Crypto Mining Rewards: How Miners Earn and Why It Matters

When you hear about crypto mining rewards, the payments miners receive for validating blockchain transactions and adding new blocks. Also known as block rewards, these payments are the engine that keeps networks like Bitcoin, the first and largest cryptocurrency network, secured by proof-of-work mining running without banks or central control. Without these rewards, no one would spend electricity and money on hardware to keep the system honest.

These rewards used to be much bigger. Back in 2012, miners got 50 Bitcoin per block. Now, after several halvings, it’s just 3.125 Bitcoin — and it drops again in 2028. That’s why miners now rely more on transaction fees, small payments users add to their trades to get faster confirmation to stay profitable. But even with lower block rewards, mining still pays off in places with cheap power, like parts of Russia, Texas, or Kazakhstan. The key isn’t just how much you earn — it’s how little you spend to earn it.

Not all blockchains work the same way. Bitcoin uses proof-of-work, a system where miners compete to solve complex math puzzles using powerful hardware. Ethereum switched to proof-of-stake in 2022, which killed its mining rewards entirely. That’s why so many posts here focus on mining in Russia, outdated coins like PLNcoin, or scams like Electron — because mining rewards are disappearing for many projects, and only a few still offer real returns. If a coin still relies on mining, it’s usually because it can’t afford to switch or because its community refuses to change.

What you’ll find in this collection aren’t just guides on how to mine — they’re warnings, breakdowns, and real stories about what happens when the rewards dry up. You’ll see how airdrops like N1 and SPAY try to replace mining incentives, how regulations in Japan and Singapore force miners to adapt, and why some tokens like DUKE COIN and ELECTRON are dead before they even start. This isn’t about getting rich quick. It’s about understanding who still benefits from mining, who’s been left behind, and what the future looks like when block rewards shrink to almost nothing.