Monero's CPU-friendly, ASIC-resistant PoW algorithm.
RandomX is the proof-of-work algorithm used by Monero (XMR) and a handful of privacy-focused forks. Activated on the Monero network in November 2019, it replaced CryptoNight in a deliberate move to disadvantage GPUs and make ASICs economically impractical. The algorithm was developed and audited by the Monero community over two years and is now widely considered the most successful ASIC-resistant PoW design in production.
RandomX generates a small random program (about 256 instructions) for every hash, then executes that program against a 2 GB dataset cached in memory. Because the program changes every hash, dedicated silicon can't pre-optimize the instruction pipeline the way ASICs do for fixed algorithms like SHA-256. CPUs win because they have general-purpose instruction decoders, large L2/L3 caches, and aggressive branch predictors — exactly the features needed to execute arbitrary code fast.
RandomX is the most CPU-favoring PoW in production. A consumer Ryzen 9 5950X (~22,000 h/s) outperforms an RTX 4090 (~5,500 h/s) by 4× on the same algorithm. ASIC development is mathematically possible but practically uneconomic — any chip that could outperform CPUs would essentially have to be a CPU. The Monero community actively forks the algorithm if ASIC threats emerge.
RandomX is uniquely democratic: a high-end desktop CPU is genuinely competitive. The Ryzen 9 5950X at $0.10/kWh on Monero in 2026 yields roughly $0.30–$0.60 daily profit, before factoring CPU depreciation. Laptops can mine RandomX too, though thermal throttling caps real-world output at 3,000–5,000 h/s.
What is the RandomX algorithm?
RandomX is a CPU-favoring proof-of-work algorithm used by Monero. It generates a random program per hash and executes it against a 2 GB dataset, making ASICs uneconomic.
Which coins use RandomX?
Monero (XMR) is by far the largest. Smaller chains include Wownero, Salvium, and a few privacy-focused Monero forks.
Can you mine RandomX on a GPU?
Yes, but at much lower efficiency than a CPU. The RTX 4090 hits ~5,500 h/s while the Ryzen 9 5950X delivers ~22,000 h/s. CPUs win on this algorithm.
Is there a RandomX ASIC?
No production ASICs exist for RandomX. The algorithm is specifically designed to make ASIC development economically equivalent to designing a general-purpose CPU.