XEC Description
Overview
eCash (XEC) is an independent Layer-1 blockchain forked from Bitcoin Cash in 2020 and rebranded from Bitcoin Cash ABC in 2021.
It is secured by Proof-of-Work mining combined with an Avalanche-based finality and staking layer, and is not a token issued on another blockchain. The network is designed for payments, with node software and wallets such as Cashtab developed by Bitcoin ABC.
Value Proposition
eCash combines Bitcoin-style Proof-of-Work security with an Avalanche consensus layer, making it the first Bitcoin-descended network to add staking rewards.
- Permissionless staking launched Nov 15, 2023, with a minimum stake of 100,000,000 XEC.
- Avalanche Pre-Consensus, activated Nov 15, 2025, gives transaction finality within a few seconds.
- Supply carries over unmodified from Bitcoin's mining schedule, with no ICO, VC allocation, or founder token unlocks.
Token Basics
XEC is a utility and staking token used to pay network transaction fees and to help secure the chain via Avalanche-based staking.
Holders can stake a minimum of 100,000,000 XEC to earn staking rewards, introduced Nov 15, 2023 alongside mining.
Tokenomics
- Maximum supply: 21,000,000,000,000 XEC (21 trillion), inherited from Bitcoin's 21-million cap through the Bitcoin Cash fork and a later 1,000,000:1 redenomination.
- Circulating supply: approximately 20.08 trillion XEC as of 2026-09-01, about 95.6% of maximum supply.
- No vesting schedule or founder allocation; distribution follows Bitcoin's original mining emission.
- Block rewards are split among miners, stakers (10%), and an Infrastructure Funding Policy (32% of total block reward), making net emission disinflationary as issuance approaches the fixed cap.
Launch & Funding
eCash launched via a fair-launch chain split rather than an ICO or token sale.
- Nov 15, 2020: Bitcoin ABC forked from Bitcoin Cash, creating Bitcoin Cash ABC (BCHA), distributed 1:1 to existing BCH holders with no sale.
- Jul 1, 2021: BCHA was rebranded eCash (XEC), converting units at 1,000,000 XEC per BCHA rather than creating a new distribution.
No funds were raised at launch; core development is instead funded continuously through the in-protocol Infrastructure Funding Policy.
Blockchain & Consensus
eCash runs on its own independent Layer-1 blockchain, forked from Bitcoin Cash / Bitcoin ABC in 2020 and itself descended from Bitcoin.
Security combines Proof-of-Work mining with an Avalanche-based consensus layer. Avalanche Post-Consensus, live since Sep 14, 2022, gives one-block finality and mitigates 51% attacks; Avalanche Pre-Consensus, activated Nov 15, 2025, adds near-instant finality within a few seconds. eCash is not an ERC-20, SPL, or other token issued on a host chain.
Team
- Amaury Séchet ("deadalnix"), a former Facebook engineer and former lead developer of Bitcoin ABC, founded Bitcoin Cash and led the Nov 2020 split that created eCash's predecessor, Bitcoin Cash ABC.
- Antony Zegers has served as CEO of Bitcoin ABC since 2020.
- Joey King, senior full-stack developer at Bitcoin ABC, leads the Cashtab wallet.
- Other named contributors include developers known as "Fabien" (joined 2018) and "PiRK" (joined 2020).
Issuing Organization
eCash's protocol software is developed and maintained by Bitcoin ABC, the organization founded by Amaury Séchet and currently led by CEO Antony Zegers.
Ongoing development and ecosystem funding are supported through the Global Network Council (GNC), a group of large, long-term XEC holders who direct a share of in-protocol funding toward salaries, infrastructure, and marketing.
Governance
eCash is governed informally through node-software consensus among miners and developers rather than on-chain token voting.
The Infrastructure Funding Policy (IFP) redirects a share of each block reward to development funding, raised to 32% of total block reward alongside the introduction of staking. Half of IFP funds are allocated by the Global Network Council, made up of large XEC holders; the other half goes directly to Bitcoin ABC for protocol development.
Roadmap
- Nov 15, 2025: Avalanche Pre-Consensus activated, enabling transaction finality within a few seconds.
- June 2026: Bitcoin ABC Node releases v0.33.5 and v0.33.6, adding new network statistics and a fix to the Chronik indexer.
- Mid-2026: Release of version 0.4.1 of an eCash AI Skill developer tool.
Security
CertiK Skynet gives eCash a security score of 79.52 out of 100 (Tier BBB), with a code security sub-score of 62.03, as of a 2026-05-04 assessment. This is a moderate rather than top-tier rating, and CertiK's methodology is designed primarily for smart-contract protocols rather than base-layer chains.
Structural risk factors include thin liquidity, with roughly $715,000 in 24-hour trading volume against a market capitalization above $138 million, and volatility linked to public confusion with an unrelated, separately named Bitcoin hard fork planned for Aug 21, 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is eCash (XEC)?
eCash (XEC) is an independent Layer-1 blockchain forked from Bitcoin Cash in 2020 and rebranded from Bitcoin Cash ABC in 2021. It is secured by Proof-of-Work mining plus an Avalanche-based finality and staking layer, functions as a payments network, and is not a token issued on another blockchain.
Is XEC the same as the "eCash" Bitcoin hard fork planned by Paul Sztorc?
No. XEC is the established coin listed since 2021 under the eCash name, tracing back to a 2020 Bitcoin Cash fork. A separate, unrelated Bitcoin hard fork also named "eCash," planned for Aug 21, 2026 by developer Paul Sztorc, has caused market confusion but has no connection to XEC.
What blockchain does eCash (XEC) run on?
eCash runs on its own independent Layer-1 blockchain rather than as a token on another chain. It combines Bitcoin-descended Proof-of-Work mining with an Avalanche-based consensus layer that provides fast transaction finality and staking, following its 2020 fork from Bitcoin Cash.
What is the maximum supply of XEC?
eCash has a maximum supply of 21,000,000,000,000 XEC (21 trillion), inherited from Bitcoin's 21-million cap through the Bitcoin Cash fork and a later 1,000,000:1 redenomination. As of 2026-09-01, circulating supply is about 20.08 trillion XEC, roughly 95.6% of the maximum.
Can XEC be staked?
Yes. eCash introduced permissionless staking on Nov 15, 2023, requiring a minimum stake of 100,000,000 XEC. Staking works alongside Proof-of-Work mining through the Avalanche consensus layer, with stakers receiving a share of block rewards, making eCash the first Bitcoin-descended network to add staking.
Who founded eCash?
eCash originates from Amaury Séchet ("deadalnix"), a former Facebook engineer and former lead developer of Bitcoin ABC, who led the November 2020 split from Bitcoin Cash. Bitcoin ABC, the organization that maintains eCash's software, has been led by CEO Antony Zegers since 2020.
How is eCash governed?
eCash has no on-chain DAO voting. Development funding runs through the Infrastructure Funding Policy, which redirects 32% of total block reward toward funding, split between the Global Network Council of large XEC holders and Bitcoin ABC, the core software developer, with protocol changes agreed through node-software consensus.
Has eCash been audited for security?
CertiK Skynet rates eCash 79.52 out of 100 (Tier BBB), with a code security sub-score of 62.03, as of a 2026-05-04 assessment. As a base-layer Proof-of-Work and Avalanche chain rather than a smart-contract platform, the standard DeFi-style audit and bug-bounty framework applies only loosely to eCash.
