KarlsenHash Algorithm | cryptocurrencies, blockchains & live prices

KarlsenHash is a custom Proof of Work hashing algorithm used by the Karlsen blockchain, derived from the HeavyHash family of algorithms originally developed for the Kaspa network. The algorithm builds upon the HeavyHash concept by combining a standard cryptographic hash function with a matrix-vector multiplication step, where the hash output is multiplied by a large randomly generated matrix before undergoing a final hashing round. This two-phase design creates a computational puzzle that is both memory-intensive and computationally demanding, requiring miners to perform linear algebra operations in addition to standard hash computations.

KarlsenHash inherits several key properties from its HeavyHash lineage, including a balanced approach to mining fairness across different hardware types. The matrix multiplication step introduces a memory access pattern that favors GPUs with fast memory bandwidth while making it more challenging to create efficient ASIC implementations. The algorithm is designed to be optical mining-friendly, a concept from the original HeavyHash research that explored the theoretical possibility of using photonic processors for the matrix multiplication step. In practice, KarlsenHash provides a mining experience that is accessible to consumer GPU hardware while maintaining sufficient difficulty adjustment granularity for stable block times.

Karlsen is a cryptocurrency project that forked from the Kaspa ecosystem, inheriting its blockDAG (Directed Acyclic Graph) architecture and the GHOSTDAG consensus protocol. The project adopted KarlsenHash as its mining algorithm to differentiate itself from Kaspa's own kHeavyHash implementation while maintaining compatibility with similar mining infrastructure. Karlsen aims to offer fast transaction confirmation times and high throughput, leveraging the blockDAG structure that allows multiple blocks to coexist at the same height without being discarded. The KarlsenHash algorithm represents one of several HeavyHash derivatives that have emerged in the growing ecosystem of DAG-based cryptocurrencies.