Avira Crypto software is a specialized feature of your Avira Product. The feature allows you to use your personal computer’s computation power for low-volume cryptocurrency mining while maintaining the high level of protection provided by your Product.
Avira Crypto is currently available only to select users of Avira Products that Avira, and our parent company NortonLifeLock Inc. (”we,” “us,” “our,” or “Avira”) have determined meets the minimum system requirements for the Crypto program.
If you are located in the United States or Canada, Avira refers to Avira Inc. If you are located outside the United States or Canada, Avira refers to Avira Holding GmbH & Co. KG.
These Avira Crypto Terms of Service (“Terms”) supplement the Avira Product End User License Agreement and Terms of Use (“EULA”) . Capitalized terms not defined in these Terms have the meanings assigned to them in the EULA. These terms or your use of Avira Crypto does not create a joint venture, partnership, employment or agency relationship with us. In case of a conflict between these Terms and the EULA, these Terms shall control.
1. What is Cryptocurrency Mining?
Cryptocurrencies are potentially valuable digital tokens based on blockchain technology and secured by cryptographic protocols. Cryptocurrency (or “crypto”) can be used (in some cases) to purchase goods and services or traded for other currencies, including traditional fiat currencies (such as U.S. dollars), on a cryptocurrency exchange.
Some new cryptocurrency is created through a process called “mining” or “crypto-mining.” This process uses computing power to solve complex mathematical problems that are used to verify transactions and add blocks to the blockchain. Those who participate in performing the verification and block addition work are rewarded with newly-created crypto.
Due to the large amount of computing power required for mining, some of the most productive mining is accomplished by combining the computing power of many miners into a group (commonly called a “pool” in crypto-mining terms) and sharing the rewards amongst the miners, (who own “shares” in the “pool”) and the pool operator. As such, we use the words “pool” and “shares” within this document and the Avira Crypto program, but please note that there is no actual entity or “pool” involved in the program, and you will not own any real “shares” or have any equity, voting, or similar rights associated with the program.
2. How Does Avira Crypto Work?
The Avira Crypto software feature is made up of two main parts: The first part is specialized crypto-mining software built-in to through some Avira cyber safety products for personal computers. The crypto-mining software is designed to run whenever your computer is idle. The second part is the collective crypto-mining software that is owned and operated by Us in order to create and operate a mining program (as explained above) that utilizes our customers’ computing power.
The collective crypto-mining software divides the mining work into manageable parts and distributes the parts to you and the other Avira Crypto software users. When work on the part is completed by the Avira Crypto software running on your computer, it is submitted back for verification. If the part your computer has completed is verified and therefore accepted , you are credited with what is commonly known in crypto-mining terms as a “share.” The shares have no value themselves; instead, they are used solely as a unit of measurement to calculate potential payouts of crypto. Again, these “shares” do not indicate that you own any type of equity or other rights in any real or virtual entity.
3. What are the Benefits for You?
Rewards of crypto earned by the program, if any, are allocated to you based on the timing of your participation, the number of units you are credited through your contributions, and how much crypto is generated based on those units. Each of these allocations (commonly known as “payouts”) is subject to Our fee for providing the Avira Crypto mining software. Our fee is currently 15% of the crypto allocated to you. We will notify you ahead of time of any changes in the fees charged.
We will periodically transfer your allocation of crypto, if any, to a digital wallet that we create for you. Transfers of crypto to your digital wallet may result in transaction fees (also known as “gas” fees”), as described below in Section 5.
We do not know how much crypto will be produced or distributed by the program, and both will fluctuate over time depending on the results of the program. You may receive only small amounts of crypto or no crypto at all; We do not guarantee that any participant will receive any crypto at all or any particular amount of crypto.
Crypto transferred to your wallet may be taxable. We do not provide tax advice.
