diff --git a/script/research/pow/.gitignore b/script/research/pow/.gitignore
deleted file mode 100644
index 2c96eb1b6..000000000
--- a/script/research/pow/.gitignore
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,2 +0,0 @@
-target/
-Cargo.lock
diff --git a/script/research/pow/Cargo.toml b/script/research/pow/Cargo.toml
deleted file mode 100644
index e4a1eee91..000000000
--- a/script/research/pow/Cargo.toml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,20 +0,0 @@
-[package]
-name = "pow"
-version = "0.1.0"
-edition = "2021"
-
-[workspace]
-
-[dependencies]
-randomx = {git = "https://codeberg.org/darkrenaissance/RandomX"}
-darkfi-serial = {version = "0.5.0", features = ["async", "crypto"]}
-darkfi-sdk = {path = "../../../src/sdk", features = ["async"]}
-darkfi = {path = "../../../", features = ["util", "async-serial"]}
-
-rand = "0.8.5"
-blake2b_simd = "1.0.3"
-num-bigint = "0.4.6"
-lazy_static = "1.5.0"
-
-[patch.crates-io]
-blake2b_simd = {git = "https://github.com/parazyd/blake2_simd", branch = "impl-common"}
diff --git a/script/research/pow/gen_wide_data.py b/script/research/pow/gen_wide_data.py
deleted file mode 100755
index 74fd311f9..000000000
--- a/script/research/pow/gen_wide_data.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,76 +0,0 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python3
-# Copyright (c) 2014-2023, The Monero Project
-#
-# All rights reserved.
-#
-# Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without modification, are
-# permitted provided that the following conditions are met:
-#
-# 1. Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright notice, this list of
-#    conditions and the following disclaimer.
-#
-# 2. Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright notice, this list
-#    of conditions and the following disclaimer in the documentation and/or other
-#    materials provided with the distribution.
-#
-# 3. Neither the name of the copyright holder nor the names of its contributors may be
-#    used to endorse or promote products derived from this software without specific
-#    prior written permission.
-#
-# THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS" AND ANY
-# EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF
-# MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL
-# THE COPYRIGHT HOLDER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL,
-# SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO,
-# PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS
-# INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT,
-# STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF
-# THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
-#
-# Parts of this file are originally copyright (c) 2012-2013 The Cryptonote developers
-import random
-
-DIFFICULTY_TARGET = 120
-DIFFICULTY_WINDOW = 720
-DIFFICULTY_LAG = 15
-DIFFICULTY_CUT = 60
-
-
-def difficulty():
-    times = []
-    diffs = []
-    while True:
-        if len(times) <= 1:
-            diff = 1
-        else:
-            begin = max(len(times) - DIFFICULTY_WINDOW - DIFFICULTY_LAG, 0)
-            end = min(begin + DIFFICULTY_WINDOW, len(times))
-            length = end - begin
-            assert length >= 2
-            if length <= DIFFICULTY_WINDOW - 2 * DIFFICULTY_CUT:
-                cut_begin = 0
-                cut_end = length
-            else:
-                excess = length - (DIFFICULTY_WINDOW - 2 * DIFFICULTY_CUT)
-                cut_begin = (excess + 1) // 2
-                cut_end = length - excess // 2
-            assert cut_begin + 2 <= cut_end
-            wnd = times[begin:end]
-            wnd.sort()
-            dtime = wnd[cut_end - 1] - wnd[cut_begin]
-            dtime = max(dtime, 1)
-            ddiff = sum(diffs[begin + cut_begin + 1:begin + cut_end])
-            diff = (ddiff * DIFFICULTY_TARGET + dtime - 1) // dtime
-        times.append((yield diff))
-        diffs.append(diff)
-
-
-random.seed(1)
-time = 1000
-gen = difficulty()
-diff = next(gen)
-for i in range(100000):
-    power = 100 if i < 10000 else 100000000 if i < 500 else 1000000000000 if i < 1000 else 1000000000000000 if i < 2000 else 10000000000000000000 if i < 4000 else 1000000000000000000000000
-    time += random.randint(-diff // power - 10, 3 * diff // power + 10)
-    print(time, diff)
-    diff = gen.send(time)
diff --git a/script/research/pow/src/main.rs b/script/research/pow/src/main.rs
deleted file mode 100644
index 6bf4dd9fc..000000000
--- a/script/research/pow/src/main.rs
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,380 +0,0 @@
-/* This file is part of DarkFi (https://dark.fi)
- *
- * Copyright (C) 2020-2025 Dyne.org foundation
- * Copyright (C) 2014-2023 The Monero Project (Under MIT license)
- *
- * This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
- * it under the terms of the GNU Affero General Public License as
- * published by the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the
- * License, or (at your option) any later version.
