- 1. Key Takeaways
- 2. What Is Bitcoin Cash (BCH)?
- 3. Why Bitcoin Cash Split From Bitcoin in 2017
- 4. Bitcoin Cash vs Bitcoin: Key Differences
- 5. How Bitcoin Cash Has Changed Since 2017
- 6. The Bitcoin Cash Halving
- 7. Bitcoin Cash in 2026: What Is New
- 8. How to Buy Bitcoin Cash
- 9. How to Store Bitcoin Cash Safely
- 10. Risks of Bitcoin Cash
- 11. Frequently Asked Questions
Last Updated: October 30, 2026
Quick Answer: Bitcoin Cash (BCH) is a cryptocurrency that split from Bitcoin on August 1, 2017, after a dispute over how to scale the network; it kept Bitcoin’s 21 million coin cap and proof of work mining but allows much larger blocks, so it can carry more transactions at lower fees. As of October 30, 2026, BCH trades near $285, with a market cap of about $5.7 billion (#17 on CoinMarketCap), down about 52% in 2026 and about 93% below its December 2017 high. Beginners can buy it on major exchanges such as Coinbase, Kraken and Binance and store it in a wallet that supports BCH.
This guide explains what Bitcoin Cash is, why the 2017 fork happened, how BCH differs from Bitcoin, what the 2024 halving changed and how to buy, store and assess the risks of BCH in 2026.
Key Takeaways
- Born from a fork: Bitcoin Cash activated at 12:20 UTC on August 1, 2017, according to its technical specification, and everyone holding Bitcoin at that moment received the same amount of BCH
- Bigger blocks: the block size limit started at a minimum of 8 MB, rose to 32 MB in May 2018, and since May 15, 2024 has been set by an adaptive algorithm that grows with demand
- Same supply rules as Bitcoin: a 21 million coin cap, about 10 minute blocks and a halving every 210,000 blocks; the April 2024 halving cut the block reward from 6.25 to 3.125 BCH
- About 95.8% of all BCH has been mined, and new issuance runs at roughly 450 BCH a day
- BCH trades near $285, down about 52% in 2026 after a January high of $668 and a June low of $181
- In 2026, a March SEC and CFTC release listed BCH as an example of a digital commodity, and CME began trading BCH futures in October
What Is Bitcoin Cash (BCH)?
Bitcoin Cash is a peer to peer electronic cash system based on Bitcoin’s original design. It uses the same basic idea set out in the 2008 Bitcoin whitepaper: payments go directly between two parties, without a bank, and miners secure the ledger with proof of work. Its supporters argue that Bitcoin should work as everyday money, so Bitcoin Cash focuses on keeping fees low by allowing more transactions in each block.
There is no company behind Bitcoin Cash. Several independent teams maintain its software, such as Bitcoin Cash Node, and the network agrees on upgrades through public proposals called CHIPs. The community website bch.info is the main entry point that CoinMarketCap lists for the project.
| Metric (October 30, 2026) | Value |
|---|---|
| Price | About $285 |
| Market Cap | About $5.73B |
| CoinMarketCap Rank | #17 |
| 24h Trading Volume | About $335M |
| Circulating Supply | About 20.11 million BCH |
| Maximum Supply | 21 million BCH |
| Share Already Mined | About 95.8% |
| All-Time High | $4,355.62 (December 20, 2017) |
| All-Time Low | $75.08 (December 15, 2018) |
| 2025 Close | About $599 |
| Change in 2026 | Down about 52% |
Source: CoinMarketCap data and historical prices, read on October 30, 2026, around 14:00 UTC.
Why Bitcoin Cash Split From Bitcoin in 2017
By 2017, Bitcoin’s 1 MB block size limit was causing a backlog of transactions and rising fees during busy periods. The community split over how to fix it. One side favored keeping blocks small and moving more activity to other layers, such as SegWit and later the Lightning Network. The other wanted to raise the block size limit directly so that the base chain could handle more payments.
