Dogecoin Developer Threatens to Quit if Switch to PoS is Conceived

Mishaboar, a prominent contributor and lead developer of Dogecoin (DOGE) has openly hinted at the possibility of stepping away from Dogecoin’s development if a transition to a Proof of Stake (PoS) consensus is pursued.

This sentiment underscores his belief that PoS mechanisms have inherent flaws that could conflict with Dogecoin’s core principles.

Dogecoin Developer Shares Clear Stance on PoS

The Dogecoin developer’s statement, delivered as a response to the question of whether he would stake Dogecoin if given the chance, has provided insights into his stance on PoS mechanisms and their potential impact on Dogecoin’s future.

In this statement, Mishaboar draws attention to his apprehensions about PoS mechanisms in general. He indicated that many PoS chains have fallen short of expectations, displaying centralization tendencies, encountering catastrophic failures, or becoming unwieldy to use. 

If this refers to false “staking”, based on lending then no. The risk is too high unless you are an insider (and even then…).

If this refers to a remote possibility of Doge ever switching to PoS, after what I have seen over the past 2 years, i would probably then move to…

— Mishaboar (@mishaboar) August 20, 2023

Additionally, Mishaboar highlighted the potential difficulties posed by a PoS approach when a significant portion of the coin supply is held by crypto exchanges and the regulatory challenges that might arise.

Mishaboar’s response also touched on practical considerations. He argued that the lauded benefits of PoS, such as energy efficiency and faster transactions, may not be critical for Dogecoin’s specific use cases. He suggested that other solutions, such as payment channels and integration with payment providers, could achieve similar results without necessitating a shift to PoS.

The Divide: PoS vs PoW

The PoS and proof-of-work (PoW) are two primary consensus mechanisms that underpin most cryptocurrencies. PoW, the mechanism used by Bitcoin and the original Dogecoin, relies on miners solving complex mathematical puzzles to validate transactions and secure the network. 

PoS, on the other hand, allows participants to validate transactions and create new blocks based on the amount of cryptocurrency they “stake” or hold as collateral.

The recent debate within the Dogecoin community revolves around the potential shift from the established PoW mechanism to the PoS alternative. While PoS has gained traction due to its energy efficiency and scalability potential, it has also faced criticism for the potential centralization it might introduce. 

As the Dogecoin community grapples with this divide, the path forward remains uncertain. The decision to adopt a new consensus mechanism, like Ethereum did through The Merge, carries significant implications for the project’s technological foundation, its community dynamics, and its positioning in the broader crypto ecosystem.