An eCash fork, which might create a separate ECX asset for Bitcoin holders, produced Alpha-chain blocks from peak 963,648 on Aug. 23. The everlasting fork didn’t occur: the challenge’s present roadmap now locations the 1:1 allocation of everlasting ECX at a Mainnet launch round Bitcoin block 973,728 on Oct. 31.
For holders, miners and exchanges, Aug. 23 turned a rehearsal moderately than the everlasting allocation occasion. Bitcoin possession didn’t change, apply pECX is just not everlasting ECX, and public trade notices didn’t present a common freeze of Bitcoin providers.
What the Alpha chain proved
The eCash Alpha explorer confirmed a block at peak 963,648 and the chain advancing by means of at the very least 963,650. It additionally flagged a stale competing block on the opening peak, proof of a younger rehearsal community moderately than a settled manufacturing chain.
Bitcoin’s personal file was separate. Mempool.house resolved Bitcoin block 963,648 to hash 00000000000000000001769d9a327f5b455aa8a2dd407b1b63040d2a9f832d32 and displayed a timestamp of 2026-08-23 01:48:47. Collectively, the 2 information present an Alpha chain operating alongside Bitcoin, not a everlasting substitute for it.
What stays earlier than the eCash fork
The revised schedule has three phases: Alpha at roughly 963,648 on Aug. 23, Beta close to 967,680 on Sept. 20 and everlasting Mainnet close to 973,728 on Oct. 31. Alpha and Beta produce apply pECX moderately than the everlasting 1:1 steadiness copied from Bitcoin.
The challenge says apply items will be burned for actual ECX at Mainnet. Founder Paul Sztorc mentioned 1,000 pECX might be redeemed for 10 ECX. The provided proof doesn’t set up that Alpha transaction historical past or balances routinely carry into Beta or Mainnet, so pECX is just not an early everlasting allocation.
The manufacturing handoff can be unfinished. The challenge’s integration information, final up to date Aug. 11 and marked pre-launch, nonetheless treats 963,648 because the manufacturing fork level and labels key values as drynet4 parameters. It says the ultimate fork hash, software program department or tag and replay scheme might be printed later.
Present coin-splitting steering makes use of an opt-in nLockTime of 499999999 for ECX transactions, however tells integrators to confirm the ultimate scheme earlier than launch.
Pre-Alpha notices typically saved Bitcoin providers out there whereas reserving later risk-based modifications. GMO Coin mentioned coated Bitcoin providers would proceed. Coincheck, SBI VC Commerce and Zaif printed related continuity plans.
Their remedy of the brand new asset was totally different. GMO mentioned it will not deal with pECX or ECX throughout Alpha and Beta, whereas Coincheck, SBI and Zaif left later ECX crediting, itemizing or dealing with undecided.
The eCash fork’s Aug. 23 Alpha stage was subsequently low-impact for BTC possession however nonetheless operationally helpful as a take a look at window. For miners, wallets and exchanges, the subsequent manufacturing goal is Oct. 31, and last software program and replay particulars stay the important thing checkpoint.
