Veteran Developer's Plan to Split Bitcoin Blockchain Sparks Controversy Over 'Stolen' Satoshi Coins

A long-standing Bitcoin developer, Paul Sztorc, has unveiled a radical proposal to create a separate version of the Bitcoin blockchain, called eCash, by copying the existing code and launching it in August 2026. This new chain will provide equivalent tokens to current bitcoin holders, free of charge. However, the community is up in arms over the plan to reassign coins linked to the missing founder of Bitcoin, Satoshi Nakamoto, with many deeming it 'theft'. A hard fork is akin to a railway line splitting, allowing for different destinations. When developers disagree on changes to Bitcoin's code, they copy the blockchain and launch a separate chain, sharing the history up to the split point but diverging thereafter. Sztorc's eCash hard fork will introduce a new chain with native eCash tokens, and holders of 4.19 BTC at the time of the fork will receive 4.19 eCash, which they can sell, keep, or ignore. The fork is scheduled for August 2026, with a coin-splitter tool to be released to help holders separate their BTC from eCash. The new chain will be a near-copy of the existing blockchain, with the addition of Drivechains, a scaling architecture allowing seamless movement of BTC between the main chain and sidechains. Seven Drivechains are already in development, including a privacy chain, a prediction market, a decentralized exchange, and a quantum-resistant chain. The plan to use coins that would have gone to Satoshi Nakamoto's equivalent addresses on the new eCash chain to attract investors has sparked outrage, with some calling it 'theft'. The proposed mechanism involves assigning fewer than half of the Satoshi-equivalent eCash coins to investors before the fork, with the precise mechanism unclear. Sztorc argues this will provide collaborators with a tangible incentive to get involved early, while critics argue it sets a dangerous precedent and could eventually put everyone's BTC holdings at risk.