Definition

Mainnet

The live, production version of a blockchain — where real value moves and transactions are economically meaningful.

Bitcoin mainnet has been continuously running since January 2009. Ethereum mainnet since July 2015. Each blockchain typically has multiple environments: mainnet (production), testnet (free experimentation), and sometimes devnet (developer-internal).

When a project "launches on mainnet," it means real-money transactions begin. Pre-mainnet activity (testnets, internal testing) doesn't involve real value. Many launches today are mainnet-from-day-one but graduate from testnet experimentation.

Why it matters

Mainnet status is the credibility threshold. Pre-mainnet projects are speculative; mainnet projects have skin in the game.

How CryptoRadar24 tracks it

CryptoRadar24 reports on mainnet launches as significant milestones for major projects.

Related terms

Testnet
A blockchain environment that mirrors mainnet behavior using free, valueless tokens — used for development, smart-contract testing, and end-to-end QA.
Layer 1 (L1)
A base-layer blockchain that has its own native consensus mechanism, security model, and token (e.g., Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana).
Block reward
The newly minted coins paid to a miner or validator for proposing a valid block, plus the transaction fees in that block.

FAQ

What's the difference between mainnet and testnet?

Mainnet uses real coins with economic value. Testnets use free fake coins for development. Smart contracts deployed to testnet must be redeployed to mainnet.

Can transactions on testnet move to mainnet?

No. They're separate networks. Tokens, NFTs, balances on testnet have no value on mainnet — they don't exist there.

When did Ethereum mainnet launch?

30 July 2015 (Frontier release). Bitcoin mainnet was 3 January 2009 (genesis block).

Does mainnet ever reset?

Major chains essentially never. The 2016 Ethereum DAO hack triggered a hard fork that created two chains (ETH and ETC), but neither was a "reset" — both kept their full history.