What is the difference between SHA256AsicBoost and SHA256?

SHA256AsicBoost is the upgraded SHA256 protocol. SHA256AsicBoost allows ASIC miners to achieve lower power usage compared to using the regular SHA256.

When mining on NiceHash, a global hashrate marketplace that allows you to buy or sell hashrate for mining, you may notice that there are two algorithms for mining on Bitcoin.

• SHA256
• SHA256AsicBoost

SHA256 is a common algorithm for encryption, and forms the code base of the Bitcoin mining algorithm. SHA256 is the hash function and mining algorithm of the Bitcoin protocol, referring to the cryptographic hash function that outputs a 256 bits long value.

All modern ASICs support only SHA256AsicBoost, as it lowers the power usage significantly. If you are using a modern ASIC miner to mine on NiceHash, you should connect to SHA256AsicBoost.

What ASIC models support AsicBoost?

• By default, all modern ASICs (developed after 2018) support AsicBoost and will not work on the regular SHA256.
• ASICs with custom firmware (this might need to be manually enabled in the settings)
• Older ASICs with the latest firmware (some manufacturers added support for AsicBoost later)

How do these Mining Algorithms work?

To solve a block on the blockchain, miners must find a solution (hash) to the hash function that has a difficulty higher or equal to the minimum network difficulty. A mining algorithm is the set of rules and mathematical operations used by miners on the hashing process of Proof of Work cryptocurrencies.

In order to achieve this, the miner continuously tries random nonces (number only used once) on the hash function in hopes of finding a valid solution. Depending on the mining algorithm, it may be possible to compute trillions of solutions (hashes) per second, this is usually displayed as TH/s.

Connecting to AsicBoost

Connecting your miners to Sha256 AsicBoost is as easy as connecting to the regular SHA256, just make sure you have a model from post 2018, or if you have older machines, check that the firmware has been updated by the manufacturer.