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What is a hard fork? When a blockchain splits in two

By SendPay Business · · 2 min read

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A fork is a change to the rules a blockchain runs on. A hard fork is a change that older software cannot follow, so if some people don't upgrade, the chain can split into two separate coins.

Hard fork and soft fork

A hard fork is not backwards compatible: nodes must upgrade or they are left on the old chain. A soft fork tightens the rules in a way older nodes still accept, so the chain stays as one. Bitcoin's SegWit upgrade in 2017 was a soft fork.

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Real examples

  • Bitcoin Cash split from Bitcoin in August 2017 after a disagreement over block size.
  • Ethereum Classic is the original Ethereum chain, kept by people who rejected the 2016 fork that reversed The DAO hack.

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What happens to your coins

When a chain splits, people holding coins at that moment usually end up with coins on both chains. Whether they can see or trade the new coins depends on whether their exchange or wallet supports it.

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Questions people ask

What is a blockchain?

The shared record crypto runs on.

What is a blockchain? →
What is a smart contract?

Code that runs on a blockchain.

What is a smart contract? →
What is the Bitcoin halving?

A built-in cut to new bitcoin.

The Bitcoin halving →

Read next

Spotted a mistake or something out of date? and we'll fix it. How our guides are made

This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. SendPay Business is a technology company, not a bank, and does not take deposits; regulated services on the platforms are provided by licensed partners. Other companies named in this guide are reference points only and are not affiliated with SendPay Business.