Genesis Block
The first block in a blockchain, hardcoded as the starting point for all later blocks and the ledger's initial state.
The genesis block is the first block recognized by a blockchain's software. It has no previous block to reference, so clients treat it as a trusted starting point for validating every later block.
Genesis blocks are usually embedded directly in node software with fixed parameters such as timestamp, difficulty, coinbase transaction, and hash. Normal validation links every later block back to this root.
A genesis block can signal the launch conditions and initial distribution of a network. Messages, timestamps, and public launch procedures are often used to build trust that the chain did not begin with hidden history.
Related terms
Explore connected entries beyond the alphabetical index.
Block
→A batch of valid transactions added to a blockchain, linked to the previous block by a cryptographic hash.
Mining
→Proof-of-work block production in which miners build candidate blocks and search for a header hash below the network target.
Block Reward
→The subsidy and transaction fees a proof-of-work block is permitted to assign to its miner.