Chia (XCH) is a sustainable blockchain network designed to provide an environmentally friendly and efficient alternative to traditional cryptocurrencies. The core mission of Chia is to make cryptocurrency more usable and secure than cash, while also being more energy-efficient. By implementing an innovative Proof of Space and Time consensus mechanism, Chia achieves the same level of security as Bitcoin while consuming only a fraction of the energy. This makes Chia a greener alternative to traditional cryptocurrencies, offering a more sustainable way to participate in blockchain networks.

Chia's mainnet was officially launched on March 19, 2021, marking its debut as a decentralized and low-energy blockchain platform. The network’s consensus mechanism relies on Proof of Space and Proof of Time, which uses hard drive storage space to "farm" Chia tokens (XCH), rather than relying on the energy-intensive mining process used by Bitcoin. This method is significantly more eco-friendly and takes advantage of unused storage capacity, making it both cost-effective and low in energy consumption.

Instead of the traditional mining process, Chia uses "farming," where users dedicate hard drive space to participate in maintaining the blockchain and validating transactions. This farming process is not only more environmentally sustainable but also allows users to efficiently use their unused storage space. In contrast to Bitcoin’s reliance on massive computational power and electricity, Chia’s farming approach offers a greener alternative that still ensures security and decentralization.

The native cryptocurrency of the Chia network is XCH, and users earn XCH as rewards for farming by contributing their storage space. The reward mechanism is based on the relative availability of space and time, ensuring the security and decentralization of the blockchain. Unlike Bitcoin’s energy-heavy Proof of Work, Chia’s model provides a more energy-efficient way to earn cryptocurrency.

Another key feature of Chia is its smart contract language called Chialisp, which enables more complex and secure smart contracts than those found on Bitcoin or Ethereum. This opens up possibilities for decentralized applications (dApps) and financial services on the Chia network, expanding its utility beyond simple transactions.