Low-Difficulty Cryptocurrencies – What to Mine in 2026?

Which coins are truly profitable to mine in 2026 on GPUs, CPUs, and ASICs with low network difficulty? An analysis of profitable altcoins, optimal algorithms, and risks – advice from experts.

With each halving and Bitcoin’s revenue growth, many turn their attention to lesser-known coins. After the latest supply reduction, capital enters a “alt season”: investors seek cheaper alternatives and upgrade their rigs. The mid-decade marks a turning point: network difficulty increases, and profitability plummets. So, aiming for BTC, with its 800 EH/s and halving, is definitely not the casual miner’s style. As a result, the question of “what to mine” becomes a search for a crypto startup with minimal competition and an acceptable ROI.

Low-Difficulty Cryptocurrencies: What to Mine in 2026

💡 “Beginner Level”: How to get started without a super farm

Beginners often find NiceHash or Kryptex sufficient – they automatically select the most profitable coin, pay in BTC, and take the headache out of mining with helpful hints. You can start by clicking the “mine” button (the pump will do the rest), and after gaining experience, switch to more specialized software. For example, T-Rex and NBMiner are recommended for NVIDIA, while lolMiner works well for AMD. Ready-made solutions for Windows/CPU/GPU mining include the universal NiceHash or EasyMiner, which are intuitive even for beginners (they automatically mine the selected currency pool).

Tip: It’s recommended to try a couple of algorithms at a time. For example, Gminer and lolMiner allow you to mine Kaspa and Zilliqa simultaneously, while PhoenixMiner is renowned for its Ethereum Classic and dual mining (Ether + a secondary coin). Once you’ve got the hang of the basics, it’s worth digging deeper: install NiceHash QuickMiner with its zero commission and set up a “farm” with multiple GPUs, or switch to MultiMiner with a GUI for managing multiple devices.

🔧 The Role of ASIC: Is It Easy to Get Started?

Despite the widespread GPU/CPU trend, ASIC mining still dominates the SHA-256 and Scrypt segments. Bitcoin (SHA-256) mining still requires a “train of horsepower”: modern Antminers S21+ or M60S consume 200-300 TH/s, and their efficiency is now almost entirely dependent on electricity prices. Even after the upgrade, the block reward has dropped to 3.125 BTC, making breakeven difficult for the average miner.

However, there are other ASIC solutions. Litecoin/Dogecoin (Scrypt) can be mined on an Antminer L7 (9.5 GH/s): the network is less saturated (due to merged mining with Dogecoin), and profitability still remains positive with cheap electricity. Don’t even try to catch Ed with an ASIC rig; the player of 2026 will not be BTC, but, say, Litecoin/Dogecoin . According to Crazy-Mining experts, the L7 brings a stable income ($5-8/day at a tariff of ~$0.06), while simple Scrypt ASICs (L3+) are no longer profitable.

Briefly about ASICs: Bitcoin is a game for the rich (wired Antminers). For a beginner, LTC+DOGE on Scrypt ASICs or new SHA-256 coins (Bitcoin Cash, Zcash) with very cheap energy are more attractive. But the general trend is this: large farms are switching to green energy sources, and CPU/GPU mining is becoming more profitable for casual miners.

🚀 Promising coins for GPU mining

Many consider PoW altcoins optimized for graphics cards to be at the forefront of “low-complexity” networks. Kaspa (KAS) is a prime example: new blocks are mined every second, and its kHeavyHash algorithm is specifically optimized for modern GPUs. Cool-Mining estimates that , with cheap electricity and the right mining pool, KAS’s payback period in 2025–2026 is only 8–12 months. Kaspa is recommended for mining on RTX 30/40 series and Radeon RX 6000 GPUs: a single GTX 3090 produces ~1000 MH/s, while an Antminer KS5 will yield hundreds of GH/s “nominal” (but a GPU rig is more flexible). Indeed, Binance includes Kaspa among its top GPU coins – its relatively low network difficulty and impressive hashrate are still far from universally available.

Ethereum Classic (ETC) remains a popular alternative to Ethash after the merger: a large amount of GPU power has left Ethereum, while ETC offers “gray” Ethereum mining (the PhoenixMiner/T-Rex settings are familiar). ETC’s difficulty is currently moderate , and its income has stabilized, but it depends heavily on the price (it can surprise during the alt season).

Ravencoin (RVN) is a classic GPU miner using the ASIC-resistant KawPow algorithm. Despite growing competition, the network remains open to new participants, and experts consider the difficulty to be low. This coin is praised for its ease of entry—it only requires a card with 4–6 GB of memory (it supports Pascal and newer).

