Decred (DCR): how it works, supply and reviews
In short
- Type
- Standalone layer-1 cryptocurrency built on the btcsuite Go codebase, not a Bitcoin fork
- Maximum supply
- Upper limit of 20,999,999.98 DCR; the last block reward is due in September 2120
- Risks and caveats
- A consensus bug was exploited on mainnet in August 2026 before a fix was released.
- Checked
- 31 October 2026
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Key facts
- Ticker
- DCR
- Official site
- decred.org
Key facts checked on 31 October 2026 against official sources.
What is Decred
Decred (DCR) is a layer-1 cryptocurrency that combines proof-of-work mining with proof-of-stake voting. Holders who stake DCR vote on blocks, consensus rule changes and treasury spending, and 10% of each block reward funds a project treasury. Supply is capped at about 21 million DCR.
Network and consensus
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Type | Standalone layer-1 cryptocurrency built on the btcsuite Go codebase, not a Bitcoin fork |
| Consensus | Hybrid: PoW miners produce blocks; PoS ticket holders vote to approve the previous block |
| Block time | About 5 minutes |
| Launched | Mainnet launched on 8 February 2016 |
Supply and issuance
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Maximum supply | Upper limit of 20,999,999.98 DCR; the last block reward is due in September 2120 |
| Issuance | Current block reward split: 1% to PoW miners, 89% to PoS voters, 10% to the treasury |
| Inflation | Block reward falls by a factor of 100/101 every 6,144 blocks (about 21.33 days) |
| Initial distribution | 8% premine (1.68 million DCR): 4% to Company 0 and developers, 4% airdropped |
What DCR is used for
- Staking DCR for tickets that vote on blocks and rule changes
- Voting on treasury spending and proposals (Politeia)
- Payment of transaction fees on the Decred network
Who develops and governs Decred
- Governance
- Stakeholders vote on-chain on consensus changes and treasury spending; off-chain proposals run on Politeia
- Developer
- Code built on btcsuite by Company 0, LLC, which assisted development until the 2016 mainnet launch
- Foundation
- Self-funded treasury from 10% of every block reward; contractors are paid from it
- Open source
- Source code on GitHub (github.com/decred)
History
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 15 December 2015 | Decred is announced on Bitcointalk; airdrop sign-up opens. |
| 8 February 2016 | Decred mainnet launches with an 8% premine and airdrop. |
| 15 October 2018 | Politeia, the off-chain proposal and voting system, goes live. |
| 9 April 2021 | Stakeholders approve DCP0006, enabling the decentralized treasury. |
| 29 August 2023 | PoS share rises to 89% and PoW to 1%; proof-of-work switches to BLAKE3. |
| 16 August 2026 | An inflation bug is exploited on mainnet, creating 2,077.97 DCR; an emergency patch (2.1.6) follows on 18 August without a chain rollback. |
Security and audits
- Bug bounty programme with a maximum payout of $30,000 for a critical bug.
- In August 2026 a consensus inflation bug present since launch was exploited for 2,077.97 DCR before a fix shipped; the chain was patched, not rolled back.
- In June 2021 a treasury expenditure-policy bug blocked payments from the new decentralized treasury; Decred said no funds were at risk.
Security incidents
| Date | What happened | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 16 August 2026 | Exploit: A consensus bug present since February 2016 allowed double spending of inputs; it was exploited on mainnet from 16 to 17 August 2026 and created 2,077.97 DCR. The bug had been reported to the bug bounty four days earlier. Exchanges were asked to pause deposits and withdrawals; emergency patch 2.1.6 shipped on 18 August without a chain rollback. Funds returned: not stated | blog.decred.org |
Risks and caveats
- A consensus bug was exploited on mainnet in August 2026 before a fix was released.
- Emergency consensus fixes are made outside the normal stakeholder vote, which Decred itself calls a governance risk.
- Early distribution included an 8% premine, half of it to Company 0 and its developers.
Official links
- Website: decred.org
- Docs: docs.decred.org
- Source code: github.com/decred
- Block explorer: dcrdata.decred.org
- Blog: blog.decred.org
- Governance forum: proposals.decred.org
Questions and answers
What is Decred?
Decred (DCR) is a layer-1 cryptocurrency launched on 8 February 2016 that combines proof-of-work mining with proof-of-stake voting and a self-funded treasury.
What is the maximum supply of Decred?
About 21 million DCR (upper limit 20,999,999.98 DCR); the last block reward is due in September 2120.
How does Decred staking work?
Holders time-lock DCR for tickets; tickets are randomly called to approve blocks and vote on rule changes, and voters receive 89% of the block reward.
Was Decred hacked?
In August 2026 an inflation bug was exploited on mainnet, creating 2,077.97 DCR; Decred released emergency patch 2.1.6 and did not roll back the chain.
Sources
- Decred - Home
- Decred docs - Introduction
- Decred docs - Project History
- Decred docs - Issuance
- Decred docs - Premine
- Decred docs - Hybrid Design
- Decred blog - Consensus Vulnerability: Post-Incident Report (25 August 2026)
- Decred blog - Treasury Expenditure Policy Bug (25 June 2021)
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