# Ethereum Classic

Ethereum Classic came to be after a hard fork in the Ethereum network in 2016. Both blockchains hold the same record data until July of that year with Ethereum Classic (ETC) keeping hold of the original blockchain principles after the fork.

## The original Ethereum blockchain

Both ETC and ETH share the same basic principles and functionalities, Ethereum Classic still facilitates running smart contracts and offers all the same benefit of a decentralized blockchain. The main difference comes down to the consensus algorithm. Ethereum Classic uses the Proof of Work concept while Ethereum is working towards Proof of Stake.

## Related

[What we support](/what-we-support) · [Node-as-a-Service](/products/node-as-a-service) · [Developer portal](https://developers.cryptoapis.io/)