/r/mJ0jeY

## Gluon Gold: EF’s First Approved Proposal

We're thrilled to announce that the first proposal approved under this new initiative is a marketing campaign for Gluon Gold. This project, proposed by The Stable Order, aims to promote Ergo's stablecoins and their integration with Rosen Bridge. The campaign will generate over 200 PRs across various media channels, benefiting multiple Ergo-based projects.

## Welcoming New Voices

In an effort to broaden our perspective and strengthen our team, the EF is actively expanding its membership. We're pleased to share that @MGPAI (Shishir Pai) has agreed to join the Foundation. MGpai has a background in computer science and is a well-known Ergo-community developer. He is involved with several projects across the ecosystem including [Zengate](https://www.zengate.global/), [Lilium](https://www.liliumergo.io/), [Phoenix Finance](https://www.phoenixfi.app/), [ErgoNames](https://www.ergonames.io/home), [Rosen Bridge](https://rosen.tech/), and [Oracles](https://docs.ergoplatform.com/uses/oracles/).

We're open to welcoming additional members who will have full voting rights within the EF. To ensure a smooth integration, new members will be onboarded gradually over time.

## Looking Ahead

As we implement these changes, we remain committed to transparency. The EF will soon publish details of our liquid funds to help manage expectations and ensure accountability. We believe that by supporting projects that attract users and drive adoption, we can create sustainable growth for the entire Ergo Ecosystem.

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Ergo Foundation Announces New Initiative to Accelerate Ecosystem Growth

## Three New and Innovative Projects Take Top Prizes

Interoperability is the next chapter in the evolution of the blockchain industry. Numerous chains offer differing degrees of use cases, but Bitcoin is still king of the market, owning the title of largest market cap. It has endured and proven itself to be reliable, secure, and a true store of value. For all of its achievements though, Bitcoin lacks the ability to evolve into a blockchain with native smart contracts. The integration of Bitcoin with DeFi is still in the early stages, but a blockchain with its genesis rooted in open source development and decentralization may have what it takes to be the leading platform to blend Bitcoin with powerful and secure smart contracts.

As a blockchain modeled after Bitcoin's UTXO model, Ergo offers a clear path toward the full realization of Bitcoin and DeFi. The opportunities for Bitcoin on Ergo have never been more concrete. As of this month, [Rosen Bridge](https://rosen.tech/) has now officially connected Ergo, Cardano, and Bitcoin (with the addition of EVM chains on the horizon) through secure and decentralized infrastructure. As a result of this, developers can now utilize Bitcoin with Ergo’s smart contracts and time tested network security.

The Ergo Foundation’s most recent hackathon (ErgoHack VIII: Ergo as a Smart Layer) was designed to address this new opportunity presented by Rosen Bridge. It encouraged contestants to build tools and products to augment the versatility and functionality of Bitcoin on Ergo.

## ErgoHack VIII Winners

ErgoHack VIII featured 15 teams: Analog Ergo, Crystal Pool, Cup of Sugar, Duckpools
Ephemeral Messaging, Huangians, Moria Finance, Reputation System, Mining Bitcoin Swap, Rosen Port, Rng Dev, Sigma Wallet, Space Wallet, Trustless Relays, and Wallet Wonderland.

After much deliberation by the adjudicating committee, we are pleased to announce the winners of ErgoHack VIII:

### 1st Place ($9k SigUSD): Crystal Pool


>“This new trading platform is a great addition to the Ergo ecosystem, boosting a user-friendly design and seamless integration for instant trades.” - ErgoHack Judge

Crystal Pool has designed a self-custodial exchange, whereby users can swap assets available on the Ergo Platform. All the transactions are performed by Ergo smart contracts, and users maintain custody of their assets at ALL TIMES. Imagine an interface that looks and feels like a centralized exchange order book, but you maintain the security of your assets while interacting. Crystal Pool will utilize the assets that have been bridged via Rosen Bridge, which include Ergo, Bitcoin, and Cardano assets at this time. In the future, Ethereum and other EVM chain assets will be accessible in this unique self-custodial exchange.

### 2nd Place ($5k SigUSD): Duckpools


>“The OptionPools for Duckpools is another solid financial tool that will bring much more attention to DeFi within Ergo’s ecosystem. Creating a pool to peer options platform in the time provided is quite impressive.“ - ErgoHack Judge

The Duckpools team has designed a new options trading service called OptionPools. It will be created through an automated market maker (AMM) option trading smart contract pool, whereby liquidity providers and traders can add/collect yield and buy/sell options, respectively. 

