Bitcoin Cash is a peer-to-peer electronic cash system that allows for fast and low-cost transactions. It was created in August 2017 as a result of a hard fork in the Bitcoin blockchain.
The main goal of Bitcoin Cash is to provide a more efficient and scalable alternative to Bitcoin. This is achieved through a larger block size, enabling more transactions to be processed at once.
Bitcoin Cash uses a consensus mechanism called Proof of Work, which requires miners to solve complex mathematical problems to validate transactions and create new blocks. This process helps to secure the network and verify the integrity of transactions.
Bitcoin Cash has a limited supply of 21 million coins, just like Bitcoin, but with a slightly different distribution schedule.
What Is Bitcoin Cash?
Bitcoin Cash is a digital asset that uses cryptography to secure transactions and control the supply of additional units. It's a decentralised electronic currency.
Launched in August 2017, Bitcoin Cash was created as a result of a hard fork of the Bitcoin blockchain. This means it branched off from Bitcoin, allowing it to operate independently.
Bitcoin Cash has a much bigger capacity of blocks, allowing more transactions to be carried on its blockchain. This makes it particularly suitable for everyday payments and microtransactions.
The project aims to offer faster transactions and lower fees by increasing the block size in the blockchain. This approach enables more transactions to be processed per block.
Bitcoin Cash is technically similar to Bitcoin in many ways, employing Proof of Work (PoW) as a consensus mechanism with a focus on the SHA256 algorithm.
Key Features
Bitcoin Cash is a decentralized digital currency that offers several key features that set it apart from other cryptocurrencies.
One of its main features is its faster transaction processing time, which is typically around 10 minutes, compared to Bitcoin's 60 minutes.
Bitcoin Cash has a higher block size limit, allowing for more transactions to be processed in a single block, resulting in faster and cheaper transactions.
It also uses a proof-of-work consensus algorithm, which is similar to Bitcoin's, but with some key differences in terms of hashing power and block reward.
Bitcoin Cash's block reward is currently set at 8.125 BCH per block, which is significantly higher than Bitcoin's 6.25 BTC per block.
History and Team
Bitcoin Cash was born on August 1, 2017, following a Bitcoin hard fork due to differences over how to increase the blockchain's scalability.
The Bitcoin Cash team is made up of a decentralized community of developers and contributors, with several independent development teams working on the project.
These teams, such as Bitcoin ABC, Bitcoin Unlimited, and Bitcoin XT, are working together to improve the Bitcoin Cash protocol while maintaining strong decentralization and avoiding concentration of decision-making power.
Roger Ver, one of Bitcoin's first promoters, is often associated with the project, although he is not officially part of the development team.
Team History
The Bitcoin Cash team is a decentralized community of developers and contributors. They're a collaborative bunch, working together to improve the Bitcoin Cash protocol.
Several independent development teams are involved in the project, including Bitcoin ABC, Bitcoin Unlimited, and Bitcoin XT. These teams are focused on maintaining strong decentralization and avoiding a concentration of decision-making power.
Roger Ver, one of Bitcoin's first promoters, is often associated with Bitcoin Cash, but he's not officially part of the development team.
Price History
Bitcoin Cash started trading on August 1, 2017, with an opening value of about $290 per coin.
Its price more than doubled the next day to reach a $756.93 mark, and it ended its second day of trading at $452.66.
The coin's value soared to $1,091.97 by August 19, 2017, but it started to depreciate gradually, falling below the $315 mark by the middle of October 2017.
Bitcoin Cash peaked at $4,355.62 on December 20, 2017, but its upside momentum was short-lived, and it fell to trade below $2,000 in less than a month.
In 2018, the coin started to drop in value again, eventually plunging 88 per cent to trade around the $540 level in August.
A hard fork chain split of Bitcoin Cash happened on November 15, 2018, and the coin's price fell below $80 per coin on December 15, 2018.
The market experienced a boost at the beginning of 2020, seeing Bitcoin Cash trade in the upward trajectory, with a value of $493.03 on February 14.