4. What Can I Do with the Cryptocurrency in My Wallet?
You can hold any cryptocurrency allocated to you by Avira Crypto in the wallet we create for you, or you may transfer the crypto to a third-party wallet service we have selected. If you wish to exchange your crypto for a traditional currency (such as U.S. dollars or euros), you can do that on a cryptocurrency exchange by transferring the crypto you receive to the exchange. We do not offer exchange services or guarantee that you will be able to identify an exchange, access any exchange, or successfully exchange any crypto you receive for any other currency, including dollars or other fiat currencies. It is possible you will not be able to use or exchange your crypto. In addition, we do not guarantee that you will receive the best or a favorable exchange rate when and if you choose to exchange your crypto. PLEASE NOTE THAT IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO PROVIDE THE CORRECT WALLET ADDRESS WHEN AND IF YOU TRANSFER CRYPTO OUT OF YOUR AVIRA-SPONSORED WALLET. YOU MUST EXERCISE CARE WHEN INPUTTING THE ADDRESS, BECAUSE CRYPTOCURRENCY TRANSACTIONS CANNOT BE REVERSED. WE ARE IN NO WAY RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY FAILURE TO ACCURATELY INPUT THE CORRECT WALLET ADDRESS OR DUE TO THE ACTS OR OMISSIONS OF THIRD PARTY SERVICE PROVIDERS (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY THIRD-PARTY WALLET PROVIDER OR EXCHANGE).
5. What are Transaction Fees and “Gas” Fees?
Transfers of crypto may result in transaction fees (also known as “gas” fees) paid to the users of the cryptocurrency blockchain network who process the transaction. In addition, if you choose to exchange your crypto for another currency, you may be required to pay fees to an exchange facilitating the transaction. Transaction fees fluctuate due to cryptocurrency market conditions and other factors. These fees are not set by Us. It is possible that when you transfer or exchange your crypto, the associated fees will materially reduce the value of the crypto you have received.
6. How Can I Opt-in or Opt-out of Avira Crypto?
Avira Crypto software is a specialized feature of your Avira subscription that you can turn off or on at your discretion. The feature button will be enabled if We determine that your computer meets the minimum system requirements for Avira Crypto. While the feature is enabled, the crypto-mining software is designed to run whenever your computer is idle. If your Avira subscription is terminated, you will continue to have access to your wallet.
7. What Else Should I Know Before I Use Avira Crypto?
USING THE AVIRA CRYPTO MINING SOFTWARE DOES NOT GUARANTEE THAT YOU WILL EARN CRYPTO PAYOUTS OR, IF YOU DO, IN ANY PARTICULAR AMOUNT.
Running the Avira Crypto mining software on your personal computer will cause your computer to consume a significant amount of electricity, which will increase your electric utility costs. Continued use of your computer for crypto-mining may cause computer parts, particularly mechanical parts (like cooling fans) to wear out faster and require more frequent maintenance. It is possible to spend more money on electricity and computer hardware than you earn in cryptocurrency mining.
The exchange rate for cryptocurrencies can fluctuate widely, particularly relative to fiat currencies such as US dollars or euros, from day-to-day or even minute-to-minute. We have no control over the value of the crypto you receive, and that value may change over time or across exchanges. You are solely responsible for deciding when or at what rate to exchange your crypto. You may not receive the best or a favorable exchange rate for your crypto. We are not responsible for that in any way.
The regulatory status of cryptocurrency may change over time. We are not responsible for any disruptions in the program or any losses that may occur for you due to changes in the regulatory oversight of crypto, including without limitation any changes that may cause Us to terminate or change the Crypto program, even if those changes make the program less favorable to you; make it difficult or impossible to transfer, exchange, or use the crypto you receive based on the program; or cause the crypto you receive to drop in value or lose value entirely.
We reserve the right to terminate the Crypto program at any time without notice to you. If we do end the program, we will distribute any crypto generated by you. We will have no ongoing obligation to you under these Terms after doing so.
We do not own or control the underlying protocols that govern the operation of any cryptocurrency network. We are not responsible for operation of any cryptocurrency network protocols, or any security incidents that occur on any cryptocurrency network. The cryptocurrency network protocols are subject to sudden changes in operating rules (e.g., forks), and such changes may materially affect the value, function, and/or even the name of the cryptocurrency mined. In the event of a fork, we may, in our sole discretion, decide whether or not to suspend or discontinue providing rewards in the form of crypto. WE WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE OR LIABLE FOR ANY FAILURE OF ANY CRYPTOCURRENCY NETWORK PROTOCOL THAT RESULTS IN A FAILED PAYMENT OF REWARDS TO YOU OR OTHERWISE INVOLVES THE CRYPTOCURRENCY GENERATED BY YOU.