eCash (ECX) FAQ

eCash (ECX) is a Bitcoin hard fork associated with Paul Sztorc and LayerTwo Labs. It creates a separate blockchain designed to activate Drivechains through BIP300 and BIP301. ECX is the asset of that chain, not an ERC20 or Solana token.

Mainnet is planned on or around 31st October 2026, at Bitcoin block ~973,728. The calendar date is an estimate because Bitcoin block times vary. Check the official announcements for final launch software and parameters.

Each stage is a fresh fork of Bitcoin, not a continuation of the preceding test balance. Alphanet forked at block 963,648 and is retired on September 24, 2026. Betanet launched at block 967,680 on September 19. Mainnet is the planned permanent network.

The fork copies the Bitcoin ledger: an address with BTC at the mainnet fork block has a matching ECX balance on the new chain. Access depends on control of the corresponding keys and suitable software. If a custodian holds the keys, its support and crediting policy determine whether you can access ECX. A 1:1 balance does not imply equal market value.

The fork itself does not change Bitcoin balances. However, transactions spending unsplit pre-fork coins can be valid on both networks. Using unverified wallet software or mishandling keys can also put BTC at risk. Understand replay protection before attempting to spend either side.

Drivechains connect a main chain to sidechains with separate rules. BIP300 describes hashrate escrows and miner-signalled withdrawals. BIP301 describes blind merged mining, through which main-chain miners can be paid to commit to sidechain blocks without validating those sidechains themselves.

The integration guide describes splitting on the eCash side first using opt-in replay protection, then waiting for sufficient confirmations before treating the BTC and ECX ledgers independently. The marker is nLockTime = 499999999, with non-final input sequence numbers. This is not protection on every transaction by default. Review the current guide and verified wallet release before proceeding.

eCash reuses Bitcoin address and key formats, but that alone does not establish wallet support. Software must connect to the correct eCash network and handle replay protection. Consult the official downloads and your wallet provider; do not assume that a Bitcoin wallet, hardware device, or exchange supports ECX.

Do not treat a community vote or integration documentation as confirmation of a listing. Each exchange decides its own listing, crediting, deposit, and withdrawal policies. Check the exchange’s own announcements before relying on support.

eCash uses SHA-256d proof of work with a one-time difficulty reset at each fork and subsequent difficulty retargets. Early block timing and reorganisations can be unpredictable. The integration guide advises deeper confirmations and reorganisation monitoring; it does not promise immunity from majority-hashrate attacks.

Developers can build on the open-source sidechain implementations and propose new sidechains. Activation is subject to the network’s miner-signalling rules; a proposal is not guaranteed to activate. Test-network parameters may differ from mainnet.

The base chain uses Bitcoin-style keys and signatures. Photon is a sidechain project focused on quantum resistance; its existence does not make every ECX transaction or wallet quantum resistant. Review its implementation and current status before relying on it.

No. ecash.com describes eCash (ECX), the Bitcoin hard fork associated with Drivechains and the planned 2026 mainnet. The eCash project at e.cash uses the ticker XEC. The shared name does not mean these are the same asset or network.