QUBIC’s 51% Attacks on Monero and Dogecoin: Useful Experiments or Pure Marketing Stunt?

• What Happened? QUBIC’s 51% Attack on Monero
• Why Target Dogecoin Next?
• Community Reactions: Security Threat or Hype?
• Broader Implications for PoW Blockchains
• FAQ: QUBIC’s Attacks Explained

The blockchain project QUBIC, focused on artificial intelligence, has sparked intense debate in the crypto community after launching 51% attacks on Monero and now targeting Dogecoin. While QUBIC claims these are experiments to redirect mining power toward AI, critics call it a publicity stunt. This article breaks down the implications, community reactions, and whether these attacks reveal deeper flaws in Proof-of-Work (PoW) blockchains.

What Happened? QUBIC’s 51% Attack on Monero

Over the past month, QUBIC—a blockchain project positioning itself as an AI-focused network—executed a controversial 51% attack on Monero, a privacy-centric cryptocurrency. A 51% attack occurs when a single entity controls most of a network’s mining power, enabling double-spending and block reorganizations. QUBIC’s founder, Sergey Ivancheglo, framed this as an experiment to demonstrate the inefficiency of PoW mining and redirect energy toward AI development.

Monero’s Core team downplayed the attack, stating, "The core of Monero remains intact. Privacy, speed, and functionality are uncompromised." However, MiningPoolStats data showed QUBIC’s mining pool briefly controlling over 51% of Monero’s hash rate, raising concerns about network security.

Why Target Dogecoin Next?

After the Monero attack, QUBIC’s community voted to target Dogecoin—a meme coin with a $35 billion market cap. Dogecoin’s PoW algorithm, though ASIC-friendly, is harder to attack due to its larger network. Ivancheglo tweeted, "Much electricity is wasted on useless PoW. We need that energy for AI." Critics, however, suspect this is less about innovation and more about marketing QUBIC’s brand.

Community Reactions: Security Threat or Hype?

The crypto community is split. Some, like SlowMist Technology’s co-founder, warn that QUBIC’s attacks expose real vulnerabilities. Others dismiss it as a "lucky strike" with no lasting impact. On social media, users speculate whether QUBIC’s endgame is to replace PoW security with its own mining pools—a move Ivancheglo hinted at but hasn’t fully explained.

Broader Implications for PoW Blockchains

If QUBIC succeeds in attacking Dogecoin, it could trigger a domino effect across smaller PoW coins. However, the project’s opaque motives and lack of technical disclosures fuel skepticism. "This feels like a PR play," said a BTCC analyst. "Real innovation doesn’t require sabotaging other networks."

FAQ: QUBIC’s Attacks Explained

What is a 51% attack?

A 51% attack lets a single entity control most of a blockchain’s mining power, enabling transaction reversals and double-spending.

Did QUBIC really compromise Monero?

Monero’s team denies any lasting damage, but QUBIC briefly controlled 51% of its hash rate—a proven security risk.

Why is Dogecoin a harder target?

Dogecoin’s larger market cap and mining decentralization make a 51% attack more expensive and logistically challenging.