Why do people say Dogecoin “prints” about 5 billion per year?

The block reward is fixed at 10,000 DOGE per block with an average block time of about 1 minute, which works out to roughly 5 billion DOGE per year.

What consensus does Dogecoin use?

Dogecoin uses Proof-of-Work and Scrypt hashing (historically close to Litecoin-like parameters).

Why are DOGE transfers usually cheap?

Network fees have historically been low, and the project’s intent is to be a convenient currency for payments and transfers. Actual fees can still vary with congestion and wallet settings.

What is Dogecoin (DOGE)

Dogecoin is an open-source P2P cryptocurrency on its own blockchain (PoW, Scrypt), created as a “meme” currency for simple transfers and payments with low fees.

Launch 06.12.2013 Dogecoin

Who created it

Billy Markus (Shibetoshi Nakamoto) and Jackson Palmer.

Why it was created

Created as a simple, mass-market “internet currency” for transfers/payments and micro-transactions (including tipping), with a focus on friendly UX and low fees.

How it’s used

P2P transfers between wallets (payments and remittances)
Micro-payments and “tipping” in communities/social networks (a long-standing usage culture)
Paying for goods/services with merchants that accept DOGE
Exchange trading (spot/derivatives — depends on the venue)
Holding/transferring as a “meme asset” with high volatility

Risks

High volatility (meme factor / social media effect)
No hard maximum supply cap (ongoing inflation of ~5 billion DOGE per year)
PoW mining risks: hashrate/pool concentration and related censorship/coordination risks
Security depends on miners’ economic incentives (block rewards/fees)

FAQ

Why do people say Dogecoin “prints” about 5 billion per year?: The block reward is fixed at 10,000 DOGE per block with an average block time of about 1 minute, which works out to roughly 5 billion DOGE per year.
What consensus does Dogecoin use?: Dogecoin uses Proof-of-Work and Scrypt hashing (historically close to Litecoin-like parameters).
Why are DOGE transfers usually cheap?: Network fees have historically been low, and the project’s intent is to be a convenient currency for payments and transfers. Actual fees can still vary with congestion and wallet settings.