What is Mina? How It Works & Where to Use It

Overview

Mina at a glance.

Mina keeps the whole blockchain to a small, roughly fixed size of about 22 KB by replacing the full history with a recursive zero-knowledge proof. That means anyone can verify the chain without downloading all of it. Here is how it works and how it is used, not the price.

Total value locked (DeFi)

n/a

Value locked in DeFi protocols on Mina. Updated Jun 2, 2026. Source: DefiLlama.

Native token

MINA

Used for fees and securing the network. See the live MINA price.

How it works

How Mina works.

Validators are selected to produce blocks in proportion to the stake they hold or that is delegated to them. Mina pairs this proof-of-stake design with recursive zk-SNARKs, so the current state is summarized by a succinct proof rather than a growing chain of blocks.

Consensus: Ouroboros Samasika Proof of Stake

Validators are selected to produce blocks in proportion to the stake they hold or that is delegated to them. Mina pairs this proof-of-stake design with recursive zk-SNARKs, so the current state is summarized by a succinct proof rather than a growing chain of blocks.

A succinct chain

Recursive zk-SNARKs compress the entire history into a small proof, so the chain stays around 22 KB no matter how much it is used.

Easy to verify

Because the proof is tiny, lightweight devices can check the chain directly instead of trusting a third party.

zkApps

Smart contracts called zkApps are written in TypeScript and use zero-knowledge proofs to verify computation.

Proof of stake

Holders stake or delegate MINA to help secure the network and validate blocks.

Ecosystem & usage

What Mina is used for.

Mina is used for applications that benefit from lightweight verification and privacy-preserving proofs.

zkApps

Applications that prove facts without revealing the underlying data.

Lightweight verification

Verifying chain state on constrained devices using the small proof.

Private data checks

Confirming credentials or conditions while keeping inputs private.

In the Zypto App

Hold, swap and spend MINA.

Mina is integrated in the Zypto App. Hold MINA in self-custody, swap it to any supported asset, and use it across Zypto’s features.

Hold MINA in Zypto How to buy MINA

Be the reason Mina ships next.

Mina isn’t in the Zypto App yet. Post the request to your followers, chains with the most demand get prioritised.

Request on X

FAQ

Common questions.

What makes Mina different?

Mina uses recursive zk-SNARKs to keep the whole chain to a small, roughly fixed size of about 22 KB, so it is easy to verify.

How does Mina reach consensus?

Mina uses Ouroboros Samasika, a proof-of-stake method where validators are chosen in proportion to staked MINA.

What are zkApps?

zkApps are Mina smart contracts written in TypeScript that use zero-knowledge proofs to verify computation.

Can I hold MINA in the Zypto App?

Not yet. MINA isn't in the Zypto App at the moment. You can hold it in any self-custodial wallet, and you can ask us to add Mina using the "Request Mina" button above.

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