A Drivechain-powered eCash hard fork is targeted near Bitcoin block 964,000 in August 2026 and would airdrop 1:1 eCash tokens to all bitcoin holders. The technical plan copies Bitcoin Core, uses SHA-256d with a one-time difficulty reset, and would activate seven Drivechain-style L2 sidechains for DEXs, privacy, prediction markets, NFTs, identity and quantum resistance. Large institutional concentration (MicroStrategy 818,334 BTC; public companies ~1.218M BTC; spot ETFs >1M BTC) and custody concentration at Coinbase create an unprecedented legal, tax and custody stress test. Controversy over reassigning 500k–600k Satoshi-linked dormant coins on the new chain and the potentially large notional value of eCash mean ETF sponsors, corporate boards, exchanges, auditors and custodians will face immediate, consequential decisions.

The story describes a scheduled Drivechain hard fork with a 1:1 eCash airdrop (concrete activation block ~964,000) and detailed technical choices, and highlights concentrated institutional/ETF holdings (MSTR 818,334 BTC; public companies ~1.218M BTC; spot ETFs >1M BTC) and custody concentration at Coinbase, creating immediate legal, tax and custody decision points; these facts imply likely market stress and increased volatility but not a clear bullish case.