How to Mine Conflux (CFX): A Guide for the Octopus Algorithm

Conflux is a young blockchain network created in the lab of Turing Award winner Andrew Yao to connect Asian and Western ecosystems. Its core is the Octopus algorithm , a proof-of-work algorithm with its own “branching” structure (Tree-Graph), allowing for the confirmation of multiple blocks simultaneously. Thanks to this design, the network processes thousands of transactions per second , reducing transaction times to half a second.

But how does Octopus differ from the familiar Ethash ? The developers explain: the algorithm is based on memory-chasing , which complicates the creation of ASIC devices. The creators wanted to give an advantage to gamers and enthusiasts with powerful video cards while simultaneously making life more difficult for large mining farms. This is enshrined in the CIPs specification: Octopus remains memory-dependent, and the video memory requirement starts at 6 GB. Therefore, the owner of, say, a GeForce RTX 2080 Ti gets high speeds (≈9 MH/s), while older P106s only produce a megahash.

🛠️ Preparation: What you need for mining

For a beginner, the most difficult part is preparing the hardware. Nanopool lists the minimum requirements: an NVIDIA graphics card with 6 GB of memory or higher, a fast SSD, and an internet connection of at least 20 Mbps. Maxwell, Pascal, Turing, Ampere, and the latest Ada Lovelace generations are supported; there are no stable implementations yet for AMD, as confirmed by Minerstat , which notes that CFX mining is only possible on NVIDIA systems. Drivers must be up-to-date: 410.48+ for Linux, 411.31+ for Windows; RTX 30xx series graphics cards require CUDA 11.

The official Conflux documentation recommends preparing at least 8 GB of video memory and downloading the latest node and miner build. The hydra.toml configuration is edited manually: enter your CFX address in the parameter mining_author. Then run the full node (conflux –config hydra.toml –full) and, after synchronization, enable the miner cfxmine –gpu 1. Windows/Linux settings are also described in the guide.

🌐 Choosing a wallet and setting it up

Before mining, you need to store your tokens somewhere. Conflux Portal is the official browser wallet; it works in Chrome, Firefox, and Edge. When creating your wallet, create a strong password and write down your seed phrase. Don’t take screenshots—security comes first. After registering, save the address (starts with cfx:) and add it to your miner configuration.

🚀 Selecting a pool and software

A solo miner rarely finds blocks; it’s more efficient to join pools. Popular platforms:

Nanopool provides several stratum addresses worldwide: Europe, the US, Asia, and Australia. The nanominer configuration looks like this: -algo octopus -pool1 (POOL:CFX) -wallet (WALLET:CFX) -rigName (WORKER):contentReference[oaicite:18]{index=18}.
WoolyPooly and F2pool also support Octopus; Nanopool Help has an example configuration with three redundant servers.
Prohashing , NiceHash , and miningpoolstats offer pool statistics and profitability calculators, but keep in mind that profitability depends on the CFX rate and electricity costs.

As for software, there are several options:

T-Rex and NBMiner are the leaders for NVIDIA. Minerstat provides an example of commands:-a octopus -o (POOL:CFX) -u (WALLET:CFX).(WORKER) -p x. These miners are updated frequently, supporting the latest drivers.
Nanominer is convenient because its configuration is stored in an .ini file; simply select a pool, wallet, and rig name. Dev time is 2%.
cfxmine from the official repository is used in conjunction with the node; it is less convenient, but provides maximum autonomy.

In HiveOS, everything can be connected in a couple of clicks via the web interface, whereas in Windows, you need to write batch files. Driver updates in HiveOS are delivered automatically.

Here is an example command to start mining Conflux (CFX) on the Octopus algorithm using the NBMiner miner.

nbminer -a octopus -o stratum+tcp://cfx.2miners.com:2020 -u CFX_WALLET_ADDRESS.RIG1 -px

Parsing parameters

-a octopus— Octopus mining algorithm
-o— pool address and port
-u— your CFX wallet + rig name
-p x– password (not usually used)

Here is an example command to start mining Conflux (CFX) on the Octopus algorithm using the T-Rex Miner.

t-rex -a octopus -o stratum+tcp://cfx.2miners.com:2020 -u CFX_WALLET_ADDRESS.rig1 -px

Description of parameters
-a octopus— Octopus algorithm
-o— pool address and port
-u— CFX wallet + rig name
-p x– password (not usually used)

💡 Octopus Optimization and Subtleties

The Octopus algorithm doesn’t forgive negligence. Because it’s memory-intensive, a graphics card with 6–8 GB of RAM quickly fills the DAG file; therefore, keep an eye on temperature and virtual memory. Octopus is ASIC-resistant, but it’s power-hungry and requires a lot of RAM. It flexibly adjusts difficulty based on block discovery time, ensuring stable production. Each block is mined in approximately half a second, and the reward is divided between miners and programmers; a “halving” occurs every four years, reducing the reward.

CIP-3 outlines the developers’ goals: new algorithms must remain memory-heavy, so that specialized chips don’t gain an advantage; new GPUs receive a bonus, while older cards remain in service. The estimated speed of the cards helps estimate efficiency: the RTX 2080 Ti is about 9 MH/s, the RTX 2070 is 4.5 MH/s, and the GTX 1660 is 2.8 MH/s. Knowing this, you can calculate the ROI using WhatToMine calculators.

An important caveat: CFX is currently only available on major exchanges : Binance, KuCoin, OKX, Gate.io, and others. Its price fluctuates; the blog coinguides.org reminds everyone that it’s a low-cap token and recommends selling mined coins or transferring them to stablecoins to hedge against volatility.

🔒 Network security and resilience

Why is all this important? Because the algorithm, which is resistant to ASICs and centralized mining farms, helps distribute rewards evenly . Octopus has high memory requirements, which reduces the risk of hashrate concentration in the hands of a few giants. It’s nice to know that your single graphics card has a chance to compete with an entire mining farm.

Furthermore, Tree-Graph processes blocks in parallel, increasing throughput and reducing fees. Combined with support for the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM), Conflux becomes an attractive platform for decentralized applications. While it’s currently a niche project, the Chinese government and major investors backing Conflux are promising.

💬 Conclusion: What’s next?

So, mining Conflux with Octopus isn’t “gold mining” in the classic sense. It’s more of an exploratory journey: you master new technology, set up a node, experiment with pools, and watch the young network grow before your eyes. When choosing CFX mining, be mindful of the risks and don’t invest more than you’re willing to lose. But if you’re passionate about decentralization and want to participate in building the internet of the future, Octopus offers an exciting experience.