Difficulty Calculation / Self-Regulation:
Removing the variables from the code, the formula is as follows:
[(10 * difficulty) / (number of blocks + 97200)] * 97200
Breaking it down, it is observable that 97200 is the 9-month mark given a block target of 4 minutes.
What is not shown is the halving code, triggered per 300,000 blocks. This is necessary to combat inflation, and will not be removed despite the above algorithm doing preliminary calculations of nSubsidy (block reward).
§: Due to the relationship between difficulty and reward, self-regulation occurs; too much hashrate/demand = a higher block reward, diluting the currency and reducing its value. Too little hashrate/demand = a lower block reward, increasing the value and incentivizing mining (after all, more profit at a lower difficulty is likely the most lucrative combination to miners).
Interesting concept.
Hard to imagine how it will turn out. One way it could turn out:
- Everyone will pile on causing massive inflation after its first initial spike in price.
- The inflation will cause the price of the coin to steadily drop.
- The value of mining the coin will drop and miners will move onto more lucrative coins.
- Inflation will slow down due to some miners leaving.
- Everyone coming to the coin late will be screwed because there will already be a shitload of the coins around but when they mine they get very few.
- This will drive even more people away which will drop the reward even more.
Will be interesting to see what happens. I will definitely be watching this release.
If I may point out to everyone reading this. The block reward wont kick in for 28 months (roughly). I believe that wasn't quite clear in the announcement.
The purpose of the block reward halving is to combat inflation, but it will be over 2 years before inflation is reduced by the block halving. In the new crypto coin world that is a very very long time.
Most coins have a natural anti-inflation method by having a set block reward that more and more people are trying to get. So instead of printing enough money so everyone has some, everyone has to share the finite amount that is planned. This causes deflation and your money appreciates in value.
The Syncoin method will rely on the mining profitability declining to reduce the appeal of mining, which will in turn increase the profitability of the coin.
This is all just food for thought. This is an innovative coin and we should watch it closely.
First, with 4 minute blocks, that's 360 blocks per day. 300k/363 = 838, which DOES yield roughly 2 years, but that doesn't take into account the fast-blocks from the beginning, which will go MUCH faster. As a result, difficulty will spike (along with block reward). Unlike other coins, however, the difficulty is supplemented with a higher block reward.
Higher demand => higher reward => equilibrium
The main point here is that profit isn't a major concern; by dampening the fluctuations, SynCoin can reach an equilibrium price faster (and ultimately, a safer place to be).
With this: "The Syncoin method will rely on the mining profitability declining to reduce the appeal of mining" I'm not sure what you mean... the difficulty increase associated with more difficult mining produces MORE of a block reward; the incentive to mine is actually when difficulty drops; to prevent coin-hopping, the Kimoto Gravity Well effectively "cancels-out" any unstable network hashing. The long time until halving occurs is designed to allow for the longest period of adoption by first-timers without missing out too quickly (as in the case of DogeCoin, which is scheduled to halve very soon.