ViaBTC is a multi-coin proof-of-work (PoW) mining pool that combines computing power from individual miners and mining farms. Miners connect compatible hardware, submit shares that let the pool measure their contribution, and receive mining earnings according to the payment method available for their selected coin.
This guide explains how ViaBTC works, its supported coins and payment methods, how to connect a Bitcoin miner, and how to interpret mining data.
Product details checked September 18, 2026. Supported coins, payment methods, and service settings can change; check the linked official documentation before configuring your miner.
How a Mining Pool Works
A mining pool distributes jobs to connected miners, validates submitted shares, and records each miner’s contribution. When a miner finds a valid block through the pool, the network’s block reward goes to the pool. How miners’ earnings are calculated and credited depends on the pool’s payment method.
This distinction matters: under ViaBTC’s PPS+ method, the PPS component is calculated from valid shares independently of whether the pool finds a block during that period. PPLNS earnings depend on blocks the pool actually finds.
Shares, network targets, and difficulty
For Bitcoin, a block’s header hash must meet the network target, alongside other consensus requirements. A lower numerical target means a harder proof-of-work requirement and higher difficulty.
Pools use an easier share target—a numerically higher target with lower difficulty—to measure miners’ work more frequently. Meeting this share target alone is insufficient to produce a valid Bitcoin block. However, some shares also meet the harder network target, allowing the pool to submit the corresponding block to the network.
Bitcoin adjusts its mining difficulty every 2,016 blocks to keep the average block interval near ten minutes. Joining a pool does not lower the network’s difficulty; it changes how mining work and earnings are coordinated. See the Bitcoin mining guide.
How shares relate to hashrate
The pool estimates a worker’s hashrate from the rate and difficulty of accepted shares over a measurement window. This differs from the hashrate reported locally by the device, so the two readings need not match over a short period.
What Can You Mine on ViaBTC?
ViaBTC’s current Mining Pools Information page lists these direct mining services:
| Coin | Listed payment methods |
|---|---|
| Bitcoin (BTC) | PPS+, PPLNS |
| Bitcoin Cash (BCH) | PPS+, PPLNS |
| Litecoin (LTC) | PPS+, PPLNS |
| Zcash (ZEC) | PPLNS |
| Dash (DASH) | PPS+, PPLNS |
| Kaspa (KAS) | PPS+, PPLNS |
Use hardware compatible with your selected coin’s mining algorithm. An ASIC designed for Bitcoin cannot mine every coin in the table.
ViaBTC also offers merged-mining rewards under eligible PPS+ and PPLNS configurations:
- BTC mining: proportional rewards in NMC and FB alongside BTC earnings.
- LTC mining: proportional rewards in DOGE, BELLS, PEP, and DINGO alongside LTC earnings.
These are rewards in separate assets, not an increase in the primary coin’s mining output. If you combine their value when estimating revenue, state the assets and conversion prices used. See ViaBTC’s merged-mining documentation.
How ViaBTC Pays Miners
ViaBTC offers PPS+ and PPLNS, with PPS+ described as its default method where available. These methods determine how mining earnings are calculated and credited to your pool account. External withdrawals follow separate settings and timing.
For Bitcoin, the total block reward consists of the block subsidy, or newly issued BTC, plus transaction fees. ViaBTC’s pricing table labels the subsidy component “Block Reward”; this guide uses “block subsidy” to keep the two components distinct.
PPS+
PPS+ combines two calculation methods:
- Block subsidy component: calculated under PPS rules from valid shares and current network difficulty, independently of actual pool-found blocks. ViaBTC lists a 4% pool fee and hourly settlement for this component.
- Transaction-fee component: distributed under PPLNS rules, with a 2% pool fee. ViaBTC’s published rule uses each miner’s share of pool hashrate over the preceding five difficulty rounds, with distribution after the relevant block receives six confirmations.
The two percentages apply to different income components. They do not add up to a flat 6% fee.
PPLNS
PPLNS stands for Pay Per Last N Shares. Earnings depend on blocks the pool actually finds and the miner’s contribution within the defined recent window.
ViaBTC’s published rule specifies the preceding five difficulty rounds, distribution after six confirmations, and a 2% fee on the combined subsidy and transaction-fee earnings. Short-term earnings can fluctuate with pool luck.
These fee rates and settlement rules are published on ViaBTC’s pricing page.
Choosing a payment method
PPS+ reduces exposure to short-term block-finding variance for the subsidy component. Its transaction-fee component still depends on actual pool-found blocks. Under PPLNS, both components depend on actual blocks found.
Consider the available methods for your coin, the applicable fees, and the earnings variability you are prepared to manage. A lower fee does not guarantee a higher realized payout over a particular period. ViaBTC’s payment-method guide explains the mechanics further.
How to Start Mining With ViaBTC
To connect a compatible Bitcoin ASIC:
- Create and secure your account. Register with ViaBTC and enable the available account-security options.
