Bellscoin (BEL) is a meme-based cryptocurrency that initially launched in 2013 but failed to attract significant attention and was eventually forgotten for some time. Recently, it has been revived and gained more recognition thanks to technological advancements and its merged mining feature, which allows it to be mined alongside more popular cryptocurrencies like Dogecoin and Litecoin.

### **History and Development of Bellscoin**

Bellscoin was created as a fun cryptocurrency, inspired by the in-game currency “Bells” from the popular game *Animal Crossing*. Billy Markus, who co-founded Dogecoin, also developed Bellscoin with the goal of making cryptocurrency more accessible and fun for users, particularly those unfamiliar with complex technologies. Bellscoin uses the Scrypt algorithm, the same as Litecoin and Dogecoin, allowing it to be mined using common hardware such as GPUs and CPUs【9†source】.

Although launched around the same time as Dogecoin, Bellscoin did not gain the same level of traction and soon faded into obscurity. However, in 2023, the community revived the project, leading to new growth, particularly with the introduction of merged mining. This feature enables Bellscoin to be mined simultaneously with Dogecoin and Litecoin, thereby increasing network security and profitability for miners【9†source】【10†source】.

### **Epoch Mechanism and Reward Reduction**

Currently, Bellscoin is entering Epoch 4, during which mining rewards will drastically decrease, from 50% down to just 5 BEL per block. Similar to Bitcoin’s "halving" mechanism, this reduction is aimed at controlling inflation by limiting the number of new coins entering the market. When Bellscoin reaches Epoch 5, rewards will stabilize at 2 BEL per block, following a strategy similar to Dogecoin’s “tail emission,” which keeps a steady release of coins to maintain long-term value【10†source】.