Bitcoin Community Condemns Proposed eCash Hard Fork as 'Theft' Amid Satoshi Coin Reassignment

Veteran Bitcoin developer Paul Sztorc has unveiled a contentious proposal for a hard fork of the Bitcoin blockchain, dubbed eCash, slated for August 2026. The plan involves creating a separate version of the blockchain, with existing bitcoin holders receiving equivalent tokens on the new network. However, the community is up in arms over the proposed reassignment of coins linked to Bitcoin's enigmatic founder, Satoshi Nakamoto, with many labeling it as outright theft. Sztorc's vision for eCash includes the integration of Drivechains, a scaling solution he first introduced in 2015, which would enable the creation of sidechains tethered to the Bitcoin blockchain. These sidechains would allow 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-focused chain modeled on Zcash and a prediction market called Truthcoin. The eCash hard fork has sparked intense debate, with some critics arguing that the reassignment of Satoshi's coins sets a dangerous precedent and could potentially jeopardize the security of all BTC holdings. Bitcoin advocate Peter McCormack and chief technology officer at Pixelated Ink, Josh Ellithorpe, have both expressed strong reservations about the proposal, with McCormack condemning it as 'theft and disrespectful' and Ellithorpe warning of the potential risks it poses to the broader Bitcoin community.