Ergo is a type of secure blockchain based on decentralized finance (DeFi) functionalities. Its purpose is to combine the best features of Ethereum with those that Bitcoin has to offer.
The project is outfitted with a proof of work (PoW) similar to the consensus protocol that Bitcoin uses to ensure its network is secure and smart contracts are available to accommodate DeFi. The security features were taken from Bitcoin, while the smart contracts and decentralized features came from Ethereum. If you want to mine Ergo tokens, this platform uses a protocol referred to as "Autolykos"