Blockchain & tech

Fork (hard fork / soft fork)

Also called: hard fork · soft fork · chain split

In shortA change to a blockchain's rules; a hard fork is not backward-compatible and can split the chain in two.

Most forks are planned upgrades everyone adopts. When part of the community refuses, two chains can continue side by side — Bitcoin Cash split from Bitcoin in 2017, and Ethereum Classic from Ethereum in 2016.

Holders at the moment of a split usually end up with coins on both chains.