### 3rd Place ($4k SigUSD): Analog Ergo


>“This project is strongly aligned with the theme of integrating Bitcoin, as it is focused on integrating Lightning Network ←→ Ergo swaps.” - ErgoHack Judge

The Analog Ergo project aims to achieve atomic swaps between the Lightning Network and Ergo. During the ErgoHack, they established Bitcoin Testnet and Lightning Testnet (LND) environments. Analog Ergo’s work also included modifying their existing Atomic Swap Contract to include sha256 preimages instead of Curve Points. Finally, they were going to perform a proof of concept swap where the Lightning preimage serves as the secret for the Atomic Swap. 

## Additional prizes:

Kushti helped launch a [community raffle](https://ergoraffle.com/raffle/show/91547b4f55a049553dc8629c246431dd904ed16565a1ed859b59f7cbe6e92514), and it raised over 8462 ERG from the generosity of the Ergo community. After a [public vote](https://app.paideia.im/Sigmanauts/proposal/ergohack8--sigmanaut-community-bonus-rewards-f69c4061-07f0-4667-83f8-d0b71a90effa), the following prizes were awarded:

1st Place (1505.2 ERG) - Mining BTC Swap (Sig Mining Pool)
2nd Place (1297.7 ERG) - Crystal Pool
Joint 3rd Place - (1090 ERG) - Duckpools (optionPools) and Random Number Generator!

100k RSN was also available for consideration, and the judges decided to award these funds equally to all of the participants.


## ErgoHack Conclusion

Thank you to all of the participants for their hard work and innovative proposals. The Ergo Foundation would also like to thank everyone who contributed towards the prize pool, including the Rosen Bridge team and the Ergonaut Community Raffle Prize. 

Keep an eye out for the next ErgoHack announcement! There is an incredible amount of development happening on the Ergo blockchain, and as Rosen Bridge opens new doors to cross-chain interoperability, Ergo is poised to lead the way with new and innovative tools and products. 


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ErgoHack VIII Winners

ErgoHack VIII: Ergo as a Smart Layer has just ended, and we have 9 submissions for our judges to evaluate! This iteration of Ergo’s popular hackathon saw participants explore the various ways in which Ergo [can augment the functionality and versatility of Bitcoin](https://ergoplatform.org/en/news/ErgoHack-8-Ergo-as-a-Smart-Layer/). 

## ErgoHack VIII Adjudication

During this ErgoHack, contestants had the opportunity to present their work to some of the most innovative and creative minds in the crypto space. Now, as they deliberate, judges will consider the following criteria to make their final decisions:

- Innovation and originality
- Technical execution and code quality
- User experience and design
- Potential impact on the Ergo ecosystem
- Alignment with the theme of integrating Bitcoin

At the end of the adjudication process, the judges will select three winners, and they will each receive a portion of the prize pool. Winners will earn a share of 18k SigUSD as well as several other big prizes.

**1st Prize - 9k SigUSD
2nd Prize - 5k SigUSD
3rd Prize - 4k SigUSD**

### Additional Prizes
- 100k RSN tokens to be distributed at the judges’ perogative
- Nervos CKB sponsored prizes of 1000 CKB for a project that Developed a Lending Protocol on a UTXO-Based Chain
- 8462 ERG from kushti's raffle awarded to the project that wins the community vote

## Judges

### Mark Glasgow, Ergo Foundation
Mark is an Ergo Foundation member and works across various roles in Ergo. As a Computing Science graduate with a personal passion for improving inclusive systems, he is also the Technical Director for Disabled Students UK CIC -  a non-profit that was named as one of the most influential disability-led organizations in the UK.

### Alex Slesarenko AKA morphic, Ergo Foundation
Alex Slesarenko (morphic) is an ERGO Foundation Board Member and graduate of Applied Mathematics from Udmurt State University. He has extensive experience in software development as a team leader, architect and researcher. He worked as Team Leader at Huawei Research Lab, focusing on developing languages and compilers for high-performance big data processing. Alexander is a Blockchain Core Developer and Lead Developer of ErgoScript at ERGO.

### Error404
Error404 has a PhD in Computer Science from the University of Liverpool, specializing in Ontology and Creative Design. They are a contributor to the open-source HTML5 player McCree. Currently, they serve as a Developer Relations (DevRel) expert at Nervos Network, dedicated to building and promoting the developer community and ecosystem for that blockchain platform.

### Rustinmyeye
Rustinmyeye is a member of Ergo's Sigmanauts community. They have been actively learning to code since discovering Ergo. Passionate about Ergo and its community, rustinmyeye is inspired to construct apps and/or docs that empower average users and solve problems they encounter while interacting with the Ergo blockchain.

## ErgoHack VIII Announcements

Stay tuned to Ergo’s social media channels to stay up-to-date on Ergo as well as ErgoHack VIII’s announcement of the prize winners!
