Bitcoin Community Outraged by Proposal to Reassign Satoshi Coins in Planned eCash Hard Fork

Veteran Bitcoin developer Paul Sztorc has unveiled a contentious plan to create a new version of the Bitcoin blockchain, dubbed eCash, which would involve a hard fork in August 2026. The proposed fork has sparked intense debate within the community, particularly regarding the allocation of coins linked to Bitcoin's elusive founder, Satoshi Nakamoto. Sztorc's plan involves copying the existing Bitcoin code and launching a separate chain, where current bitcoin holders would receive equivalent tokens in the new network. However, the community is up in arms over the decision to reassign a portion of the Satoshi-equivalent coins on the new eCash chain to attract investors before the fork. The move has been met with fierce criticism, with some labeling it as outright theft. The eCash hard fork would introduce Drivechains, a scaling architecture that enables seamless movement of BTC between the main chain and sidechains, allowing for greater flexibility and efficiency. Despite the potential benefits, the controversy surrounding the Satoshi coins has overshadowed the proposal, with industry experts warning of the risks and implications of setting such a precedent.