Flux (FLUX) and Ergo (ERG) are also frequently mentioned in the lists . Flux (ZelHash) is similar to Ethereum Classic: there are many projects in the FLUX ecosystem, the network is not oversaturated, and miners report profitability. Ergo (Autolykos) is interesting because it uses little memory and can “assemble” a block on a CPU, but is generally stronger on a GPU.

These coins (ETC, KAS, RVN, FLUX, ERGO) are mentioned as good options for GPU mining. They share affordable hardware and a stable algorithm, and their network difficulty is relatively low (though traffic is growing). For AMD/Intel cards, TeamRedMiner or lolMiner are recommended, while for NVIDIA, T-Rex/NBMiner is recommended. For maximum flexibility, try NiceHash for the first few days, then switch to one of these currencies.

🖥️ CPU Mining: Monero and Upcoming

CPU mining in 2026 essentially boils down to Monero (XMR) , a RandomX cryptocurrency that effectively utilizes the power of a standard CPU. XMR is stable and truly ASIC-resistant, and can be mined on any decent tower. However, don’t expect a huge profit: even on a powerful PC, it’s typically $1–2 per day (slightly more with a high-end Ryzen/Threadripper). Nevertheless, experts are right to note XMR’s stability: solo mining of XMR is still possible, and with a good calculator, it can be cost-effective.

There are other CPU projects: for example, VerusCoin (VRSC) and Dero (DERO) are mentioned as alternatives to RandomX, but they are significantly smaller in market cap and more volatile. For now, it’s best to focus on the proven XMR – and only use excess energy to keep the card running for the sake of a “penny” passive income.

⚠️ Beware of newcomers and hot coins

Low initial difficulty can sometimes be deceptive. New PoW projects promise “mountains of gold” and hybrid mining, but they are risky. For example, Alеphium and Nexa are PoW/ASIC hybrids that are still in active development, and their profitability is speculative. Toncoin has even switched to Proof-of-Stake: traditional TON mining (PoW) is closed. So, don’t try to lug around graphics cards for a coin that will soon be transitioned to PoS.

Risks:

A new coin with a trendy banner (meme or hyped name) can suddenly reach its limit: after several months of growth, the difficulty is rapidly increased.
If you see “will grow” on every forum, filter out the false advertising. Portals like Crazy-Mining recommend diversifying your asset pool and not investing in everything.
Always check the authenticity of the software: viruses and Trojans (cryptojacking) also target your PC.

To manage risks, calculate the payback period in advance. Crazy-Mining provides the formula ROI (months) = equipment cost / monthly profit. For example, at $0.045 per 1 kWh and a BTC price of $130,000, a “top-end” ASIC will pay for itself in >2 years. Create three scenarios: “optimistic,” “realistic,” and “pessimistic,” taking into account a possible price decline and hashrate growth.

🎯 Results and recommendations

So, GPU coins with low (or moderate) difficulty worth considering are Kaspa, Ravencoin, Ethereum Classic, Flux, and Ergo . They are accessible to any mid-range and high-end graphics cards. For CPU mining, Monero (XMR) remains indispensable (the RandomX block hasn’t worn out at all), and beginners are still trying VerusCoin/Dero. ASIC mining is only feasible for proven coins (Bitcoin, Litecoin/Dogecoin), although it requires large investments and a cheap “commuter train.”

The key to this type of mining is its easy entry level: all you need is a couple of decent graphics cards or a good CPU, and you can invest hundreds of dollars. However, profit is always a hurdle: high electricity prices and fluctuating coin prices can disable any “lite” plans with a single click . So, keep your finger on the pulse: check your profitability using a calculator (WhatToMine or Binance Pool) and follow expert advice. And most importantly, hedge your risks. For example, every KAS block is protected against inflation, ETC is experiencing a fee burn, and XMR can always be sold quickly thanks to its high liquidity.

Ultimately, mining is a game not only of power but also of patience. Perhaps you’ll choose “that one” low-difficulty coin that will boost your profits. As market experts say, calculating your return on investment correctly and maintaining a diversified portfolio are far more important than a stroke of luck. Get ready for a stack of coins – and may your mining rig steadily accumulate profits without any surprises! (Don’t forget to update your drivers and software to prevent your rig from turning into an office heater – that happens by accident, too.)

🛡️ Store your mined funds: Atomic and other wallets

Earnings need to be put somewhere. Crypto-Wallets.org recommends the multi-currency Atomic Wallet – it supports BTC, LTC, ETH, ZEC, and dozens of other blockchains. Atomic is easy to use (you can exchange directly in the app), but for larger amounts, cold wallets are still better. For serious investments, consider hardware wallets (Trezor, Ledger, etc.) – they are mentioned in security reviews. A multi-wallet like Atomic is good for daily token receipts, but always create a backup phrase and download software only from the official website.