Zilliqa Dual Mining vs Ethereum Regular Mining: Is Dual Mining Still Profitable?

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In the ever-evolving world of cryptocurrency mining, profitability and efficiency are the ultimate benchmarks. With rising energy costs and fluctuating coin values, miners are constantly searching for strategies that maximize returns without overloading their hardware. One such concept that has resurfaced in recent discussions is dual mining, particularly the combination of Ethereum (ETH) and Zilliqa (ZIL). But is it truly more profitable than traditional Ethereum mining? Let’s dive into a real-world experiment conducted under controlled conditions to find out.

What Is Zilliqa (ZIL)?

Zilliqa is a blockchain platform developed by researchers at the National University of Singapore. Designed with scalability in mind, it leverages a technology called sharding to process transactions in parallel, significantly boosting throughput. This makes it an attractive option for developers building decentralized applications (dApps) that require high performance and low fees.

The native cryptocurrency of the Zilliqa network is ZIL, which has been listed on major exchanges like CoinGecko since early 2018. Despite entering the market after the peak of the 2017 bull run, Zilliqa successfully launched its mainnet in January 2019 and has maintained a consistent presence in the crypto ecosystem.

As of now, ZIL trades at approximately $0.018**, down 92% from its all-time high of $0.23 in May 2018. With a market cap around $201 million** and daily trading volume exceeding **$23 million**, it remains a mid-tier altcoin with niche utility.

Key features of the Zilliqa network include:

Zilliqa promotes its dual mining capability as both environmentally conscious and economically advantageous—claiming miners can earn extra income while reducing overall energy consumption. But how accurate are these claims?

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Understanding Dual Mining: Can You Really Mine Two Coins at Once?

Dual mining refers to the practice of simultaneously mining two different cryptocurrencies using the same hardware. The most common setup involves mining Ethereum (ETH) alongside another coin that shares compatible proof-of-work (PoW) algorithms. In Zilliqa’s case, miners can run ETH + ZIL concurrently, leveraging idle GPU cycles during specific intervals.

Here’s how it works: ZIL requires only about 1 minute of active mining every 2–3 hours, allowing the GPU to focus primarily on Ethereum while briefly switching to validate Zilliqa blocks. This intermittent engagement is what gives rise to claims of low ecological impact and increased profitability.

Zilliqa highlights three main benefits:

On paper, this sounds ideal—earning passive income from ZIL without sacrificing much ETH output. However, real-world performance often differs from theoretical promises.

Testing the Profitability: The 2Miners Dual Mining Experiment

To determine whether dual mining ETH + ZIL actually outperforms standard Ethereum mining, a controlled experiment was conducted using two identical mining rigs. Each rig was equipped with 9x Nvidia P104-100 GPUs, ensuring consistent hardware performance across both setups.

Experiment Setup

Day 1 Results

At current prices, 38.94 ZIL is worth less than $0.70—far from enough to close the gap in ETH earnings. Additionally, ETH mining luck was recorded at 115%, suggesting that under average conditions, profits could have been even higher.

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Day 2 Results (After Rig Swap)

With a luck factor of 104%, pure ETH mining again outperformed dual mining. Even when factoring in ZIL rewards, the combined value fell short of standalone Ethereum returns.

Why Dual Mining Falls Short in 2025

Despite its appealing pitch, dual mining no longer delivers the promised 10% profit boost. Several factors contribute to this decline:

  1. Low ZIL Value: At under $0.02 per token, even large quantities of mined ZIL add negligible value.
  2. Transaction Overhead: Selling ZIL often incurs additional exchange fees, cutting into already slim margins.
  3. Reduced ETH Output: The brief GPU switches to mine ZIL slightly reduce overall Ethereum hash rate efficiency.
  4. Market Maturity: Unlike in 2017–2018, when dual mining was highly lucrative, today's competitive landscape leaves little room for secondary coin bonuses.

Furthermore, Ethereum remains one of the most profitable coins to mine with GPUs, frequently topping profitability calculators like 2CryptoCalc. With the ongoing transition to ETH 2.0 Phase 0, which introduces staking and a hybrid PoW/PoS model, miners still have ample time to continue GPU operations through bridged networks.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

❓ Is Zilliqa dual mining worth it in 2025?

No, based on current market conditions and experimental data, dual mining ETH + ZIL generates less profit than mining Ethereum alone due to ZIL’s low value and minor reductions in ETH output.

❓ Can I still mine Ethereum after ETH 2.0 launches?

Yes. While Ethereum is transitioning to Proof-of-Stake, GPU mining will continue during the transitional phase via bridged networks. Full discontinuation is not expected immediately.

❓ Does dual mining damage my GPU?

Not directly. However, sustained high load from dual mining can accelerate wear over time. Always monitor temperatures and use proper cooling.

❓ Why does Zilliqa promote dual mining if it's not profitable?

It may serve as a strategy to attract miners to support network security and increase adoption, even if individual gains are minimal.

❓ Are there better alternatives to dual mining?

Yes. Consider switching between coins based on real-time profitability using tools like minerstat or WhatToMine, rather than locking into fixed dual-mining setups.

❓ What happens to my ZIL earnings if I stop dual mining?

Your accumulated ZIL remains in your wallet or pool account. You can withdraw or sell it at any time, though liquidity may vary.

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Final Verdict: Stick With Ethereum Mining

The evidence is clear—dual mining ETH + ZIL is not more profitable than regular Ethereum mining in today’s environment. While the concept of earning "free" extra coins sounds appealing, the reality is that ZIL’s low market value and transaction costs negate any marginal gains.

For miners seeking optimal returns, focusing on high-performance Ethereum mining through reliable pools like 2Miners remains the best strategy. As network upgrades roll out and market dynamics shift, staying informed and adaptable will be key to long-term success.

Whether you're running older 4GB GPUs or a state-of-the-art rig, prioritize flexibility, efficiency, and accurate profitability tracking over marketing-driven promises.

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