A mining pool is a group of cryptocurrency miners who combine their computing power and resources to increase their chances of mining a new block and receiving the associated reward.
In the context of cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, mining is the process of validating transactions on the blockchain and adding new blocks to the chain. This is done by using powerful computers to solve complex mathematical problems, and the first miner to solve the problem and validate the transaction is rewarded with a certain amount of cryptocurrency.
By pooling their resources together, miners can increase their collective computing power and improve their chances of successfully mining a block and receiving the associated reward. When a block is successfully mined, the reward is distributed among the members of the mining pool based on their contribution to the pool’s computing power.
Mining pools typically charge a small fee for their services, which can be deducted from the rewards earned by the miners. Joining a mining pool can be a more efficient way for individual miners to participate in the mining process, as it allows them to share the costs of mining hardware and electricity while increasing their chances of earning rewards.
Some popular mining pools in the cryptocurrency space include Antpool, F2Pool, and Slush Pool.