- *
- * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
- * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
- * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
- * GNU Affero General Public License for more details.
- *
- * You should have received a copy of the GNU Affero General Public License
- * along with this program.  If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
- */
-
-use std::{
-    cmp::min,
-    sync::{
-        atomic::{AtomicBool, AtomicU32, Ordering},
-        Arc,
-    },
-    thread,
-    time::Instant,
-};
-
-use darkfi::{util::time::Timestamp, Result};
-use darkfi_sdk::{
-    crypto::{pasta_prelude::Field, MerkleTree},
-    num_traits::{One, Zero},
-    pasta::{group::ff::FromUniformBytes, pallas},
-};
-use darkfi_serial::{async_trait, Encodable, SerialEncodable};
-use lazy_static::lazy_static;
-use num_bigint::BigUint;
-use rand::{rngs::OsRng, Rng};
-use randomx::{RandomXCache, RandomXDataset, RandomXFlags, RandomXVM};
-
-#[cfg(test)]
-mod tests;
-
-/// Number of threads to use for hashing
-const N_THREADS: usize = 4;
-/// The output length of the BLAKE2b hash in bytes
-const HASH_LEN: usize = 32;
-/// Amount of blocks to take for next difficulty calculation.
-/// Must be >= 2
-const DIFFICULTY_WINDOW: usize = 720;
-/// Timestamps to cut after sorting for next difficulty calculation.
-/// (2*DIFFICULTY_CUT <= DIFFICULTY_WINDOW-2) must be true.
-const DIFFICULTY_CUT: usize = 60;
-/// !!!
-const DIFFICULTY_LAG: usize = 15;
-/// Target block time in seconds
-const DIFFICULTY_TARGET: usize = 20;
-/// How many most recent blocks to use to verify new blocks' timestamp
-const BLOCKCHAIN_TIMESTAMP_CHECK_WINDOW: usize = 60;
-/// Time limit in the future of what blocks can be
-const BLOCK_FUTURE_TIME_LIMIT: u64 = 60 * 60 * 2;
-
-lazy_static! {
-    /// The genesis block hash
-    static ref GENESIS_HASH: blake2b_simd::Hash =
-        blake2b_simd::Params::new().hash_length(HASH_LEN).to_state().update(b"genesis").finalize();
-}
-
-#[derive(Clone, SerialEncodable)]
-/// Dummy transaction definition
-struct Transaction(Vec<u8>);
-
-impl Transaction {
-    /// Hash the transaction
-    fn hash(&self) -> Result<blake2b_simd::Hash> {
-        let mut hasher = blake2b_simd::Params::new().hash_length(HASH_LEN).to_state();
-        self.encode(&mut hasher)?;
-        Ok(hasher.finalize())
-    }
-}
-
-#[derive(Clone, SerialEncodable)]
-/// A block's header
-struct BlockHeader {
-    /// The block's nonce, represented as a pallas::Base.
-    /// This value changes arbitrarily with mining.
-    nonce: pallas::Base,
-    /// The hash of the previous block in the blockchain
-    previous_hash: [u8; HASH_LEN],
-    /// The block timestamp
-    timestamp: u64,
-    /// Merkle tree of the transactions contained in this block
-    txtree: MerkleTree,
-}
-
-#[derive(Clone, SerialEncodable)]
-/// Block definition
-struct Block {
-    /// The block header
-    header: BlockHeader,
-    /// Transactions contained in the block
-    txs: Vec<Transaction>,
-}
-
-impl Block {
-    /// Compute the block's hash
-    fn hash(&self) -> Result<blake2b_simd::Hash> {
-        let mut hasher = blake2b_simd::Params::new().hash_length(HASH_LEN).to_state();
-
-        self.header.nonce.encode(&mut hasher)?;
-        self.header.previous_hash.encode(&mut hasher)?;
-        self.header.timestamp.encode(&mut hasher)?;
-        self.header.txtree.root(0).unwrap().encode(&mut hasher)?;
-
-        Ok(hasher.finalize())
-    }
-
-    /// Append a transaction to the block. Also adds it to the Merkle tree.
-    fn append_tx(&mut self, tx: Transaction) -> Result<()> {
-        let mut buf = [0u8; 64];
-        buf[..HASH_LEN].copy_from_slice(tx.hash()?.as_bytes());
-        let leaf = pallas::Base::from_uniform_bytes(&buf);
-
-        self.header.txtree.append(leaf.into());
-        self.txs.push(tx);
-
-        Ok(())
-    }
-}
-
-fn get_mid(a: u64, b: u64) -> u64 {
-    (a / 2) + (b / 2) + ((a - 2 * (a / 2)) + (b - 2 * (b / 2))) / 2
-}
-
-/// Aux function to calculate the median of a given `Vec<u64>`.
