Cryptopedia - Kaspa

## **What Is KASPA (KAS)?** Kaspa is a fast, scalable Layer-1 cryptocurrency built on proof-of-work (PoW) and powered by the GHOSTDAG protocol — a novel consensus mechanism that extends Nakamoto’s original design. Unlike traditional blockchains that discard competing blocks, GHOSTDAG allows parallel blocks to coexist and orders them within a Directed Acyclic Graph (blockDAG), enabling high throughput while preserving decentralization and security. Kaspa currently processes 10 blocks per second, with a long-term goal of scaling to 100 blocks per second, offering confirmation times limited only by internet latency. This level of performance was made possible by the Crescendo upgrade — a hardfork that successfully increased Kaspa’s block rate to 10 BPS while maintaining network stability. Kaspa's mission is to create a PoW that operates with internet speed, combining the reliability of proof-of-work with the responsiveness demanded by modern applications. True to its foundational principles, Kaspa is engineered for accessibility and decentralization. Its full node runs smoothly on a standard PC, requiring modest hardware thanks to efficient multithreaded CPU use and a secure pruning mechanism that limits disk usage while preserving cryptographic integrity. This design reflects Satoshi’s original vision — a decentralized network where anyone can participate fully without specialized equipment. Layer-2 solutions are in active development to further expand Kaspa’s capabilities. These efforts aim to leverage Kaspa’s unique architecture — particularly its multi-leader consensus — to support scalable applications, MEV resistance, decentralized oracles, and secure sequencing for broader ecosystem growth.