What Is the Primary Difference between Proof-of-Work and Proof-of-Stake Consensus?
Proof-of-Work (PoW) relies on computational power (mining) to validate transactions and secure the network, consuming significant energy. Proof-of-Stake (PoS) relies on participants 'staking' their existing coins to become validators, which is a more energy-efficient process.
PoW secures the network through energy expenditure and hardware investment, while PoS secures it through economic commitment and coin ownership.