Your BTC stays yours.Accessing eCash (ECX).
If your BTC is not in self-custody by the time of the fork, we cannot promise you will receive $ECX. It is entirely up to your exchange to support $ECX.
Self-custody gives you control of the keys, but you still need verified software and an understanding of replay protection. Read the coin-splitting guide before moving pre-fork coins.
Security: Your BTC stays on Bitcoin. Never send BTC, share a seed phrase, or connect a wallet because someone says it is needed to “unlock” $ECX.
The fork, in plain terms.
The snapshot creates a separate eCash balance from Bitcoin’s existing ledger. Your BTC is not altered, moved, or converted. It remains BTC on the Bitcoin network.
Snapshots happen three times: alpha (~963,648), beta (~967,680), and mainnet (~973,728). Alpha and beta balances are practice $ECX; mainnet is permanent.
Your Bitcoin remains unchanged on the Bitcoin network. The fork does not touch it.
$ECX is a new asset on a separate chain, initially associated with the same snapshot addresses.
Use the official wallet to split BTC and $ECX — this is opt-in, so you must do it yourself or your $ECX will replay to wherever your BTC goes.
Snapshot allocation
Before the snapshot: Keep control of your Bitcoin keys if you want direct access to the corresponding $ECX. If your BTC is on an exchange or custodian, support depends on that provider’s official policy.
Nothing happens to your BTC.
The fork does not move, modify, freeze, or touch your Bitcoin. eCash arrives alongside it as a separate asset created from the same snapshot balance.
This has happened before.
Bitcoin Cash forked from Bitcoin in August 2017. BTC holders received BCH based on their BTC balances at the fork snapshot. eCash follows the same broad model: same historical UTXO set, same addresses at the snapshot, separate chains afterward.
Historical context: Fork mechanics help explain the process. They do not guarantee market value, trading availability, or any specific outcome.
Preview the network now.
LayerTwoLabs has working software available before launch: a full node, wallet, live signet, and tools for exploring sidechains and testing transactions.
Validate the network and explore the system directly.
Create addresses and try transactions in the test environment.
View blocks and transactions on the current rehearsal network.
Historical Alpha blocks and transactions. Alpha retires on September 24, 2026; use Beta for current testing.
Review sidechains, documentation, and technical workflows.
Transaction replay & coin splitting.
Replay protection is opt-in, not automatic. If you move BTC without splitting first, that transaction can also broadcast on the eCash network, sending your $ECX to whoever receives the BTC. The official wallet can split for you and will warn you — but only if you use it.
BTC and $ECX may share replayable transaction history. Wait for official wallet guidance before moving funds.
BTC and $ECX are separated. Each asset can be used independently on its own network.
What to do after the fork
Wait for the official wallet and coin-splitting guidance.
This step is opt-in — perform it yourself before moving any BTC, or your $ECX will replay to whoever receives it.
Verify that BTC and $ECX balances now operate independently.
Hold, transfer, use, or trade only after official guidance confirms readiness.
Security rule: Never import your Bitcoin seed phrase into unverified software. Use only official tools linked through verified project channels.
How to get $ECX.
Fork balances depend on the snapshot; access depends on key control and software support. Community programmes have separate terms.
Controlling the relevant Bitcoin keys lets you access the corresponding ECX balance with suitable software. If you hold your own Bitcoin keys through alpha (~963,648), beta (~967,680), and mainnet (~973,728), a matching $ECX balance is created for your address at each stage — practice $ECX at alpha/beta, permanent $ECX at mainnet. No pre-registration, no pre-claim.
Selected campaigns, competitions, testing, referrals, and ecosystem contributions may include $ECX allocations.
Understand who controls your keys.
To receive $ECX at the snapshot, you must control your own Bitcoin keys. If your BTC sits on a centralized exchange, whether you receive $ECX is entirely up to that exchange. Check its published policy.
Hold BTC in a wallet where you own the private keys or seed phrase. At the snapshot, the matching $ECX balance is created for your address on the eCash chain. Move BTC into self-custody before the snapshot if you want reliable access.
If your BTC is on a centralized exchange, the exchange controls the addresses and therefore controls whether $ECX is credited. Assume no support unless the exchange publishes an official policy stating otherwise.
Advanced setups: If your BTC is held in multisig or another specialized configuration, wait for official technical guidance. Do not improvise with recovery material.
FAQ.
Do I need to claim $ECX before the fork?
No. There is no pre-claim, no registration, and no action required before any snapshot. If you hold BTC through alpha (~963,648), beta (~967,680), or mainnet (~973,728), a matching $ECX balance is created for the same address at that stage — practice $ECX at alpha/beta, permanent $ECX at mainnet.
Does the fork change my BTC balance?
No. Your Bitcoin remains exactly where it is, on the Bitcoin network, untouched. The fork reads the snapshot and creates a separate $ECX balance on a separate chain.
What does 1:1 mean?
For every 1 BTC held at snapshot, the same address is credited 1 $ECX on the eCash chain. Fractional balances follow the same ratio: 0.01 BTC → 0.01 $ECX.
What if my BTC is on an exchange?
If your BTC is on a centralized exchange at the snapshot, receiving $ECX depends entirely on that exchange. Check your provider’s own crediting and withdrawal policy; support is not guaranteed.
What is transaction replay?
Replay protection is opt-in, not automatic. If you move BTC after a snapshot without splitting first, that transaction can also broadcast on the eCash network, sending your $ECX to whoever receives the BTC. The official wallet can split for you and will warn you — but only if you use it.
What is coin splitting?
A one-time, opt-in operation you perform with the official wallet that separates your BTC and $ECX. It is not automatic — skip it and move BTC, and your $ECX replays to the new owner of that BTC.
How can I get $ECX without BTC at the snapshot?
The only secondary route is community rewards: campaigns, testing, referrals, and ecosystem contributions. Self-custody at the snapshot remains the primary and most reliable path.
Do I need to share my seed phrase?
Never. No legitimate part of the fork requires you to share, type, or import your Bitcoin seed phrase into any tool that is not the official wallet, verified through official channels. Anyone asking for a seed phrase to “unlock” $ECX is running a scam.
Your BTC stays yours.
Your $ECX arrives alongside it.
Before the fork, follow verified updates. After the fork, use the official wallet to split coins safely and operate both assets independently.