Ravencoin (RVN): how it works, supply and reviews

In short

Type: Own layer-1 blockchain, a fork of the Bitcoin code focused on asset transfer
Maximum supply: 21 billion RVN
Risks and caveats: The project calls Ravencoin an experimental digital currency, and major bugs include the July 2020 inflation exploit and, in 2026, an asset overflow and a mining bug exploited in August 2026.
Checked: 31 October 2026

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Key facts

Ticker: RVN
Official site: ravencoin.org

Key facts checked on 31 October 2026 against official sources.

What is Ravencoin

Ravencoin (RVN) is a proof-of-work blockchain built on a fork of the Bitcoin code and launched on 3 January 2018. It is designed for issuing and transferring assets (tokens) such as securities, collectibles or gift cards, and had no ICO, premine or masternodes.

Network and consensus

Network and consensus — Ravencoin
Parameter	Details
Type	Own layer-1 blockchain, a fork of the Bitcoin code focused on asset transfer
Consensus	Proof-of-work with the KAWPOW algorithm (earlier X16R, then X16RV2), aimed at GPU mining
Mining algorithm	KAWPOW, derived from ProgPOW and Ethash, intended to let consumer GPUs mine
Launched	3 January 2018, the ninth anniversary of Bitcoin's launch
Block time	1 minute
Assets	Native issuance and transfer of assets, sub-assets and unique assets; messaging and voting are listed as future additions
Open source	Raven Core is released under the MIT licence

Supply and issuance

Supply and issuance — Ravencoin
Parameter	Details
Maximum supply	21 billion RVN
Issuance	Block reward started at 5,000 RVN per block
Halving	Reward halves every 2,100,000 blocks; the first halving on 11 January 2022 cut it from 5,000 to 2,500 RVN
Initial distribution	No premine, no ICO and no coins set aside for developers or founders

What RVN is used for

Paying for transactions and asset operations on the Ravencoin network.
Rewarding proof-of-work miners who produce blocks.
Paying dividends to holders of assets issued on Ravencoin.

Who develops and governs Ravencoin

Developer: Open-source project with no central authority; the reference client Raven Core is developed on GitHub
Founders: White paper documents published by Bruce Fenton, Tron Black and Joel Weight
Foundation: Ravencoin Foundation, a non-profit that supports the project; it states it is not Ravencoin itself

History

History — Ravencoin
Date	Event
3 January 2018	Ravencoin mainnet launched as a fork of the Bitcoin code.
1 October 2019	Mining algorithm switched from X16R to X16RV2 to counter ASIC miners.
16 April 2020	Raven Core v4.1.0 released with the KAWPOW algorithm for GPU miners.
11 January 2022	First halving at block 2,100,000: block reward fell from 5,000 to 2,500 RVN.
7 August 2026	A mining bug was exploited on mainnet; Raven Core v4.8.0 (19 August 2026) patched it together with an asset transfer quantity overflow bug.

Security and audits

Raven Core v4.8.0 patches an asset transfer overflow bug that let a holder of one unit of an asset create up to 2^64 copies, and a mining bug exploited on 7 August 2026.
Release v4.7.0 with the overflow fix never activated on mainnet because miner (BIP9) voting did not complete before v4.8.0 was needed.

Security incidents

Security incidents — Ravencoin
Date	What happened	Source
2 July 2020	Exploit: Ravencoin's lead developer said a vulnerability, caused by a community code submission, was used by unknowns to mint RVN beyond the coinbase of 5000 RVN per block. He said it did not allow stealing RVN or assets that users own and control, the extra RVN represented approximately 1.5% of the final 21 billion, and those RVN had been transferred to an exchange and traded, so they would not be burned. Mining pools were asked to upgrade to the latest release. Funds returned: not stated	medium.com
7 August 2026	Exploit: A self-described security researcher exploited a mining bug on mainnet that let a miner bypass the DAG/GPU requirements to mine blocks easily; as a side effect nodes could no longer sync or restart. Fixed in Raven Core v4.8.0. Loss amount not stated. Funds returned: not stated	github.com

Risks and caveats

The project calls Ravencoin an experimental digital currency, and major bugs include the July 2020 inflation exploit and, in 2026, an asset overflow and a mining bug exploited in August 2026.
The August 2026 mining bug left nodes unable to sync or restart until they upgraded to v4.8.0.
The project notes that its algorithm choice may allow future ASIC development, which could concentrate mining.

Official links

Website: ravencoin.org
Whitepaper: ravencoin.org/whitepaper
Source code: github.com/RavenProject/Ravencoin
Block explorer: rvn.cryptoscope.io
Foundation: ravencoin.foundation

Questions and answers

What is Ravencoin?

Ravencoin (RVN) is a proof-of-work blockchain forked from Bitcoin's code and launched on 3 January 2018, built for issuing and transferring assets such as tokens.

What is the maximum supply of Ravencoin?

21 billion RVN. The block reward started at 5,000 RVN and halves every 2,100,000 blocks; the first halving on 11 January 2022 cut it to 2,500 RVN.

How is Ravencoin mined?

With proof-of-work using the KAWPOW algorithm, derived from ProgPOW and Ethash and aimed at consumer GPUs. Blocks come about every minute.

Who created Ravencoin?

The white paper documents were published by Bruce Fenton, Tron Black and Joel Weight. There was no premine or ICO, and a non-profit Ravencoin Foundation supports the open-source project.

Was Ravencoin hacked?

On 7 August 2026 a mining bug was exploited on mainnet, letting blocks be mined without the normal GPU work; Raven Core v4.8.0 patched it.

Sources

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Page updated: 2026-10-31