-/// The function sorts the vector internally.
-fn median(v: &mut Vec<u64>) -> u64 {
-    assert!(v.is_empty());
-
-    if v.len() == 1 {
-        return v[0];
-    }
-
-    let n = v.len() / 2;
-    v.sort_unstable();
-
-    if v.len() % 2 == 0 {
-        v[n]
-    } else {
-        get_mid(v[n - 1], v[n])
-    }
-}
-
-/// Verify a block's timestamp is valid and matches certain criteria.
-fn check_block_timestamp(block: &Block, timestamps: &mut Vec<u64>) -> bool {
-    if block.header.timestamp > Timestamp::current_time().inner() + BLOCK_FUTURE_TIME_LIMIT {
-        return false;
-    }
-
-    // If not enough blocks, no proper median yet, return true
-    if timestamps.len() < BLOCKCHAIN_TIMESTAMP_CHECK_WINDOW {
-        return true;
-    }
-
-    // Make sure the timestamp is higher than the median
-    if block.header.timestamp < median(timestamps) {
-        return false;
-    }
-
-    true
-}
-
-/// Calculate the next mining difficulty.
-///
-/// Takes a `RingBuffer` of timestamps, a `RingBuffer` of cumulative
-/// difficulties, and a target block time in seconds.
-/// **NOTE**: `timestamps` get sorted in this function.
-///
-/// Panics if:
-/// * `timestamps.len() != cumulative_difficulties.len()`
-/// * `timestamps.len() > DIFFICULTY_WINDOW`
-fn next_difficulty(
-    timestamps: &mut Vec<u64>,
-    cumulative_difficulties: &[BigUint],
-    target_seconds: usize,
-) -> BigUint {
-    let length = timestamps.len();
-    assert!(length == cumulative_difficulties.len() && length <= DIFFICULTY_WINDOW);
-
-    if length <= 1 {
-        return BigUint::one();
-    }
-
-    // Sort the timestamps vector
-    timestamps.sort_unstable();
-
-    let cut_begin: usize;
-    let cut_end: usize;
-
-    if length <= DIFFICULTY_WINDOW - 2 * DIFFICULTY_CUT {
-        cut_begin = 0;
-        cut_end = length;
-    } else {
-        cut_begin = (length - (DIFFICULTY_WINDOW - 2 * DIFFICULTY_CUT) + 1) / 2;
-        cut_end = cut_begin + (DIFFICULTY_WINDOW - 2 * DIFFICULTY_CUT);
-    }
-
-    assert!(/* cut_begin >= 0 && */ cut_begin + 2 <= cut_end && cut_end <= length);
-
-    let mut time_span = timestamps[cut_end - 1] - timestamps[cut_begin];
-    if time_span == 0 {
-        time_span = 1;
-    }
-
-    let total_work = &cumulative_difficulties[cut_end - 1] - &cumulative_difficulties[cut_begin];
-    assert!(total_work > BigUint::zero());
-
-    (total_work * target_seconds + time_span - BigUint::one()) / time_span
-}
-
-fn main() -> Result<()> {
-    // Construct the genesis block
-    let mut previous_hash = [0u8; HASH_LEN];
-    previous_hash.copy_from_slice(GENESIS_HASH.as_bytes());
-
-    let mut genesis_block = Block {
-        header: BlockHeader {
-            nonce: pallas::Base::ZERO,
-            previous_hash,
-            timestamp: Timestamp::current_time().inner(),
-            txtree: MerkleTree::new(1),
-        },
-        txs: vec![],
-    };
-
-    let genesis_tx = Transaction(vec![1, 3, 3, 7]);
-    genesis_block.append_tx(genesis_tx)?;
-
-    // This represents the blocks in our blockchain
-    let mut blockchain: Vec<Block> = vec![genesis_block.clone()];
-    // The cumulative difficulties track difficulty through time.
-    // The genesis block (block 0) is ignored. Blocks 1 and 2 must have difficulty 1.
-    let mut difficulties = vec![];
-    let mut cumulative_difficulty = BigUint::zero();
-    // We also track block timestamps this way.
