Quai vs Ethereum
Quai runs the same EVM as Ethereum, on proof of work. Ethereum gave up proof of work in 2022, and it sends users to separate rollups to scale. Quai scales inside the base layer, confirms in about 5 seconds, and adds an energy-based token for payments.
Facts reviewed in November 2026.
Where Quai is stronger
Proof-of-work security
On Ethereum, the validators who hold the most ETH produce the most blocks. On Quai, miners spend energy, and no one needs to own the coin to help secure the network.
Scale without rollups
Ethereum scales through rollups, which are separate networks with their own bridges and operators. Quai scales inside the protocol: a hierarchy of chains shares one set of miners.
Faster blocks
A Quai block arrives about every 5 seconds. An Ethereum block arrives every 12 seconds.
The same tools
Solidity, Hardhat, Foundry, ethers.js, and viem all work with Quai. A team does not need to learn a new stack.
Money to save and money to spend
QUAI is the store of value, with emission that slows as the network grows. Qi is cash whose supply follows mining difficulty and the cost of energy. One network does both jobs.
Other chains pay for the burn
Through SOAP, miners of Bitcoin Cash, Litecoin, Dogecoin, and Ravencoin also mine Quai. The rewards from the blocks they find buy QUAI on the open market, and that QUAI is burned. No other network has this.
At a glance
| Property | Quai (QUAI) | Ethereum (ETH) |
|---|---|---|
| Consensus | Proof of work, with PoEM consensus | Proof of stake, since September 2022 |
| Secured by | Miners with SHA-256, Scrypt, or KawPoW hardware | Validators who stake ETH |
| Block time | About 5 seconds | 12 seconds |
| Smart contracts | Yes. The EVM runs on the base layer. | Yes. Ethereum created the EVM. |
| Supply | Emission slows as the network grows, and SOAP buybacks burn QUAI. 1.9 billion genesis QUAI was burned. | No fixed cap. Issuance goes to validators, and a share of fees is burned. |
| Launched | February 2025 | July 2015 |
| Revenue, 12 months | $6.0M | $48.1M |
Revenue is protocol revenue for the last 12 months from DefiLlama. Quai's revenue is the value of the other chains' block rewards that SOAP used to buy QUAI.
How the two connect
Quai is EVM compatible, and QUAI can be bridged to Ethereum and Base.
Questions people ask
Is Quai an Ethereum layer 2?
No. Quai is a layer 1 network with its own miners and its own consensus. It is EVM compatible, so Ethereum contracts and tools work on it.
Can I use my Ethereum tools on Quai?
Yes. Quai supports Solidity and common tools such as Hardhat, Foundry, ethers.js, and viem.
Why choose proof of work for smart contracts?
Proof of work ties security to energy that is spent, not to coins that are held. Ethereum offered this model until 2022. Quai offers it today, with faster blocks.
More comparisons
Sources
This page gives information only. It is not financial advice. See the disclaimers.