Was curious about it the other day, what would be the quickest way to check for the last block payout minus the transaction fee to know when the last block was solo mined?
Thanks.
1 Answer
It is impossible to know whether a block which has no identifying characteristics (i.e. the miner did not put some sort of signature text in the coinbase) was solo mined or pools mined.
The payout values have nothing to do with solo mining.
answered Feb 19, 2018 at 19:41
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But if a block is pool mined wouldn't it be split between many people as compared to a solo mined block that will only be paid to one address?– user77283Feb 19, 2018 at 20:07
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1The mining pool company get the whole reward (all the 12.5 bitcoins + fees) and AFTER THAT, the pool splits the money and sends it to the pool members (often in $). The rewards + fees are often paid to only one address (the address of the mining pool company).– hardforkFeb 19, 2018 at 20:51
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@Alpha: Well, I think some pools have used the coinbase transaction to pay out to members. But it may not be common practice anymore. Conversely, a solo miner could pay out his reward to many different addresses - all belonging to him (to disguise their ownership), or some to other people to whom he owes money. Either way, it's true that this aspect won't distinguish pools from solo miners with complete accuracy. Feb 19, 2018 at 21:37
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@Nate Eldredge, creating a coinbase transaction with [number of miners] outputs wastes a lot of space and you don't get fees for that. I think, they prefer getting more fees by including other transactions nowadays.– hardforkFeb 20, 2018 at 15:26
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@Alpha: Well, you have to pay those miners eventually. If not in the coinbase, then in an ordinary transaction. If you put that transaction in your own block, it wastes just as much space. If you put it in someone else's block, you pay that amount in fees. Seems to me it all comes out in the wash. Feb 20, 2018 at 15:39