A mix of Proof of Work (PoW) and Proof of Stake (PoS) consensus mechanisms are used by Novacoin in its blockchain network, making it one of the first cryptocurrencies to do so. Due to its hybrid design, the NVC blockchain network consumes considerably less energy than a completely PoW-based system while also being immune to the majority of assaults that are common in pure PoW- and Pure Stake (PoS) networks. In order to establish a consensus mechanism, it makes use of the BIP34 hashing algorithm and a Scrypt-based version of proof-of-work. The hashcash technique is used by Novacoin to make the proof of work system more efficient. For its Proof-of-Stake (PoS) method, it employs a combination of the coin-age idea and a proprietary parameter known as CoinDayWeight.
It is similar to coin-age in that the age is computed using a 30-day offset and that the maximum limit is 90 days; however, the CoinDayWeight has a maximum limit of 90 days and is derived using an offset of 30 days. With distinct methods to compute rewards for the PoW and PoS implementations, the reward-per-block is a dynamic concept in nature (which can be found here). When the difficulty is increased by a factor of 64, the reward for PoW blocks is reduced by a factor of 64, and the interest on PoS blocks is reduced by a factor of 64. As an example, the spacing between PoS blocks is 10 minutes; the spacing between PoW blocks is determined by the rate at which PoS blocks are generated, and may range from 10 to 30 minutes. Block payouts are now about 9.38 NVC on average.
The most significant benefit Novacoin offers over other currencies such as Bitcoin or Ethereum is its hybrid consensus mechanism, which takes use of the characteristics of both PoS and PoW based networks to create a system that is resilient, safe, dynamic, and low on resource consumption. This hybrid method mitigates the majority of the dangers that pure PoS or pure PoW systems are exposed to. One of the advantages of NVC is that it uses an ASIC-resistant scrypt-based proof-of-work method. Thus, single CPU and GPU miners have an equal chance of signing a block, something that is currently virtually unachievable in bigger pure PoW-based networks such as Bitcoin.. Novacoin's active development community and user network guarantee that there is always a demand for the cryptocurrency on the market, and they also encourage additional people to participate in NVC trading and mining.
Despite the fact that it was one of the first to adopt a hybrid strategy to its blockchain, it is by no means the first or the only one. The market is now saturated with these types of coins. Although it is ASIC-resistant, it is also more democratic and decentralized in design, which means it has the potential to give a value boost to the fortunes of ordinary miners in the long term. While investing in any cryptocurrency is susceptible to the inherent volatility of the market, the unique technology on which Novacoin is built, as well as the active development going place behind the scenes, make it a desirable coin to consider for investment purposes in the first place.