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RTPoW: A Proof-of-Work Consensus Scheme with Real-Time Difficulty Adjustment Algorithm

  • East China Normal University

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

Abstract

Bitcoin, the first decentralized cryptocurrency system, uses a simple but effective difficulty adjustment algorithm to stabilize its average time of the block creation at 10 minutes. Over time, the volatility of the Bitcoin price has become higher and higher, and it causes the total hashrate (the hash power of the entire network) constantly fluctuating. Both facts and our experimental results prove that Bitcoin's difficulty adjustment algorithm cannot respond in time while the total hashrate is constantly fluctuating. Hence, we propose a consensus protocol with a real-time difficulty adjustment algorithm, RTPoW. RTPoW allows the blockchain to adjust the difficulty target of each block by predicting the real-time total hashrate, so the block time can remain stable even if the total hashrate is wildly fluctuating. To evaluate the effect of RTPoW, we implemented a simulator of an experimental environment and tested our algorithm. The results obtained have confirmed its effectiveness and stability.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationProceedings - 2021 IEEE 27th International Conference on Parallel and Distributed Systems, ICPADS 2021
PublisherIEEE Computer Society
Pages233-240
Number of pages8
ISBN (Electronic)9781665408783
DOIs
StatePublished - 2021
Event27th IEEE International Conference on Parallel and Distributed Systems, ICPADS 2021 - Beijing, China
Duration: 14 Dec 202116 Dec 2021

Publication series

NameProceedings of the International Conference on Parallel and Distributed Systems - ICPADS
Volume2021-December
ISSN (Print)1521-9097

Conference

Conference27th IEEE International Conference on Parallel and Distributed Systems, ICPADS 2021
Country/TerritoryChina
CityBeijing
Period14/12/2116/12/21

Keywords

  • Bitcoin
  • Blockchain
  • Difficulty Adjustment Algorithm(DAA)

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