ZHash - Develop Algorithm for ASIC Resistance

[renuzit]

Introducing ZHash, a new hashing algorithm with the goal of hardening the Equihash protocol to be more ASIC resistant. The ZHash algorithm works by increasing the hardware requirements of Equihash to make development of an ASIC appliance less viable. The goal of ZHash is to put GPU mining on a level playing field with ASICs and FPGAs as far as hashing rates and costs are concerned so that they do not get too much of an advantage.

On block 160,000 around June 15th ~ 16th BitcoinZ will fork to the ZHash algorithm to prevent ASIC miners on the network. Before the fork, all nodes and wallets should be updated to the latest version to help support the new algorithm.

List of things that are needed:

• Updated BitcoinZ node - https://github.com/btcz/bitcoinz
• Updated BitcoinZ Windows Wallet - https://github.com/btcz/bitcoinz-wallet
• Optimized GPU miner for Cuda - https://github.com/btcz/zhasher
• Modified z-nomp to support the ZHash algorithm "NickNomp" - https://github.com/NickRHill/zh-nomp
• Optimized GPU miner for AMD
• Testers

Let us know how you can help!

The ZHash algorithm is based on the Equihash 144,5 variant and was primarily based on the development of @tromp, The BitcoinZ project, and The ASIC Resistance consortium.

[jumus-jumbuck]

I am more than happy to host a testpool and will test cpu/gpu mining as it becomes available. I think the Z-nomp should be pretty easy to modify, but my main skill set is not coding so would prefer someone else to do that.

[knurvs]

Please make gtx 1060 3gb work with zhash.

[sennevb]

Adjusting znomp is not more then adjusting N and K parameters if i am not misstaken

[nimbosa]

how do you know that this makes ASIC appliance less viable? how do you know this would be worth the effort? are you going to test these on actual ASIC hardware?

[tractran]

Good project

[NickRHill]

Nimbosa: Equihash is memory hard. However, the very fast SRAM used to ASIC mine Equihash need not be large. By increasing the memory size by more than 11x with Zhash imposes a very large SRAM cost penalty. It is exceedingly unlikely a manufacturer will put 11x more expensive SRAM into a system than it's anticipated requirement. Additionally, adding that SRAM imposes a penalty in terms of bus capacitance hampering efforts to scale. This puts Zhash back into DDR4/GDDR5 territory.

[NickRHill]

knurvs: Depending on solver implementation, it is anticipated Zhash will work within 1.7Gb.

[njwyatt]

Please include my GTX 1080 for ZHASH. Thank you.

[NickRHill]

njwyatt: I use a GTX1080 in my test rig.

[renuzit]

BitcoinZ v1.2.0 has been released to support the ZHash fork! Update now! https://github.com/btcz/bitcoinz.

Also checkout ZHasher miner, a ZHash compatible miner:
https://github.com/btcz/zhasher

[evjk]

Please make gtx 750 1gb work with zhash.
Thank you

[renuzit]

@evjk Unfortunately, Zhash will probably never be able to work with a card that has less than 2 GB.

[tdani30]

Hi Guyz,

Can you tell me the best GPU for mining BTG coin ?? and also suggest the Sol/s rate.

Thanks