Qubic's Monero 51% Control Experiment Destroys 17.2B Tokens While Mining 5,506 Blocks in Hours

What happens when a single entity controls over half a blockchain's hash rate? Qubic answered this question on August 15 with a live demonstration on the Monero network. The project successfully demonstrated majority hash power, triggering significant network disruptions: 6 blocks underwent reorganization while 60 additional blocks became orphaned—a stark illustration of blockchain vulnerability under 51% scenarios.

**The Numbers Behind Network Dominance**

During the two-hour window of heightened activity, Qubic's mining operation was exceptionally productive. The entity captured 80% of all Monero blocks generated in this timeframe, accumulating a total of 5,506 blocks on the network. The network's computational power peaked at 2.71 GH/s, representing 52% of global Monero hash rate at that moment. This concentration of mining power is precisely the scenario that centralization critics warn about.

**Economic Impact: Rewards and Token Burns**

The mining rewards reflected this dominance. Computors and miners collectively earned 62.2 billion QUBIC tokens, valued at approximately $200,000 at prevailing rates. On the destruction side, 7 million XTM tokens plus unsold Tari from earlier rounds were burned, translating to 17.2 billion QUBIC tokens eliminated from circulation—priced at roughly $55,000 at an average rate of 3,200 QUBIC per billion.

**The Real Story: Profitability Disparity**

Perhaps the most striking finding emerged from earnings analysis. Qubic miners' returns during this period reached nearly four times what Monero miners typically earn. This disparity raises questions about mining economics and network security incentives. Approximately 750 XMR and 7 million XTM were generated during the experiment's operational window.

The experiment remains ongoing, providing continued insights into network behavior under majority hash control scenarios. This real-world data point contributes valuable information to the broader blockchain security discussion about 51% attack vectors and their practical consequences.