What happened: The Merge
On 15 September 2022, Ethereum completed The Merge, switching its consensus mechanism from proof-of-work (mining) to proof-of-stake. Overnight, GPU mining of ETH stopped producing rewards, because the network no longer awards blocks to miners.
Under proof-of-stake, the network is secured by validators who lock up (stake) ETH, not by machines racing to solve hashes. There is no mining reward to earn and no hashrate to rent. This is a permanent, protocol-level change — not something an algorithm or "AI optimizer" can reverse.
What actually changed in 2022
Mining vs staking (why they are not the same)
| Mining (proof-of-work) | Staking (proof-of-stake) | |
|---|---|---|
| Secures network by | Computing hashes with hardware | Locking up coins as a validator |
| Hardware needed | ASICs or GPUs | None (just staked ETH + a validator setup) |
| Applies to ETH today? | No — ended in 2022 | Yes — this is how ETH works now |
| Reward source | Block subsidy + fees for work done | Staking yield for securing the chain |
Staking is sometimes marketed as "mining" to ride the search term. They are fundamentally different activities.
Your real options
If you arrived here wanting to mine "Ethereum", these are the accurate paths forward:
Ethereum Classic (ETC)
A separate chain that kept proof-of-work (Ethash). It can still be GPU-mined and is the closest thing to "old ETH mining".
Stake ETH
Earn staking yield by helping secure Ethereum. This is not mining and carries its own risks (lock-ups, slashing, validator uptime).
Mine Bitcoin instead
Bitcoin remains proof-of-work and is the primary target for AI-optimised mining. See AI Bitcoin mining.
Use AI where it applies
AI optimises proof-of-work mining (like BTC or ETC). It cannot create ETH mining rewards that no longer exist.
What Minevana offers
Minevana does not offer Ethereum mining, because it is not possible. Plans are Bitcoin hashrate only.
We would rather lose the search click than mislead you. That is the same principle behind the per-payout transaction hashes in your dashboard and our risk disclosure.