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

Veteran Bitcoin developer Paul Sztorc has unveiled a proposal for a hard fork, dubbed eCash, which would create a separate Bitcoin chain with its own tokens, while also giving existing bitcoin holders equivalent tokens on the new network. The proposed fork, scheduled for August 2026, has been met with criticism from the community, particularly regarding the planned reassignment of coins linked to Bitcoin's founder, Satoshi Nakamoto. Sztorc's plan involves using a portion of the Satoshi-equivalent eCash coins to incentivise collaborators and investors to participate in the project. However, many have expressed concerns that this move could be seen as theft and set a dangerous precedent. The eCash chain will be a near-identical copy of the existing Bitcoin blockchain, with the addition of Drivechains, a scaling architecture that allows for the creation of sidechains with their own rules and features. Despite the controversy, Sztorc believes that the eCash hard fork is necessary to bring about much-needed changes to the Bitcoin network and to prevent the project from becoming stagnant or centralised.