Introduction
The cryptocurrency landscape witnessed a pivotal moment in November 2018 when Bitcoin Cash (BCH) split into two chains—Bitcoin Cash and Bitcoin Satoshi Vision (BSV). This hard fork, fueled by ideological and technical disagreements, sparked a hash war that tested the resilience of both networks. Six months later, we evaluate their progress, mining dynamics, scalability, and adoption.
Key Differences Between Bitcoin Cash and Bitcoin SV
Origins and Ideological Divide
- Bitcoin Cash (BCH): Forked from Bitcoin in 2017 to prioritize low fees and high throughput as digital cash.
- Bitcoin SV (BSV): Emerged in 2018, rejecting BCH’s protocol upgrades (like CTOR) to uphold Craig Wright’s vision of Bitcoin as an enterprise blockchain.
Technical Upgrades
| Feature | Bitcoin Cash (BCH) | Bitcoin SV (BSV) |
|---|---|---|
| Block Size Limit | 32 MB | 128 MB |
| Key Opcodes | OP_CHECKDATASIG | None |
| Replay Protection | Yes | Added post-fork |
Mining: The Hash War Aftermath
Initial Conflict
- BSV’s Goal: Use hash power to 51% attack BCH, aiming to dominate.
- BCH’s Defense: Bitmain redirected 90,000 Antminers to secure BCH.
Current Hash Power
- BCH: 2.13 Exahashes/sec (5x BSV’s rate).
- BSV: 447 Petahashes/sec.
Impact: Miners lost millions during the war, but both chains stabilized independently.
Scalability: Block Size and Performance
Adoption Reality
- BCH: Average block size = 176 KB (0.5% of limit).
- BSV: Average block size = 340 KB (0.3% of limit).
Security Concerns
- BSV faced 6-block reorgs due to slow processing of 128 MB blocks.
Transaction Volume and Adoption
Usage Trends
- Bitcoin: 380K daily transactions.
- BCH: ~50K daily transactions.
- BSV: ~10K daily transactions (volatile spikes).
Fee Comparison
| Chain | Median Fee |
|---|---|
| BTC | $1.03 |
| BCH | $0.00078 |
| BSV | $0.00029 |
👉 Explore more on cryptocurrency trends
FAQ Section
1. Why did Bitcoin SV fork from Bitcoin Cash?
BSV rejected BCH’s protocol upgrades, advocating for larger blocks and a return to Wright’s original Bitcoin whitepaper.
2. Which chain has better adoption?
Bitcoin Cash leads in transaction volume, but BSV targets enterprise use (e.g., invoicing, supply chains).
3. Is the hash war still ongoing?
No. Both chains stabilized post-fork, with BSV implementing replay protection.
Conclusion
Six months post-fork, Bitcoin Cash remains the dominant payment-focused chain, while Bitcoin SV bets on enterprise scalability. Despite initial volatility, both coexist—proof that blockchain governance conflicts can yield multiple viable paths.