-    let mut timestamps = vec![];
-
-    // Melt the CPU
-    loop {
-        // Reference to our chain tip
-        let n = blockchain.len(); // Block height
-        let cur_block = &blockchain.last().unwrap();
-        assert!(difficulties.len() == timestamps.len() && timestamps.len() == n - 1);
-
-        // Calculate the next difficulty target: T = 2^256 / difficulty
-        let begin: usize;
-        let end: usize;
-        if n - 1 < DIFFICULTY_WINDOW + DIFFICULTY_LAG {
-            begin = 0;
-            end = min(n - 1, DIFFICULTY_WINDOW);
-        } else {
-            end = n - 1 - DIFFICULTY_LAG;
-            begin = end - DIFFICULTY_WINDOW;
-        }
-
-        let mut ts: Vec<u64> = timestamps[begin..end].to_vec();
-        let difficulty = next_difficulty(&mut ts, &difficulties[begin..end], DIFFICULTY_TARGET);
-        let target = BigUint::from_bytes_be(&[0xFF; 32]) / &difficulty;
-        println!("[#{}] [MINER] Difficulty:  0x{:064x}", n, difficulty);
-        println!("[#{}] [MINER] Mine target: 0x{:064x}", n, target);
-
-        // Get the PoW input. The key changes with every mined block.
-        let powinput = cur_block.hash()?;
-        println!("[#{}] [MINER] PoW input: {}", n, powinput.to_hex());
-
-        let miner_setup = Instant::now();
-        let flags = RandomXFlags::default() | RandomXFlags::FULLMEM;
-        println!("[#{}] [MINER] Initializing RandomX dataset...", n);
-        let dataset = Arc::new(RandomXDataset::new(flags, powinput.as_bytes(), N_THREADS).unwrap());
-
-        // The miner creates a block
-        let mut previous_hash = [0u8; HASH_LEN];
-        previous_hash.copy_from_slice(cur_block.hash()?.as_bytes());
-        let mut miner_block = Block {
-            header: BlockHeader {
-                nonce: pallas::Base::ZERO,
-                previous_hash,
-                timestamp: Timestamp::current_time().inner(),
-                txtree: MerkleTree::new(1),
-            },
-            txs: vec![],
-        };
-
-        // Insert some transactions from the mempool
-        let tx0 = Transaction(OsRng.gen::<[u8; 32]>().to_vec());
-        let tx1 = Transaction(OsRng.gen::<[u8; 32]>().to_vec());
-        miner_block.append_tx(tx0)?;
-        miner_block.append_tx(tx1)?;
-        println!("[#{}] [MINER] Setup time: {:?}", n, miner_setup.elapsed());
-
-        // Multithreaded mining setup
-        let mining_time = Instant::now();
-        let mut handles = vec![];
-        let found_block = Arc::new(AtomicBool::new(false));
-        let found_nonce = Arc::new(AtomicU32::new(0));
-        for t in 0..N_THREADS {
-            let target = target.clone();
-            let mut block = miner_block.clone();
-            let found_block = Arc::clone(&found_block);
-            let found_nonce = Arc::clone(&found_nonce);
-            let dataset = Arc::clone(&dataset);
-
-            handles.push(thread::spawn(move || {
-                println!("[#{}] [MINER] Initializing RandomX VM #{}...", n, t);
-                let mut miner_nonce = t as u32;
-                let vm = RandomXVM::new_fast(flags, &dataset).unwrap();
-                loop {
-                    block.header.nonce = pallas::Base::from(miner_nonce as u64);
-                    if found_block.load(Ordering::SeqCst) {
-                        println!("[#{}] [MINER] Block found, thread #{} exiting", n, t);
-                        break;
-                    }
-
-                    let out_hash = vm.hash(block.hash().unwrap().as_bytes());
-                    let out_hash = BigUint::from_bytes_be(&out_hash);
-                    if out_hash <= target {
-                        found_block.store(true, Ordering::SeqCst);
-                        found_nonce.store(miner_nonce, Ordering::SeqCst);
-                        println!(
-                            "[#{}] [MINER] Thread #{} found block using nonce {}",
-                            n, t, miner_nonce
-                        );
-                        println!("[#{}] [MINER] Block hash {}", n, block.hash().unwrap().to_hex());
-                        println!("[#{}] [MINER] RandomX output: 0x{:064x}", n, out_hash);
-                        break;
-                    }
-
-                    // This means thread 0 will use nonces, 0, 4, 8, ...
-                    // and thread 1 will use nonces, 1, 5, 9, ...
-                    miner_nonce += N_THREADS as u32;
-                }
-            }));
-        }
-
-        for handle in handles {
-            let _ = handle.join();
-        }
-        println!("[#{}] [MINER] Mining time: {:?}", n, mining_time.elapsed());
-
-        // Set the valid mined nonce in the block that's being broadcasted
-        miner_block.header.nonce = pallas::Base::from(found_nonce.load(Ordering::SeqCst) as u64);
-
-        // Now the block is broadcasted to the network, and a node can verify it.
-        // First we verify the block's timestamp. We take the last
-        // `BLOCKCHAIN_TIMESTAMP_CHECK_WINDOW` timestamps and perform the check:
-        let mut v_ts =
-            timestamps.iter().rev().take(BLOCKCHAIN_TIMESTAMP_CHECK_WINDOW).copied().collect();
-        assert!(check_block_timestamp(&miner_block, &mut v_ts));
-
-        // Then we verify the proof of work:
-        let verifier_setup = Instant::now();
-        let flags = RandomXFlags::default();
-        let cache = RandomXCache::new(flags, powinput.as_bytes()).unwrap();
-        let vm = RandomXVM::new(flags, &cache).unwrap();
-        println!("[#{}] [VERIFIER] Setup time: {:?}", n, verifier_setup.elapsed());
-
-        let verification_time = Instant::now();
-        let out_hash = vm.hash(miner_block.hash()?.as_bytes());
-        let out_hash = BigUint::from_bytes_be(&out_hash);
-        assert!(out_hash <= target);
-        println!("[#{}] [VERIFIER] Verification time: {:?}", n, verification_time.elapsed());
-
-        // The new block appends to the blockchain
-        timestamps.push(miner_block.header.timestamp);
-        blockchain.push(miner_block);
-        cumulative_difficulty += difficulty;
-        difficulties.push(cumulative_difficulty.clone());
-    }
-}
diff --git a/script/research/pow/src/tests.rs b/script/research/pow/src/tests.rs
deleted file mode 100644
index c4c861c0e..000000000
--- a/script/research/pow/src/tests.rs
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,75 +0,0 @@
-/* This file is part of DarkFi (https://dark.fi)
- *
- * Copyright (C) 2020-2025 Dyne.org foundation
- *
- * This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
- * it under the terms of the GNU Affero General Public License as
- * published by the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the
- * License, or (at your option) any later version.
- *
- * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
- * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
- * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
- * GNU Affero General Public License for more details.
- *
- * You should have received a copy of the GNU Affero General Public License
- * along with this program.  If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
- */
-
-use std::{
-    cmp::min,
-    io::{BufRead, Cursor},
-    process::Command,
-};
-
-use darkfi_sdk::num_traits::{Num, Zero};
-use num_bigint::BigUint;
-
-use crate::{next_difficulty, DIFFICULTY_LAG, DIFFICULTY_WINDOW};
-
-const DEFAULT_TEST_DIFFICULTY_TARGET: usize = 120;
-
-#[test]
-fn test_wide_difficulty() {
-    let mut timestamps: Vec<u64> = vec![];
-    let mut cumulative_difficulties: Vec<BigUint> = vec![];
-    let mut cumulative_difficulty = BigUint::zero();
-
-    let output = Command::new("./gen_wide_data.py").output().unwrap();
-    let reader = Cursor::new(output.stdout);
-
-    for (n, line) in reader.lines().enumerate() {
-        let line = line.unwrap();
-        let parts: Vec<String> = line.split(' ').map(|x| x.to_string()).collect();
-        assert!(parts.len() == 2);
-
-        let timestamp = parts[0].parse::<u64>().unwrap();
-        let difficulty = BigUint::from_str_radix(&parts[1], 10).unwrap();
-
-        let begin: usize;
-        let end: usize;
-        if n < DIFFICULTY_WINDOW + DIFFICULTY_LAG {
-            begin = 0;
-            end = min(n, DIFFICULTY_WINDOW);
-        } else {
-            end = n - DIFFICULTY_LAG;
-            begin = end - DIFFICULTY_WINDOW;
-        }
-
-        let mut timestamps_cut = timestamps[begin..end].to_vec();
-        let difficulty_cut = &cumulative_difficulties[begin..end];
-        let res =
-            next_difficulty(&mut timestamps_cut, difficulty_cut, DEFAULT_TEST_DIFFICULTY_TARGET);
-
-        if res != difficulty {
-            eprintln!("Wrong wide difficulty for block {}", n);
-            eprintln!("Expected: {}", difficulty);
-            eprintln!("Found: {}", res);
-            assert!(res == difficulty);
-        }
-
-        timestamps.push(timestamp);
-        cumulative_difficulty += difficulty;
-        cumulative_difficulties.push(cumulative_difficulty.clone());
-    }
-}