The big block side launched Bitcoin Cash through a planned hard fork, a change in the rules that creates a separate chain. According to the technical specification, the fork activated at “Tue 1 Aug 2017 12:20:00 UTC,” required clients to accept blocks of at least 8 MB and added replay protection, so that a transaction on one chain could not be copied onto the other. Because the two chains shared the same history up to that point, every Bitcoin holder received an equal amount of BCH. Our glossary entry on blockchain forks explains how this works.
Bitcoin Cash itself split again later: Bitcoin SV broke away in November 2018, and another group left in November 2020 in a split that became eCash. Neither is the same coin as BCH.
Bitcoin Cash vs Bitcoin: Key Differences
| Feature | Bitcoin (BTC) | Bitcoin Cash (BCH) |
|---|---|---|
| Launched | January 2009 | August 1, 2017 (fork) |
| Block size limit | 1 MB base block size, plus extra room for SegWit data | Adaptive since May 2024, from a 32 MB floor |
| SegWit | Yes | No |
| Block time | About 10 minutes | About 10 minutes |
| Maximum supply | 21 million | 21 million |
| Current block reward | 3.125 BTC | 3.125 BCH |
| Smart contract features | Limited | CashTokens (2023), loops and functions (2026) |
| Mining | Proof of work, SHA-256 | Proof of work, SHA-256 |
Both coins use the same mining algorithm, so the same machines can mine either one. Bitcoin, however, has far more computing power securing it, and its price and market value are many times larger. For Bitcoin’s outlook, see our Bitcoin price prediction.
How Bitcoin Cash Has Changed Since 2017
Bitcoin Cash upgrades its rules on a fixed schedule, now every May 15. The main milestones, according to the Bitcoin Cash Node upgrade specifications:
- May 2018: the block size limit rose to 32 MB
- 2019 to 2020: Schnorr signatures and a new difficulty adjustment algorithm, ASERT, which keeps blocks close to 10 minutes apart
- May 15, 2023: CashTokens, which let users create their own fungible tokens and NFTs directly on Bitcoin Cash
- May 15, 2024: the Adaptive Blocksize Limit Algorithm (ABLA), which raises the block size limit automatically as blocks fill up
- May 15, 2026: pay to script (P2S), bounded loops, function definitions and bitwise operations, which make more complex smart contracts possible
The Bitcoin Cash Halving
Like Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash halves its block reward every 210,000 blocks. The latest halving took place in early April 2024 at block 840,000, when the reward fell from 6.25 to 3.125 BCH. At about 144 blocks a day, that means roughly 450 new BCH a day.
The next halving is due at block 1,050,000, expected around 2028, when the reward will fall to 1.5625 BCH. About 95.8% of the 21 million BCH has already been mined, leaving about 890,000 coins to be issued over more than a century.
Halvings reduce the flow of new coins but do not guarantee price rises. BCH traded between about $595 and $714 in the first week of April 2024, around the halving, and is far below that level today.
Bitcoin Cash in 2026: What Is New
- Price: BCH started 2026 near $599, peaked at $668 on January 5, fell to $181 on June 24 and trades near $285 in late October.
- Regulation: an interpretive release published by the SEC and CFTC on March 17, 2026 listed Bitcoin Cash among its examples of digital commodities.
- Futures: CME Group launched BCH futures in October 2026, and its October 20 announcement said FalconX and GSR completed the first block trade.
- ETF plans: Grayscale filed in September to convert its Bitcoin Cash Trust into an exchange traded fund; the filing was not yet effective at the time of writing.
- Network: the May 15, 2026 upgrade added new smart contract tools.
For year by year forecasts from third party models, see our Bitcoin Cash price prediction.
How to Buy Bitcoin Cash
- Choose an exchange. CoinMarketCap lists more than 300 BCH markets. Large venues include Binance, Coinbase Exchange, Kraken, Bybit, OKX, KuCoin and Crypto.com. Availability depends on your country; our ranking of the best crypto exchanges compares safety and fees.
- Verify your account. Regulated exchanges ask for identity checks before you can deposit money.
- Fund the account and buy. You can usually pay by bank transfer or card, or swap another cryptocurrency for BCH.
