Veteran Developer Proposes Bitcoin Hard Fork, Sparking Controversy Over Satoshi Coin Reassignment

A long-standing Bitcoin developer, Paul Sztorc, has unveiled a proposal for a hard fork of the Bitcoin blockchain, scheduled for August 2026, which would result in the creation of a new chain called eCash. This new chain would be a near-identical copy of the existing Bitcoin blockchain, with the addition of Drivechains, a scaling architecture that Sztorc initially proposed in 2015. The proposed hard fork has sparked intense debate within the community, particularly with regards to the planned reassignment of coins linked to Bitcoin's mysterious founder, Satoshi Nakamoto. The eCash hard fork would involve copying Bitcoin's code to launch a separate version, with existing bitcoin holders receiving equivalent tokens in the new network at no cost. However, the community is criticizing the funding aspect, which involves reassigning coins linked to Satoshi Nakamoto's equivalent addresses on the new eCash chain to attract investors before the fork goes live. This decision has been met with widespread disapproval, with some members of the community labeling it as outright theft. The proposed hard fork has also raised concerns about setting a precedent for the potential theft of coins in the future. Despite the controversy, Sztorc argues that the plan is necessary to bring collaborators on board and ensure the project's success. The eCash hard fork is slated to occur at Bitcoin block height 964,000 in August 2026, with a coin-splitter tool to be released to facilitate the separation of BTC from eCash. The new chain will feature Drivechains, which are sidechains tethered to the Bitcoin blockchain, allowing for seamless movement of BTC between the main chain and sidechains without altering Bitcoin's base layer. Seven Drivechains are already in development, including a privacy chain modelled on Zcash and a prediction market called Truthcoin. The community's response to the proposal has been largely negative, with many expressing concerns about the potential consequences of the hard fork and the reassignment of Satoshi's coins.