Bitcoin ECX Hard Fork Launches in Three Phases from August to October

Bitcoin is set to undergo a hard fork called ECX in three phases. The first phase, an alpha launch, will occur on August 23. This will be followed by a beta phase on September 20 and finally, the full release of the new software will take place on October 31.

The developers behind the project have chosen this phased approach to manage potential software risks, allow early price discovery, and provide a safety net against any issues that may arise. Replay protection remains optional, with a warning that unprotected transactions will replay on both chains.

Bitcoin holders and exchanges have 12 weeks to prepare for the full launch and decide how to handle ECX assets.