# Hiveans (Hive users)
Hivean is the term used to describe an user of the [[Hive]] blockchain.
## Whales
An investor that holds a market-moving amount of a cryptocurrency or NFT collection is often referred to as a whale, and whales can make big waves..<ref>[What Are Crypto Whales and Why Are They Important?](https://www.coindesk.com/learn/what-are-crypto-whales-and-why-are-they-important/) Written by Robert Stevens in CoinDesk in 3/15/2023</ref> On Hive a whale is a user who has a lot of HP (Hive Power -HP) and therefore more voting power. According TobeTada ([@tobetada](https://hive.blog/@tobetada) in November 2023 only 4 accounts hold -30% of HP<ref>[What Are Hive's Whales Up To?](https://hive.blog/hive-167922/@tobetada/what-are-hives-whales-up-to) Written by TobeTada ([@tobetada](https://hive.blog/@tobetada)) in November 20th, 2023.</ref>, months before a study by Footprint Analytics<ref>[Whales on Hive Blockchain](https://www.footprint.network/@Formosa/Whales-on-Hive-Blockchain) Published by Footprint Analytics in August 22th, 2022</ref> revealed the same.The role of Hive Whales also was comparable wasVCs (Venture Capitaloists) in a decentralized environment<ref>[Hive Whales Are Our VCs! .:. Late Night Blogging](https://hive.blog/hive-196233/@ph1102/hive-whales-are-our-vcs-late-night-blogging) Written by [@ph1102](https://hive.blog/@ph1102) February 17th, 2024</ref>
## Witnesses
Witnesses are community elected hiveans to act as the network's block producers and governance body. The Hive blockchain requires a set of these people to create blocks and uses a consensus mechanism called delegated proof of stake, or DPOS. There are 20 full-time witnesses, producing a block every 63-second round. A 21st position is shared by the backup witnesses, who are scheduled proportionally to the amount of stake-weighted community approval they have. Witnesses are compensated with Hive Power for each block they create<ref>[What are Hive Witnesses?](https://hive.blog/faq.html#What_are_Hive_witnesses) Hive.blog FAQ, retrieved in May 19th, 2024</ref>.
Read more in the article [[Hive Witness]]
## Related Posts
<b>@steevc</b> - [The Brit List: May 2024](https://hive.blog/hive-133987/@steevc/the-brit-list-may-2024) May 8th, 2024
<b>@dals</b> - [Top Hive Earners by Category | Authors, Curators, Witnesses, DAO, HBD Interest | April 2024](https://hive.blog/hive-133987/@dalz/top-hive-earners-by-category-or-authors-curators-witnesses-dao-hbd-interest-or-april-2024) May 1st, 2024
<b>@ibbtammy</b> - [Stories of three strong Ladies of Hive](https://hive.blog/hive-100848/@ibbtammy/stories-of-three-strong-ladies-of-hive) March 25th, 2024
<b>@demotruck</b> - [New Users and Retention for Hive in 2023](https://hive.blog/statistics/@demotruk/new-users-and-retention-for-hive-in-2023) March 3rd, 2024
<b>@taskmaster4450</b> - [Becoming A Hive Citizen](https://hive.blog/hive-167922/@taskmaster4450/becoming-a-hive-citizen) February 10th, 2024
<b>@arcange</b> - [Hive Statistics 2024.01.31](https://hive.blog/hive-133987/@arcange/hive-statistics-20240131-en) (New and Active Users) February 1st, 2024
<b>@lunaticanto</b> - [ ¿Hivers o hiveans? 🤔 ¡Bienvenidos a Caracas! - Welcome to Caraca](https://hive.blog/hive-189306/@lunaticanto/hivers-o-hiveans-bienvenidos-a-caracas-welcome-to-caracas)s October 27th, 2023
<b>@djlethalskillz</b> - [Any Hiveans on FriendTech already? Let's connect](https://hive.blog/community/@djlethalskillz/any-hiveans-on-friendtech-already-lets-connect) September 15th, 2023
<b>@haryhor</b> - [A New Hivean Journey | Finding My Way On Hive](https://hive.blog/hive-153850/@haryhor/a-new-hivean-journey-or) October 25th, 2022
<b>@everyoung</b> - [As hiveans, do your need to work or depend on your rewards for writing posts](https://hive.blog/hive-148441/@everyoung/as-hiveans-do-your-need-to-work-or-depend-on-your-rewards-for-writing-posts) May 25th, 2020
