Mining is the process of supporting the operation of a blockchain by solving computational tasks, for which participants receive a reward in coins. The issuance of many cryptocurrencies is based on it.

Instamine is an unfair distribution of coins at the very earliest stage of a project's launch, when a large share of the issuance ends up with a narrow circle of participants. This undermines trust in the currency.

Proof of Stake is a consensus algorithm in which the right to create blocks depends on the number of coins locked by a participant rather than on computing power.

Proof of Work is a consensus algorithm in which the right to add a block and receive a reward depends on the amount of computational work done to find a hash.

Proof of Activity is a hybrid consensus algorithm that combines the Proof of Work and Proof of Stake mechanisms to increase the security and resilience of the network.