Satoshi vs. Bitcoin Jesus: Australian at centre of crypto name squabble

Australian Craig Wright, the self-proclaimed inventor of Bitcoin under the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto, is poised to win a fight that will likely lead to the creation of another version of Bitcoin Cash, the original offshoot of the biggest cryptocurrency.

A group headed by Wright is expected to take control tomorrow of the world’s fourth-largest cryptocurrency following a software upgrade. A rival faction that disagrees on how to best expand has been trying to persuade the community of computer operators running the network to adopt their version. About 70 per cent of the so-called miners that process the transactions that keep the network afloat are signalling they support the version backed by Wright’s allies, according to crypto data tracker Coin Dance.

With both sides resorting to name calling and showing few signs of compromise, the division risks creating two weaker versions of Bitcoin Cash, which could threaten the long-term viability of both. The rival group is headed by Chinese mining giant Bitmain Technologies Ltd. and investor Roger Ver, known as “Bitcoin Jesus” for his promotional zeal of the original digital coin, who helped bring Bitcoin Cash to prominence.

“This seems to be a personality conflict as much as a technology issue,’ said Lex Sokolin, global director of fintech strategy at Autonomous Research in London.

“Since the most contentious (from a philosophical perspective) part of the community amputated itself into Bitcoin Cash, it should not be a surprise that they are capable of further self-mutilation.’

Market participants are being forced to take sides. The San Francisco-based exchange Coinbase Inc. said it will support Ver’s Bitcoin ABC version, while Malta-based Binance implied it would support and handle any coins that emerge. Merchant service BitPay said it will support ABC as well.

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