Bitcoin holders are in for a surprise next year as the cryptocurrency is set to undergo two forks in August 2026. The first fork, eCash, is a planned hard fork around block 964,000, while the second fork, BIP-110, could be an accidental soft fork.
The two forks will duplicate the existing Bitcoin ledger at the split point, giving holders an equal amount of coins on both chains due to the way Bitcoin tracks unspent transaction outputs (UTXOs). This means that each holder will receive a 1:1 new coin copy on each chain, but it's not a gift, rather, it's simply a duplication of ownership records.
However, the two chains will diverge in rules, mining difficulty, and market value post-split. Replay protection and mining power will influence the forked coin's usability and survival. It's also worth noting that custodial wallets may not automatically grant access to the new forked coins, depending on exchange policies.