- Decide where to keep it. Leaving coins on an exchange is convenient but means trusting that exchange.
When you send or receive BCH, make sure you choose the Bitcoin Cash network. Sending BCH to a Bitcoin (BTC) address, or the reverse, can lead to lost funds.
How to Store Bitcoin Cash Safely
You can keep BCH in a software wallet on your phone or computer, or in a hardware wallet that keeps your keys offline. Check that the wallet explicitly supports Bitcoin Cash, not only Bitcoin. Write down your recovery phrase on paper, keep it offline and never share it with anyone. Our crypto wallets guide explains the main wallet types and how to choose one.
Risks of Bitcoin Cash
- Price swings: BCH has fallen about 93% from its 2017 high and about 52% in 2026 alone
- Lower security than Bitcoin: BCH shares Bitcoin’s mining algorithm but has a small fraction of its computing power, which makes attacks less costly
- Competition: stablecoins and Bitcoin’s Lightning Network compete for the same payment use case
- Confusing names: Bitcoin SV, eCash and other forks use similar names; check the ticker and network before you buy
- Scams: fake “BCH airdrops” and giveaway accounts are common; our guide on how to verify crypto news and rumors explains how to check claims
Nothing in this guide is a recommendation to buy. Only invest money you can afford to lose.
Data sources: CoinMarketCap (price, market cap, supply, rank, all-time high and low, price history and market pairs), Bitcoin Cash Node upgrade specifications (fork activation, block size and network upgrades), CME Group (futures launch) and the SEC, as of October 30, 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Bitcoin Cash in simple terms?
Bitcoin Cash is a cryptocurrency that split from Bitcoin in August 2017. It follows Bitcoin’s basic rules, including a 21 million coin cap and proof of work mining, but allows much larger blocks so it can process more payments at lower fees. Its supporters see it as digital cash for everyday use, rather than mainly a store of value.
Why did Bitcoin Cash split from Bitcoin?
By 2017, Bitcoin’s 1 MB block limit was causing delays and high fees. One group wanted to keep blocks small and scale with other layers, while another wanted bigger blocks on the main chain. The big block group created Bitcoin Cash through a hard fork on August 1, 2017, and every Bitcoin holder received the same amount of BCH.
What is the difference between Bitcoin and Bitcoin Cash?
The main difference is block size. Bitcoin keeps a 1 MB base limit and uses SegWit, while Bitcoin Cash moved to 32 MB in 2018 and to an adaptive limit in 2024. Both have a 21 million cap, 10 minute blocks and the same mining algorithm. Bitcoin is far larger by market value and computing power.
When was the last Bitcoin Cash halving?
The last Bitcoin Cash halving took place in early April 2024 at block 840,000, cutting the block reward from 6.25 to 3.125 BCH. The next one is due at block 1,050,000, expected around 2028, when the reward will fall to 1.5625 BCH. About 95.8% of the 21 million BCH supply has already been mined.
How much is Bitcoin Cash worth today?
As of October 30, 2026, Bitcoin Cash traded near $285, with a market cap of about $5.7 billion, ranking 17th on CoinMarketCap. It is down about 52% in 2026 after reaching $668 in January and falling to $181 in June. Its all-time high was $4,355.62 on December 20, 2017, during that year’s crypto bubble.
How do I buy Bitcoin Cash?
Open an account on an exchange that lists BCH, such as Coinbase, Kraken or Binance, depending on your country. Complete identity checks, deposit money and buy BCH. For long term storage, move it to a wallet that supports Bitcoin Cash and keep your recovery phrase offline. Always choose the Bitcoin Cash network when sending.
Is Bitcoin Cash a good investment?
Bitcoin Cash is a volatile, higher risk asset. Supporters point to its fixed supply, low fees, new smart contract features and 2026 milestones such as CME futures. Critics point to its 93% fall from the 2017 high, weaker security than Bitcoin and strong competition from stablecoins. It may not suit anyone who cannot afford large losses.
Nothing in this article is financial advice. Cryptocurrency investments carry substantial risk.
