Monero Vets Are Preparing Tari Token, Promising Easier Mining for Newbies Than Bitcoin

In an effort to simplify the complex world of cryptocurrency for a new generation, a group of former Monero developers, including core member Riccardo Spagni (aka “fluffypony”), are launching a testnet of their Tari Universe desktop app for mining the eponymous Tari token.

According to Tari project member Navin Jain, Tari was inspired by the early days of Bitcoin, when anyone could mine the cryptocurrency on their computer without the need for special equipment — before expensive and energy-intensive mining rigs became the norm.

“If you think about a new person who doesn’t have a MetaMask wallet installed yet and doesn’t have an account on any exchange, how can they participate?” said Jain, who was also an early Monero miner. Decipher.

“Back in the days when Bitcoin first came out, people could just mine Bitcoin on their computers and that’s how this whole industry started,” he continued. “What if we go back to how Bitcoin first came out, where anyone can download free software off the internet, install it, and start mining a new blockchain protocol?”

Jain said that the Tari Universe mining software and testnet will launch on September 12, with the Tari mainnet launching later this year.

In May, Tari announced that eligible community members could also earn Tari tokens by completing online tasks, including liking and retweeting on Twitter, joining the Tari community on Reddit, and creating memes featuring Tari’s turtle mascot, Sun.

«[The Tari token] “should be thought of in a similar way to a token like Ethereum,” he said. “It’s the token that powers the entire network, it’s the token that you’ll use to pay for transactions and use applications ultimately on the Tari network.”

While Tari is its own blockchain, Jain explained, it uses a proof-of-work consensus algorithm like Bitcoin and benefits from technology found in Monero, the leading privacy coin. He said it uses a “hybrid” model, mining half of its blocks on Tari and half through mergers in Monero.

However, Jain stressed that Tari is not affiliated with the privacy-focused Monero project.

“It’s not true to say Tari is a sidechain,” he said. “We do benefit from the security model of Monero on the RandomX side through merge mining.”

Merged mining refers to a process that allows miners to simultaneously mine two or more cryptocurrencies that use the same consensus protocol and hash function. As a result, miners can earn rewards from both networks without additional resources. Merged mining benefits smaller networks by increasing security and cost efficiency.

Jain noted that using this approach benefits the Tari community as it makes the network more decentralized and accessible from day one.

“It doesn’t matter whether you believe ETFs are going to save the day or what your maximalist vision is,” Jain said. “The reality is that the system is now a closed box — it’s not an open, accessible thing — and all the new protocols that are launched are exclusively catering to the people who are already here.”

Addressing crypto community detractors who might question the need for something like Tari Universe, Jain reiterated the need to attract new users and not rely solely on older cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin to do the job.

“What about the next generation? What about Gen Alpha, Gen Z, these new people?” Jain asked. “You literally went to the Bitcoin conference in Nashville, and you had a 78-year-old former president touting Bitcoin on stage. If that’s not the definition of a boomer coin, I don’t know what is.”

According to Jain, the Tari Universe software has two modes for mining tokens: ECO mode and Ludicrous mode, the latter being a reference to the classic Mel Brook film Spaceballs.

Jain said that ECO mode uses fewer computer resources, making it ideal for mining when the computer is in use. In contrast, Ludicrous mode uses more resources and is ideal when the computer is not in use, such as at night.

“You don’t need special, expensive hardware like Bitcoin mining to mine Tari,” Jain said. “If you have a laptop or desktop computer, you can mine Tari.”