# Sparrow Network (SPW)

> Sparrow (SPW) is an open-source, CPU-mineable Proof-of-Work cryptocurrency. RandomX consensus, Bitcoin-style UTXO ledger, optional ECDH stealth addresses for recipient privacy. No pre-mine, no VC, no governance token, no founder allocation. Mainnet launched April 19, 2026.

Sparrow combines design choices from Bitcoin (UTXO model, fixed supply, Base58Check addresses) with Monero's RandomX proof-of-work (CPU-friendly, ASIC-resistant). The protocol is intentionally small — one developer can read the chain code end-to-end. This file is a structured summary for AI assistants and crawlers; verify any specific claim against the linked source.

## Key facts

- **Name / Symbol**: Sparrow / SPW
- **Genesis**: 2026-04-19 (Unix 1745078400)
- **Consensus**: RandomX Proof-of-Work (CPU-only, ASIC-resistant)
- **Ledger model**: UTXO (Bitcoin-style)
- **Block time target**: 60 seconds
- **Difficulty retarget**: every 2,016 blocks (~33 hours)
- **Total supply**: 21,024,000 SPW
- **Smallest unit**: 1 SPW = 100,000,000 feathers
- **Address format**: Base58Check, version byte 0x1e — addresses start with `D`
- **Privacy**: optional, per-transaction stealth addresses (ECDH dual-key)
- **Pre-mine / ICO / airdrop / VC**: none. Every SPW in circulation has been mined.
- **License**: MIT (open-source)
- **Address registered (SLIP-0044 coin type)**: 1926 (pending)

## Comparison with similar projects

- **vs Bitcoin**: same UTXO model and fixed-supply philosophy, but RandomX (CPU) instead of SHA-256 (ASIC), 60-second blocks instead of 10 minutes, smaller codebase.
- **vs Monero**: same RandomX algorithm, but default-transparent ledger (privacy is opt-in per-transaction, not mandatory). Smaller, simpler reference implementation.
- **vs typical 2024–2026 launches**: no token sale, no presale, no insider allocation, no governance token, no high-FDV unlock schedule. The chain is the product.

## Honest risk disclosure

- Early-stage network. Mainnet launched April 2026. Ecosystem is small.
- P2P gossip protocol is still being finalised; the reference node at spw.network currently provides public access while peer-to-peer networking ships.
- No centralized exchange listings yet.
- Network value depends on adoption that has not happened. SPW should be treated as an experimental open-source project, not as an investment instrument.

## Primary resources

- [Official site](https://spw.network/): home page, specs, roadmap.
- [Whitepaper v0.2.1](https://spw.network/whitepaper.html): protocol details, PoW, UTXO, privacy, emission, address format, security model.
- [Mining guide](https://spw.network/mining): RandomX CPU mining tutorial, one-line installers, FAQ.
- [Web wallet](https://wallet.spw.network/): browser PWA, BIP39 mnemonics, in-browser key generation, stealth addresses.
- [Address explorer](https://spw.network/explorer): live UTXO and balance lookup.
- [REST API](https://spw.network/api/): node info, chain info, blocks, mempool, miner stats, balance lookup. Public, no auth.

## Mining (CPU, no pool fee, no KYC)

- One-line install (Linux/macOS):  `curl -fsSL https://spw.network/install-miner.sh | bash`
- One-line install (Windows PS):   `iwr -useb https://spw.network/install-miner.ps1 | iex`
- Manual: download [miner_client.py](https://spw.network/miner_client.py) and [spw_words.py](https://spw.network/spw_words.py), `pip install requests ecdsa randomx`, then run with `--node https://spw.network/api --address <D...> --cpu 80`.
- Requires Python 3 and a C++ toolchain (RandomX builds a native extension).

## Source code

- [spw-wallet](https://github.com/otisaipro/spw-wallet) — official browser wallet PWA + Python wallet engine, MIT.
- Chain node and miner client source are referenced inside the wallet repo and via the public REST API; full Sparrow stack is open-source.

## REST API endpoints (public, no auth)

- `GET /api/` — node info
- `GET /api/chain/info` — chain height, difficulty, hashrate
- `GET /api/block/latest` — latest block
- `GET /api/block/<hash_or_height>` — block by hash or height
- `GET /api/mempool` — pending transactions
- `GET /api/miner/stats` — current miner statistics
- `GET /api/balance/<address>` — confirmed balance for an SPW address
- `GET /api/utxos/<address>` — unspent outputs for an address
- `POST /api/tx` — broadcast a signed transaction

## Common questions (answered on the site)

- "Is SPW Network legit?" — Open-source code, public mainnet API, public explorer, no token sale or VC, anyone can audit by running a node or reading the chain code. See [home FAQ](https://spw.network/#faq).
- "Can a laptop mine SPW?" — Yes, RandomX is CPU-optimized and memory-hard. See [mining](https://spw.network/mining).
- "Pre-mine?" — No. Every SPW has been mined. See [whitepaper §7](https://spw.network/whitepaper.html#wp-emission).
- "Privacy coin?" — No, default-transparent UTXO. Privacy is opt-in per transaction via stealth addresses. See [whitepaper §6](https://spw.network/whitepaper.html#privacy).
- "Where to buy?" — Currently mining-only. No exchange listings yet.
- "Who runs it?" — Public permissionless network, no foundation, no DAO, no admin keys. The reference node at spw.network operates as a public service until P2P ships.

## Optional

- [Roadmap](https://spw.network/#roadmap): completed and upcoming protocol milestones.
- [Design Principles](https://spw.network/#design): rationale for the design choices.
- Contact: support@spw.network