Kaspa Mining Pools
Network Data
Why a pool makes sense for Kaspa mining
A single ASIC holds only a tiny fraction of the total Kaspa network hashrate. Without a pool, finding a block would be pure luck and could take weeks or months depending on your computing power. A mining pool bundles the computing power of many devices, finds blocks regularly as a result, and distributes the payout proportionally by contributed hashrate - predictable instead of random. In return, the pool charges a fee, usually in the low single-digit percentage range. Given Kaspa's high block rate of several blocks per second, a large pool finds blocks practically constantly; for your yield, what counts most is therefore the payout model and fee, less the pool's luck.
Payout models explained briefly
PPS (Pay per Share) pays a fixed rate for every submitted unit of computing power, regardless of whether the pool currently finds a block - the pool operator bears the risk, and the fee is usually a bit higher. PPLNS (Pay per Last N Shares) distributes the blocks actually found among the participants most recently active - comparable in the long run, somewhat more variable in the short run. FPPS is a hybrid model that additionally distributes a proportional share of transaction fees. For devices running continuously, the models largely converge over time; what matters is always considering fee and payout model together, because a low percentage under an unfavourable model can be more expensive than a higher one under a favourable model.
Selection criteria for a Kaspa pool
Besides fee and payout model, what counts when choosing a pool: the proximity of the stratum server to your own location (shorter latency reduces the number of rejected shares), the minimum payout (for smaller setups it shouldn't be unnecessarily high), the transparency of published statistics, and the operator's reliability and track record. An often-overlooked point is your own contribution to decentralisation: a single, highly dominant pool is convenient, but weakens the distribution of the network hashrate - a solid pool with a fair fee is usually the better choice over automatically picking the largest one. Switching pools is possible at any time and takes only a few minutes: simply swap the stratum address in the miner dashboard. Customers who have their Kaspa devices hosted by Cryptohall24 choose the pool themselves, freely; our team is happy to help with setup on request.
NiceHash is not a classic pool
NiceHash frequently appears in Kaspa pool lists too - technically, however, it is not a mining pool but a hashrate marketplace. Instead of mining directly in a pool, you rent out your computing power via NiceHash to buyers, who then deploy it in their own pools; payout to you is usually made in Bitcoin instead of KAS. In the live distribution of the Kaspa network hashrate, NiceHash therefore doesn't appear as its own pool, but proportionally under the pools of the respective buyers.
Advertisement: via our partner link, you can mine at ViaBTC with reduced pool fees, one of the established Kaspa pools. If you would rather market your own hashrate flexibly, you will find the hashrate marketplace described above via our link at NiceHash.