FAQ

What is grin?

• An implementation of MimbleWimble

How is Grin similar to Bitcoin?

• Both are outputs-based, PoW. See also Grin for Bitcoiners

How does Grin compare to other privacy preserving zero-knowledge blockchains like Zcash?

• https://github.com/mimblewimble/grin/wiki/Grin-and-MimbleWimble-vs-ZCash

How does mining work?

• https://github.com/mimblewimble/grin-miner
• https://www.grin-forum.org/t/grin-mining-faq-all-of-the-answers-to-your-mining-questions/71/2

Where can I check the block height?

• HTTP GET /v1/chain on a public peer node or see the grin explorers and scanners in the Community Projects section.

Where can I build Grin and try it out for myself?

• Check out the Build Docs

When will Mainnet be launched?

• Jan 15th

Is Grin a stable store of value?

• No. Grin aims to be a useful cryptocurrency that allows people to transact just like they do with cash, but online.

Is there a block size limit? Target mean block time?

• Target mean block time is 1 block per 60 seconds. The size is limited by transaction "weight", though there is also a hard cap on the order of tens of MB.

How does grin scale?

• Very well thanks to transaction cut-through!

Fees? Monetary policy?

• https://github.com/mimblewimble/grin/wiki/fees-mining and the newer
• https://github.com/mimblewimble/docs/wiki/Monetary-Policy

Is there a pre-mine?

• No.

Roadmap

• Preparing for main net launch: Check out the issues and milestones

Will there be a way to verify proof of payments?

• You can attach recipts or order IDs through the slate that comes with every tx
• Every tx is only known to the sender and the recipient and the network merely verifies that tx are valid. If you're part of a tx you can log that info and use it to prove that a tx is valid and thus definitely happened.

Micro-transactions?

• On Testnet2 fees were 0.8% on a transaction of 1.0 coins.

Could grin ever support or make use of... ☑ Probably, or ☐ Probably not

• ☑ Contracts
• ☑ Pruning
• ☐ Identity, like bitauth
• ☑ Something something SNARK/STARK/NIZKPs
• ☑ Cross chain atomic swaps, ☑ multisig, ☑ time locks, ☑ lightning network,
• ☑ Payment channels
• ☑ hidden nodes / onion routing
• ☑ Scripting - clean & native w/ tiny limits
• ☑ Dandelion privacy mixed with tx cut through (already implimented)

HW requirements for mining?

• A GPU with >3.7 GB of very fast DRAM is the best bet, like the 1080TI. But don't invest Grin-specific equipment yet! There's not even a final beta released, and much can still change.

Quantum safe?

• See this conversation.

Short term plans

• Main net release!