Bitcoin Developers Warn of Security Risks in Proposed eCash Fork

A proposed fork of the Bitcoin network by Paul Sztorc, intended to create eCash, is drawing sharp criticism from developers and infrastructure builders who warn of significant operational risks. Rather than a traditional hard fork, critics argue the project functions as a high-risk airdrop targeting existing Bitcoin holders. The primary concern centers on the distribution method, which relies on Bitcoin's Unspent Transaction Output (UTXO) set. This requires users to interact with unfamiliar software and potentially move funds from secure cold storage to claim tokens, exposing them to avoidable security vulnerabilities. A critical point of contention is the lack of comprehensive replay protection. Without this, transactions on the eCash chain could be maliciously broadcast on the Bitcoin network, potentially leading to the accidental loss of funds. Furthermore, the project's funding model—which allocates Satoshi-linked coins to early investors—has been described by some as morally objectionable. The proposal also creates complications for custodians and institutional platforms, as the entity holding the private keys may not be the economic owner of the assets. While the eCash project does not fundamentally alter the Bitcoin blockchain itself, experts suggest it represents a dangerous attempt to reinterpret Bitcoin's core ownership principles through a derivative system.