Veteran Developer Proposes Bitcoin Hard Fork, Sparks Controversy Over Satoshi Coin Reallocation

A long-standing Bitcoin developer, Paul Sztorc, has unveiled a contentious plan to create a separate version of the Bitcoin blockchain, dubbed eCash, through a hard fork scheduled for August 2026. This new chain will be a near-replica of the existing Bitcoin blockchain but with the added feature of Drivechains, a scaling solution that Sztorc initially proposed in 2015. The eCash hard fork aims to give existing bitcoin holders equivalent tokens on the new network, essentially duplicating their holdings. However, the proposal has ignited fierce criticism within the community, particularly regarding the allocation of coins associated with Bitcoin's elusive founder, Satoshi Nakamoto. Sztorc intends to utilize the equivalent of Satoshi's coins on the eCash chain to attract investors before the fork, a decision that has been denounced as theft by some. The hard fork, if successful, would bring Bitcoin's entire transaction history to the new eCash chain, including the dormant 1.1 million bitcoin belonging to Satoshi. The plan involves assigning fewer than half of these equivalent eCash coins to investors, with the precise mechanism remaining unclear. Sztorc argues that this strategy is necessary to incentivize collaboration and prevent the project from becoming a 'zombie' or overly centralized. However, industry figures have expressed strong opposition, viewing the move as disrespectful and setting a dangerous precedent that could jeopardize the security of all BTC holdings.