- Qubic executed an 18-block “reorg” on the Monero network, temporarily invalidating 118 transactions.
- The reorganization raises concerns about potential double-spending when using typical 10-block confirmation times.
- Observers reported a surge in “orphaned” blocks, with nearly 30% abandoned in one day.
- Qubic pays its miners above-market rates in QUBIC tokens, pressuring Monero’s network stability.
- The Monero community is considering temporary DNS checkpoints to defend against further attacks, though this could reduce decentralization.
On September 14, an attack on the Monero network led to an 18-block reorganization, the largest incident to date in the ongoing struggle between Qubic and Monero. This event caused 118 transactions to be voided as reported by multiple observers, disrupting normal block production on the privacy-focused blockchain.
According to statements from community members, Qubic used “selfish mining” tactics which briefly allowed manipulation of blockchain order. During the attack, nearly 30% of all blocks mined over a 24-hour period became “orphaned,” or abandoned, according to analysis by community members on social media platforms. A social media post warned, “If you accept XMR make sure to wait for more than the usual 10 confs” to avoid potential double-spends.
Qubic previously claimed to control 51% of Monero’s mining power, though later analysis suggested their real share was closer to 28%–35% (analysis here). The latest 18-block reorg exceeded the common threshold for transaction confirmations, increasing double-spend risk for users relying on Monero’s standard 10-block safety measure. Some have accused Qubic of attempting to maintain its relevance even as its token value has dropped by over a third since August, according to CoinMarketCap.
The strategy employed by Qubic involves selling mined XMR and compensating miners with QUBIC tokens at higher-than-average rewards. This has drawn attention since July, briefly causing QUBIC’s token price to rise. However, as of mid-September, Monero’s own token, XMR, had appreciated by 25% during the same window (XMR data).
Community reaction has been mixed. Some, like “Exitnode,” expressed frustration over the delay in technical solutions: “Why have so few shown urgency to this situation?” Another account linked to the Monero Research Lab noted that temporary rolling DNS checkpoints might be introduced soon as a defensive measure. These checkpoints would allow nodes controlled by the Monero core team to prevent deep reorganizations while sacrificing some decentralization. The project’s GitHub discussions explain that these DNS checkpoints could block further reorgs but at the expense of decentralization.
As the Monero community considers emergency measures, observers continue to monitor for further manipulation attempts by Qubic as the situation evolves.
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