Bitcoin Cash It is a derivation of the Bitcoin code (hereinafter called Bitcoin Core) that was born as a result of heated debates about the new implementations that should be made on the original code to favor its scalability. By mid-2017, the number of transactions that each Bitcoin Core block could support was more than worrying. This problem manifested itself in a long queue of pending transactions and the unsustainable rise in the value of commissions.
The solution that ultimately prevailed for Bitcoin Core was implement Segwit and later Lightning Network. But some developers felt that this was too far from the original idea and that the correct solution, according to the creators of Bitcoin Cash, was none other than increasing the size of each block. Therefore, BTC implemented Segwit which, effectively, is tending to contain fees and Bitcoin Cash increased the block size from 1 Mb to 8 Mb, allowing for larger increases in the future. This solution has also been useful as, for the moment, BCH transactions are noticeably cheaper than with BTC.
On August 1, 2017, from block 478558, the fork took place which was supported by a number of miners and thus BTC and BCH currently exist as separate cryptocurrencies. Anyone who was in possession of the private keys of a BTC wallet on the date of the fork will get the same amount of BCH.
The BCH protocol has subsequently continued to be fine-tuned, activating some of the envisioned enhancements in the original Bitcoin code, a own address format (CashAddr Address Format or CashAddress) as well as allowing optionally increase block size (for miners) up to 32 Mb (15/5/2018). An important new implementation is the increase in the space available for additional data in the OP_RETURN field that accompanies each transaction. One of the most important developments that take advantage of this feature is that of the social network memo cash that allows to publish text and links on the BCH blockchain itself, making such publications immune to censorship.
The controversy between BTC and BCH goes far beyond a technical issue and almost reaches the heights of religious controversy. The question, irrelevant from my point of view, is which of the two is the "real" Bitcoin. While BTC continues to de facto maintain that status BCH supporters argue that they are the ones that most closely fit Satoshi Nakamoto's original whitepaper. One of the main arguments of those who support BCH is that Satoshi's original idea is that Bitcoin was intended to be electronic cash while Bitcoin Core has been transformed into a kind of "digital gold" useful as a store of value but less and less practical to serve as common currency. Undoubtedly, this debate will bring us countless confrontations in the form of articles and publications on social networks. The fact is that both work and continue their development, significantly increasing the sites that accept them as well as the applications that are based on each of them. However, the progress of Bitcoin Cash is clearly more noticeable, simply because it started from a more modest position. Currently, when the price of BTC oscillates around 7000 euros, Bitcoin Cash is held above 800-1000 euros in a 1: 8 ratio approximately.
Main wallets for Bicoin Cash
Currently there are quite a few options but we can highlight:
Bitcoin.com Wallet. It is the official BCH wallet in its versions for mobile phones (iOS or Android) as well as for Windows, Linux or MacOS. Although it is especially aimed at BCH (that's why it is the official one) it also supports BTC. It is a beautiful wallet with interesting additional functions. Bitcoin.com is a domain dedicated exclusively to Bitcoin Cash precisely because the developers of this cryptocurrency consider that there is only one Bitcoin and it is, of course, Bitcoin Cash. By installing this wallet it is possible to obtain a small amount of Free Bitcoin Cash. Simply log in with a Twitter user (nothing will be published) and enter your BCH address taken from this official wallet in the box on that page.
ElectronCash. Based on Electrum and therefore recoverable as long as we keep the words of the seed safe. It is a lightweight wallet that does not need to download the entire blockchain.
Coinomi. One of the most popular mobile multi-currency wallets also supports BCH and even facilitates exchanges between different cryptocurrencies.
Leger and Trezor hardware wallets also support BCH as well as popular online wallets like Coinbase.
Exchanges
All the main exchanges already operate with Bitcoin Cash, so it is easy to obtain and exchange for other or from other cryptocurrencies. It is possible to obtain BCH from fiat currency through any of these or change from other cryptocurrencies in Bittrex, Poloniex or many others. Also by credit card.
Projects
The BCH community is extremely active. Possibly because few things motivate more than being in a virtual war with BTC. As a result, numerous more or less important projects and initiatives are appearing and increasing the usability of BCH. I have already quoted Memo Cash a bit above. Through the Bitcoin Cash Foundation alliances are established with partners that contribute to the expansion of the cryptocurrency. For example, they recently struck a deal with YeCall, a popular video conferencing messaging app that has over 33 million users. There is also a content publication network that encourages users to create quality publications (free or paid) in which other users value or reward those they like the most with tips in BCH. The number of applications that are based on BCH is increasing rapidly. There are a lot of simple services where an increasingly popular cryptocurrency has a lot to offer. For example, a virtual notary service to prove the authorship of a document, for example. It is only the beginning but Bitcoin Cash seems likely to stay in the top 10 of cryptocurrencies.