- Select BTC and a payment method. Review PPS+ and PPLNS before choosing.
- Get the current mining address. Copy the Stratum URL and port from ViaBTC’s official BTC mining guide.
- Configure your worker. Enter a worker name in
userID.workerIDformat, such asaccountname.rack01. The BTC guide specifies a worker ID using lowercase letters and numbers, up to 64 characters. The mining password is optional and can be arbitrary. - Add backup connections. Where supported by your firmware, configure additional official pool addresses or ports for failover, then save and apply the settings.
- Check mining status. ViaBTC recommends checking the Workers and Earnings pages after the miner has stabilized for around 10–15 minutes.
- Configure withdrawals. Set up your preferred withdrawal option separately from your mining payment method. Check the destination address, applicable minimum, fees, and timing before enabling it.
Use the official BTC mining guide for current connection details and withdrawal options. Hourly PPS settlement means crediting earnings within the pool account; it does not mean an hourly transfer to an external wallet.
How to Read ViaBTC Mining Data
Local and pool-estimated hashrate
Local hashrate reflects the device’s own performance measurement. Pool-estimated hashrate reflects accepted shares over a given window. Short-term share variance, rejected work, and connection problems can contribute to differences.
Compare readings over matching periods where possible. A brief gap does not necessarily indicate a fault, but a large or persistent difference warrants checking the miner and its connection.
Rejected shares
Rejected shares are submissions the pool does not accept. Stale, invalid, and duplicate submissions are possible rejection reasons. A persistently high rejection rate can indicate connection or configuration problems worth investigating.
Estimated and credited earnings
Estimated earnings are projections; credited earnings are amounts recorded to your account under the payment rules. They should not be treated as interchangeable.
ViaBTC’s profit calculator estimates PPS+ earnings, and actual results can differ because of difficulty changes, transaction fees, payment-method differences, and applicable pool luck. See the profit-calculator explanation.
ViaBTC’s Profit Detail statistics use UTC+8. Match this reporting period when comparing those figures with your operating records. See How Are Profits Calculated?.
ViaBTC Features Relevant to Miners
Alongside pooled mining and merged-mining rewards, ViaBTC offers tools for managing and monitoring mining activity:
- Multi-coin management: manage supported mining activity through one account.
- Smart Mining: the documented One-click Switch function supports BTC and BCH options and is provided at no additional charge. It is a switching tool, not a guarantee of higher profitability. See Smart Mining.
- Worker monitoring: review worker status, hashrate, and earnings through the pool interface or app.
- Watcher URL: share view-only access to account information without giving recipients authority to modify the account. See Watcher permissions and setup.
What to Consider Before Mining
Before choosing your settings, review:
- Hardware compatibility: whether your miner supports the selected coin’s algorithm.
- Payment methods and fees: which methods are available and which income components each fee applies to.
- Earnings variability: how PPS+ and PPLNS expose earnings to pool luck.
- Withdrawal settings: how an eligible account balance reaches your chosen destination.
- Merged-mining rewards: which additional assets your setup earns and how you value them.
- Operating costs: electricity, hosting, and other expenses relevant to your operation.
Keep mining earnings separate from profitability. Coin-denominated earnings can change with network difficulty, transaction-fee conditions, applicable pool luck, uptime, and accepted work. Asset prices determine the fiat value of those earnings, while electricity and hosting costs affect net profitability. A change in BTC’s price alone does not change the amount of BTC mined.
FAQ
Is ViaBTC a Bitcoin-only mining pool?
No. Its current pool-information page lists BTC, BCH, LTC, ZEC, DASH, and KAS direct mining services. Eligible BTC and LTC miners can also receive merged-mining rewards in separate assets.
What is the difference between PPS+ and PPLNS on ViaBTC?
PPS+ calculates the subsidy component under PPS rules and transaction-fee earnings under PPLNS rules. PPLNS bases both components on actual pool-found blocks. ViaBTC lists fees of 4% on the PPS+ subsidy component, 2% on its transaction-fee component, and 2% on PPLNS earnings.
Does ViaBTC send PPS+ earnings to my wallet every hour?
Hourly settlement applies to the PPS component credited within your pool account. External withdrawals follow separate settings and timing.
Can I still use SOLO mining on ViaBTC?
No. ViaBTC discontinued its standalone SOLO payment method for all coin pools on May 20, 2026 (UTC+8). See the official announcement.
Why does my miner’s hashrate differ from ViaBTC’s reading?
The miner measures performance locally, while ViaBTC estimates hashrate from accepted shares over a measurement window. Short-term differences can be normal; persistent gaps may warrant checking rejected shares, connectivity, and miner operation.
Does merged mining increase my BTC rewards?
It does not increase your BTC mining output. Eligible BTC workers can receive additional rewards in NMC and FB. Those rewards remain separate assets unless converted.