Hacker Newsnew | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submitlogin

Why implement the halving as a step function every 210k blocks instead of continuously reducing the block subsidy each block? An infrequent halving event that poses a bit of a shock to the cashflow of miners seems more risky, in that it will suddenly bankrupt a chunk of the miners with insufficient marginal profitability, rather than blurring out those bankruptcies over a larger window of time.

More concretely, rather than having the block subsidy = 50 >>= floor(height / halvings), it could simply be 50 / 2^(height / 610k).



Does seem like a better idea. Only counter I'd mention is that it's _very_ predictable when the halvenings are coming, it should be simple to price them in to planning decisions.


Well it shouldn't make a difference in practice because everyone knows exactly how far away the halving is and makes their financial calculations accordingly


in the beginning, but in many decades from now the change in value will be smaller and smaller and more smooth looking function.




Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: