Ethermint is an open-source library for developers who want Ethereum-style smart contracts running on a Cosmos-based blockchain. It is written in Go and aimed at blockchain engineers who need an Ethereum Virtual Machine environment inside a Proof-of-Stake network.
It combines the Cosmos SDK with the Tendermint Core consensus engine, so applications get fast finality while keeping EVM-level tooling familiar. Note that the project is no longer maintained: its last code update was in April 2024, and the relevant code has been migrated to other repositories. Read the rest of this page before starting a new project on it.
What Is Ethermint and Who Is It For?
Ethermint is a bridge between two worlds: the Ethereum developer community and the Cosmos ecosystem. It is aimed at blockchain engineers who want to run EVM-compatible logic on their own chain rather than on Ethereum itself.
Typical users are teams building application-specific chains, researchers testing EVM execution inside a Cosmos environment, and developers who want to understand how the two architectures fit together. If you only write smart contracts and deploy them to an existing public network, you will likely not need this library directly.
How Ethermint Connects Ethereum and Cosmos
The key idea is that Ethereum's execution model is layered on top of Cosmos's state and consensus machinery. The Cosmos SDK handles accounts, modules and governance, while the EVM module processes contract calls. Tendermint Core orders transactions and finalizes blocks.
This separation means the chain keeps Cosmos-native features and still exposes an Ethereum-style interface. Developers should expect some differences in how accounts, gas and state behave compared with a standard Ethereum node.
Practical Scenarios for Ethermint
A few situations where this kind of library makes sense:
- Launching a dedicated chain for a single application, where you want EVM contracts but control over block production.
- Prototyping cross-chain designs in a Cosmos test environment before deploying to a production network.
- Studying how an EVM can be embedded in a Byzantine fault-tolerant consensus engine.
For each scenario, check whether the maintained successor projects offer the same functionality before committing to this codebase.
What to Know Before You Start Building
Because the repository is archived, you will be working with code that no longer receives updates. Dependencies may be outdated, and newer versions of the Cosmos SDK or Tendermint may introduce breaking changes that are not reflected here.
It is a good idea to read the migration notes in the project history, identify the repository where the relevant code now lives, and test thoroughly on a local network before any real deployment.
Key features
EVM inside a Cosmos chain
Proof-of-Stake with fast finality
Built on the Cosmos SDK
Written in Go
Open-source under LGPL
Supported coins
The project documentation references Ethereum (ETH) and Cosmos (ATOM) in the context of its design. Ethermint is a framework for building chains, not a wallet, so it does not manage coins for end users on its own; the assets available on a given chain depend on how that chain is configured.
How to install Ethermint on Windows
- 1
Check the project status first
Visit the GitHub repository and read the notice that the project is no longer maintained and that its code has been migrated. Decide whether you need this exact codebase or its successor before you download anything.
- 2
Install the Go toolchain
Ethermint is written in Go, so install a Go version compatible with the repository's go.mod file. Download the Windows installer from the official Go website and confirm that the go command works in Command Prompt or PowerShell.
- 3
Get the source code
Clone the repository from GitHub or download a release archive from the Releases page. Download only from the official GitHub repository, and verify any published checksums or signatures before extracting the files.
-
Build the project
Open a terminal in the project folder and follow the build instructions in the README. Dependencies are fetched through Go modules. Expect the build to take several minutes the first time.
System requirements
- A 64-bit version of Windows capable of running a current Go toolchain
- Enough disk space for the Go toolchain, module cache and build output
How to use Ethermint
Ethermint is a development library, so using it means building a chain or test environment with it rather than opening a simple application. The exact commands depend on the version you choose and the state of its dependencies, so always start from the repository's documentation.
A typical workflow looks like this:
- Read the README and the documentation folder to understand the expected project layout.
- Build the binary or example chain using the Go toolchain, following the instructions in the repository.
- Initialize a local chain configuration and start a single-node test network.
- Connect an Ethereum-compatible client or a script to the local RPC endpoint and send a test transaction.
- Deploy a simple contract to confirm the EVM module processes calls correctly.
- Only after local tests pass, consider configuring multiple validators or a public network.
Keep the test network isolated from any real funds, and record each step so you can reproduce the environment later.
Pros & cons
- Open-source code that you can read, modify and audit
- Combines EVM compatibility with Cosmos SDK modularity
- Uses Tendermint Core for fast finality under Proof-of-Stake
- Written in Go, which many backend and blockchain teams already know
- Free to use under the LGPL license
- The project is no longer maintained and was last updated in April 2024
- Code has been migrated, so you must find the successor repository
- Dependencies may be outdated relative to current Cosmos SDK releases
- Requires working knowledge of Go, Cosmos and EVM internals
- Documentation may not reflect the current state of related projects
Is Ethermint safe?
Ethermint is a development library rather than a wallet or miner, but it still belongs to a category where careless downloads cause real harm. Get the source only from the official GitHub repository, and check any published SHA-256 checksums or signatures before building. Never run code from unofficial forks or third-party download sites.
Because the project is archived, it has not received security patches for some time. Do not use it to hold real assets or to run a public network without a full security review. Any key material you generate during testing should stay on test networks and never be reused on mainnet.
- Official source only. Download from github.com/evmos/ethermint. Ignore ads and lookalike domains.
- Check the SHA-256. Compare the installer hash with the value the developer publishes before running it.
- Never share your seed phrase. No developer, support agent or website — including CryptApps — will ever ask for it.
Alternatives
Ethermint sits between the Ethereum tooling world and the Cosmos framework world. Native Evmos is a chain built around Ethereum-based applications, so it is a finished network rather than a library you build from. Cosmos SDK is the general framework that Ethermint depends on, so it suits teams who want a chain without EVM compatibility, or who prefer to write their own execution layer.
If you are looking for smart contract development tools rather than chain infrastructure, Foundry and Solidity are more direct choices for writing and compiling contracts. Ethermint is the right fit when your problem is running an EVM inside a Cosmos-style chain.
Specifications
- Price
- Free
- Type
- Open source
- License
- LGPL
- Latest version
- v0.22.0
- Last update
- 4 Apr 2024
- Windows support
- Yes (Windows build or installer)
- Source code
- github.com/evmos/ethermint
Frequently asked questions
No. The repository is no longer maintained, and its last code update was in April 2024. The relevant code has been migrated to other repositories. Check the project's GitHub page for pointers to the current successor before starting new work.
Yes, Ethermint is free and open source under the LGPL license. You can download and use the code without payment. Review the license terms if you plan to distribute a modified version or include it in a commercial product.
Ethermint can be built on Windows because the toolchain is Go-based. Install a compatible Go version, clone the repository, and follow the build instructions in the README. Some dependencies may behave differently across operating systems, so test carefully.
It is used to run Ethereum Virtual Machine logic inside a chain built on the Cosmos SDK with Tendermint Core consensus. Developers use it to create EVM-compatible application chains with fast finality and Proof-of-Stake security.
No. Evmos is a network built on the Cosmos ecosystem with Ethereum-based applications. Ethermint is the underlying library that made EVM support on Cosmos possible. Evmos has its own repository and governance, and it is separate from this library.
Yes, in practice. The codebase is written in Go, so you will need to read, build and sometimes modify Go code. Familiarity with Go modules and the Cosmos SDK will make the setup and testing process much easier.
Ethermint is a framework for building chains, not a wallet. It does not manage funds for end users on its own. If you build a chain with it, any real assets depend on your own configuration and security practices, so test thoroughly first.
Verdict
Ethermint is a well-designed library for teams who want EVM compatibility inside a Cosmos-style, Proof-of-Stake chain with fast finality. Its architecture is worth studying even today. However, the repository is no longer maintained, so it suits learning, research and reference more than a new production launch. Those starting fresh should look at the migrated successor code and verify its current status before writing a line.