Definition
AntPool is a Bitcoin mining pool launched in 2014 by Bitmain, the company behind the Antminer line of ASIC miners. Its close ties to a dominant hardware manufacturer have helped it remain one of the largest pools by hashrate, commonly cited at roughly 17-18% of the Bitcoin network as of 2026. AntPool also supports mining for several other proof-of-work coins beyond Bitcoin.
Payout options
AntPool lets miners choose among multiple reward schemes, including Pay Per Share (PPS), Full Pay Per Share (FPPS), PPS+, and Pay Per Last N Shares (PPLNS). These models trade off income stability against exposure to a pool's actual luck and fee capture. Published fees vary by scheme and have included a flat rate on FPPS and lower or zero rates on PPLNS, though terms change over time and should be confirmed at the source.
Centralization context
Because AntPool's hashrate share, combined with the other largest pool, has periodically exceeded half of all blocks, it features prominently in discussions of mining concentration. As with most legacy pools, AntPool historically constructs the block template that connected miners hash against, which is the technical root of the centralization concern that newer protocols aim to address.
Related entries include PPLNS and mining pool decentralization.
See live pool share in the pool centralization tracker.
In Simple Terms
AntPool is a Bitcoin mining pool launched in 2014 by Bitmain, the company behind the Antminer line of ASIC miners. Its close ties to a…