BLAKE2b Fork Devs Push for 45-Day Miner Lockup Amid Exploitation Fears

The Bitcoin BLAKE2b fork, which split away from the main chain in August 2026, is facing another challenge. Devs are pushing for a change that would lock miners out of newly mined coins for 45 days. This move comes as the fork has dropped 84% below its all-time high of $1,799, with current prices ranging from $270 to $315 per unit.

The decision to implement this change is in response to accusations by Luke Dashjr that some pools are growing too large and 'attacking' the network. The devs aim to prevent exploitation through 'blind hashing instead of mining', as stated in the release-note language on the Bitcoin Knots pull request #419.

The fork, also known as BTCB2 or XBT on Neoxa Exchange, has struggled to find its footing since splitting away from Bitcoin. It was initially listed on a few small and relatively unknown exchanges but has faced several challenges, including massive mining blocks in its first 22 days, which stalled the network.