VTA Benchmark
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Deep Technical Audit

Block Reward + Coinbase Transaction Validation

This audit separates the economic block-reward schedule from the consensus rules that make a coinbase transaction valid. It covers coinbase structure, maturity, reward/value accounting, and the distinction between historical reward figures and release-specific implementation evidence.

Coinbase Structure

CONSENSUS

A coinbase transaction is special: it has no normal previous-output inputs and is handled differently from ordinary mempool transactions.

Coinbase Maturity

VTA VERIFIED

Previously verified VTA source defines COINBASE_MATURITY = 8.

Current Reward

RELEASE VERIFY

The supplied paper records historical reward/emission figures; current live reward requires exact release and block-height tracing.

Coinbase Validation Flow

Minerblock creator Coinbase TXspecial input Reward Checksubsidy + fees Block Validationconsensus checks Maturity8 new blocks before spend Critical distinction A historical block-reward number does not by itself prove the reward currently permitted at every height. The implementation must calculate/check the permitted coinbase value for the exact chain height and rules. Verified VTA evidence COINBASE_MATURITY = 8 coinbase excluded from ordinary mempool acceptance Reward evidence gap Current subsidy calculation + height schedule need release-pinned source tracing.

Audit Matrix

AreaFindingStatus
Coinbase transactionVTA transaction validation treats coinbase specially; a coinbase transaction is not accepted as an ordinary mempool transaction.Source verified
Coinbase scriptSigThe previously reviewed transaction checks require the coinbase scriptSig to meet the legacy size bounds.Source verified
Coinbase maturityVTA main.h defines COINBASE_MATURITY = 8; the maturity calculation was previously verified in main.cpp.Source verified
Historical rewardThe supplied VTA paper documents an 8,000 VTA genesis reward and a stated 6,414 VTA block reward with a 0.5% weekly reduction.Paper evidence
PremineThe supplied paper describes an 8.4 billion VTA premine.Paper evidence
Total supply statementThe supplied paper states approximately 20,999,999,999.9769 VTA total supply.Paper evidence
Current subsidy calculationNo current network-wide subsidy value is asserted here without tracing the exact release implementation and block height.Not established
Coinbase reward + feesA complete release-pinned block-validation test should verify the maximum permitted coinbase value against subsidy plus collected fees.Test required
Independent overpay testNo custom block with an intentionally excessive coinbase reward was executed against VTA Core in this package.Not measured

Release-Pinned Test Plan

1. Pin exact VTA Core release / commit.
2. Identify the block-subsidy/reward calculation.
3. Trace height-dependent reward changes.
4. Construct a valid test block/coinbase at a controlled height.
5. Verify subsidy + fees boundary.
6. Increase coinbase output by 1 unit → expect block rejection.
7. Test coinbase scriptSig size bounds.
8. Verify coinbase output maturity = 8.
9. Attempt spending immature coinbase → expect rejection.
10. Spend after maturity → verify normal script/input checks.
Evidence rule: The paper's reward/emission figures are historical source evidence. They are not presented as today's live mining reward. Current reward behavior requires release-specific source tracing and block-height evidence.
Source basis includes the supplied Virtacoin technical paper and previously reviewed VTA Core source paths. No live mining/reward estimate is invented.