A long-time Bitcoin developer has sparked intense debate within the cryptocurrency community by proposing a controversial hard fork that would reassign Satoshi Nakamoto’s dormant coins. Paul Sztorc’s “eCash” proposal aims to address growing concerns about quantum computing threats.

The plan would freeze approximately 1.1 million bitcoins attributed to Bitcoin’s mysterious creator, redistributing them to current BTC holders through a new token system. Critics have labeled the proposal as “theft,” while supporters argue it’s necessary for network security.

“We’re facing an existential threat from quantum computers that could crack old private keys,” Sztorc explained in a technical paper published last week. “This proposal protects the network while rewarding long-term holders.”

The Bitcoin community remains deeply divided on the issue. Major exchanges have declined to comment on whether they would support the fork, while mining pools report mixed reactions from their members. The proposal requires significant consensus to implement.