However, the Covid-19 pandemic caused the cryptocurrency market to tumble, and Bitcoin Cash's price plunged to $139.22 per coin on March 13.
The cryptocurrency underwent its first block reward halving on April 8, 2020, and its value saw modest gains, closing the day at $266.24.
In a surprising turn of events, Bitcoin Cash's price history has been relatively stable over the years, with its value mostly hovering between $300 and $400.
This stability is unusual compared to other popular cryptocurrencies, which often see their average prices rise over time.
Despite some price spikes, Bitcoin Cash's value has always returned to the $300-400 range, with the exception of prolonged bear markets, where it has fallen as low as $100.
How It Works
Bitcoin Cash is a cryptocurrency born in 2017 from a Bitcoin fork. It's designed to improve the speed and efficiency of transactions, making it suitable for everyday payments.
The key to this is its increased block size, which was initially set at 8 MB and later increased to 32 MB. This allows for more transactions to be processed per block.
This design decision translates into lower transaction fees and faster confirmations, which is a major advantage for users.
Projects and Use Cases
Bitcoin Cash has several exciting projects in the works, including improved scalability and integration with payment platforms. This will make it easier to use and more efficient.
One of the key features of Bitcoin Cash is its ability to send and receive transactions directly from person to person, without the need for a third-party mediator. This is a game-changer for cross-border transactions, where fees can be minimal.
Some examples of Bitcoin Cash's projects include:
- Improved scalability
- Integration with Payment Platforms
- SmartBCH development
- Adoption in developing countries
- Enhanced security and confidentiality
- Education and Community Adoption
You can use Bitcoin Cash as a payment method, although adoption is still relatively low. Some shops and charities accept it, like EatBCH, which fights hunger and only accepts Bitcoin Cash due to its speed and low fees.
What Can You Do with It?
You can use Bitcoin Cash as a means of payment in transactions, offering low fees and fast confirmations, making it suitable for everyday purchases.
Bitcoin Cash tokens can be sent and received directly from person to person, without the need for a trusted third party like a bank or a mediator. This is especially useful for transferring value across the globe.
Using Bitcoin Cash as a payment method is still relatively rare, but some shops and charities accept it. For example, EatBCH is a project that fights hunger and accepts only Bitcoin Cash due to the speed of transactions and low transaction fees.
You can also use Bitcoin Cash as an investment opportunity, with the price experiencing high volatility and great fluctuations in short periods of time.
What Are Its Projects?
Bitcoin-cash is working on several projects to improve its functionality and adoption. One of the key areas of focus is improved scalability.
The integration with payment platforms is another significant project. This will make it easier for users to make transactions using Bitcoin-cash.
SmartBCH development is also underway, which will enable more complex use cases for the cryptocurrency.
Adoption in developing countries is a major goal, as it has the potential to provide financial inclusion to millions of people.
Enhanced security and confidentiality are also being prioritized, to ensure that users' transactions and data are protected.
One of the ways Bitcoin-cash is working towards these goals is through education and community adoption.
Buying and Trading
Bitcoin Cash is a prominent player in the crypto market, having launched in 2017 and quickly becoming the third cryptocurrency by market capitalisation, behind BTC and ETH.
Its unique feature, which sets it apart from other Bitcoin versions, is its ability to increase the block size from one MB to 32 MB, making it more scalable and allowing for more transactions per second.
This feature makes Bitcoin Cash a more attractive option for active investors and traders who transact crypto frequently, as it offers cheaper transfer fees per transaction compared to Bitcoin.
The project's ambition is to make Bitcoin Cash a valid competitor to industry behemoths like Visa and PayPal in terms of the volume of transactions processed.
You can buy Bitcoin Cash on cryptocurrency exchanges like Changelly, which allows you to purchase BCH with over 40 different fiat currencies at fair rates and quickly exchange it for 500+ cryptocurrencies with low fees.
The Bitcoin Cash network's protocol and third-party infrastructure have grown rapidly since its inception, with many exciting projects and applications being built on and around the BCH chain, making it a promising investment opportunity.
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