Bitcoin Developer Proposes eCash Hard Fork, Community Raises Concerns Over Satoshi Coin Reassignment

Veteran Bitcoin developer Paul Sztorc has unveiled a plan to create a new version of the Bitcoin blockchain, dubbed eCash, through a hard fork in August 2026. The proposed fork will give existing bitcoin holders equivalent tokens in the new network, but the community is criticizing the decision to reassign coins linked to Bitcoin's mysterious founder, Satoshi Nakamoto. Sztorc's proposal involves copying Bitcoin's code to launch a separate version, with the addition of Drivechains, a scaling architecture that allows for seamless movement of BTC between the main chain and sidechains. However, the plan to use coins that would have gone to Satoshi Nakamoto's equivalent addresses on the new eCash chain to attract investors has been met with negative responses, with some calling it 'theft' and 'disrespectful'. The controversy surrounding the eCash hard fork has sparked a heated debate within the Bitcoin community, with some raising concerns about the precedent it sets and the potential risks to everyone's BTC holdings.