Developer Announces Bitcoin Hard Fork and Distribution of Satoshi’s Coins

Bitcoin developer Paul Sztorc announced a hard fork named eCash, set for August 2026.

Bitcoin developer Paul Sztorc has announced the launch of a hard fork of the original cryptocurrency network, named eCash. The deployment of the alternative blockchain is scheduled for August 2026.

BREAKING: New Bitcoin Fork

I am helping create a **new Bitcoin Hardfork** — dropping this August, called “eCash”.

— Your coins will split. For example, if you have 4.19 BTC, then you will get 4.19 eCash.
— You may sell your eCash — or keep it. Or ignore it!

Vegas:

— Yes, I…

— Paul Sztorc (@Truthcoin) April 24, 2026

According to the announcement, the project is conceived as a “clean” reboot of Bitcoin, retaining the network’s basic architecture. BTC holders at the time of the snapshot will receive new coins at a 1:1 ratio.

“You can sell your eCash, keep it, or ignore it,” noted Sztorc.

What is Known About eCash

According to the developer, the blockchain uses an almost unchanged codebase of the main Bitcoin Core client and will maintain the SHA-256 consensus algorithm. However, initially, the mining difficulty will be reset to “minimal value.”    

The project includes support for L2 infrastructure in the form of drivechains. Sztorc is the author of this concept, but his proposals BIP-300 and BIP-301 have not gained widespread support after years of discussion.

The programmer noted that seven drivechains are in development, including one focused on privacy “in the style of zCash.” Among other planned L2s, he highlighted Truthcoin (prediction markets), CoinShift (decentralized exchange), BitAssets (NFTs and other assets), BitNames (identification), and the quantum-resistant Photon.

Sztorc emphasized that he intentionally removed the word Bitcoin from the network’s name to distance it from the fate of the 2017 BCH fork.

In his view, the new blockchain, unlike Bitcoin Cash, offers a “permanent and sustainable solution to Bitcoin’s problems.”

“In 2017, the BTC tech stack was strong, as were expectations for Lightning [Network]. Today, it’s the opposite,” Sztorc believes.

Controversial Decision

The creator of eCash announced the distribution of part (up to half) of ~1.1 million BTC stored in the so-called “Patoshi miner wallets.” These coins are attributed to Bitcoin’s creator Satoshi Nakamoto, but their true owner is unknown.

The idea has drawn sharp criticism from some in the community, who view the initiative as a violation of the fundamental principle of property immutability.

Outside of whatever drama may unfold:
1. Taking Satoshi coins is theft and disrespectful.
2. eCash is already used for Lightning payments with Cashu and Fedi.

Those are poor choices.

— Peter McCormack 🏴‍☠️🇬🇧🇮🇪 (@PeterMcCormack) April 24, 2026

“Taking Satoshi’s coins is theft and disrespect. Moreover, eCash is already used for Lightning payments in Cashu and Fedi. These are poor choices,” wrote podcaster Peter McCormack.

One user questioned what would happen if the real owner of the “Patoshi coins” later emerged.

Sztorc acknowledged that the decision regarding the assets is controversial but called it “actually perfect.” The distribution of coins allows investors to engage with the fork and launch it as a “ready project,” rather than another “zombie network,” the developer emphasized.

“I’ll give you two or three years before a complete collapse, and I’ll finally try drivechains on Bitcoin, but without a fork using the most inefficient script stuff,” stated a commentator under the nickname PacoVM.

In April, the community was outraged by a radical plan to protect Bitcoin from quantum computers. The initiative BIP-361, proposed by Casa founder Jameson Lopp and a group of experts, suggests freezing vulnerable coins.