## Whales
An investor that holds a market-moving amount of a cryptocurrency or NFT collection is often referred to as a whale, and whales can make big waves..<ref>[What Are Crypto Whales and Why Are They Important?](https://www.coindesk.com/learn/what-are-crypto-whales-and-why-are-they-important/) Written by Robert Stevens in CoinDesk in 3/15/2023</ref> On Hive a whale is a user who has a lot of HP (Hive Power -HP) and therefore more voting power. According TobeTada ([@tobetada](https://hive.blog/@tobetada) in November 2023 only 4 accounts hold -30% of HP<ref>[What Are Hive's Whales Up To?](https://hive.blog/hive-167922/@tobetada/what-are-hives-whales-up-to) Written by TobeTada ([@tobetada](https://hive.blog/@tobetada)) in November 20th, 2023.</ref>, months before a study by Footprint Analytics<ref>[Whales on Hive Blockchain](https://www.footprint.network/@Formosa/Whales-on-Hive-Blockchain) Published by Footprint Analytics in August 22th, 2022</ref> revealed the same.The role of Hive Whales also was comparable wasVCs (Venture Capitaloists) in a decentralized environment<ref>[Hive Whales Are Our VCs! .:. Late Night Blogging](https://hive.blog/hive-196233/@ph1102/hive-whales-are-our-vcs-late-night-blogging) Written by [@ph1102](https://hive.blog/@ph1102) February 17th, 2024</ref>
## Witnesses
Witnesses are community elected hiveans to act as the network's block producers and governance body. The Hive blockchain requires a set of these people to create blocks and uses a consensus mechanism called delegated proof of stake, or DPOS. There are 20 full-time witnesses, producing a block every 63-second round. A 21st position is shared by the backup witnesses, who are scheduled proportionally to the amount of stake-weighted community approval they have. Witnesses are compensated with Hive Power for each block they create<ref>[What are Hive Witnesses?](https://hive.blog/faq.html#What_are_Hive_witnesses) Hive.blog FAQ, retrieved in May 19th, 2024</ref>.
Read more in the article [[Hive Witness]]
## Related Posts
<b>@steevc</b> - [The Brit List: May 2024](https://hive.blog/hive-133987/@steevc/the-brit-list-may-2024) May 8th, 2024
<b>@dals</b> - [Top Hive Earners by Category | Authors, Curators, Witnesses, DAO, HBD Interest | April 2024](https://hive.blog/hive-133987/@dalz/top-hive-earners-by-category-or-authors-curators-witnesses-dao-hbd-interest-or-april-2024) May 1st, 2024
<b>@ibbtammy</b> - [Stories of three strong Ladies of Hive](https://hive.blog/hive-100848/@ibbtammy/stories-of-three-strong-ladies-of-hive) March 25th, 2024
<b>@demotruck</b> - [New Users and Retention for Hive in 2023](https://hive.blog/statistics/@demotruk/new-users-and-retention-for-hive-in-2023) March 3rd, 2024
<b>@taskmaster4450</b> - [Becoming A Hive Citizen](https://hive.blog/hive-167922/@taskmaster4450/becoming-a-hive-citizen) February 10th, 2024
<b>@arcange</b> - [Hive Statistics 2024.01.31](https://hive.blog/hive-133987/@arcange/hive-statistics-20240131-en) (New and Active Users) February 1st, 2024
<b>@lunaticanto</b> - [ ¿Hivers o hiveans? 🤔 ¡Bienvenidos a Caracas! - Welcome to Caraca](https://hive.blog/hive-189306/@lunaticanto/hivers-o-hiveans-bienvenidos-a-caracas-welcome-to-caracas)s October 27th, 2023
<b>@djlethalskillz</b> - [Any Hiveans on FriendTech already? Let's connect](https://hive.blog/community/@djlethalskillz/any-hiveans-on-friendtech-already-lets-connect) September 15th, 2023
<b>@haryhor</b> - [A New Hivean Journey | Finding My Way On Hive](https://hive.blog/hive-153850/@haryhor/a-new-hivean-journey-or) October 25th, 2022
<b>@everyoung</b> - [As hiveans, do your need to work or depend on your rewards for writing posts](https://hive.blog/hive-148441/@everyoung/as-hiveans-do-your-need-to-work-or-depend-on-your-rewards-for-writing-posts) May 25th, 2020