What is Bitcoin Cash? How It Works & Where to Use It

Overview

Bitcoin Cash at a glance.

Bitcoin Cash forked from Bitcoin in 2017 with larger blocks aimed at cheaper, higher-throughput on-chain payments. Here is how it works and how it is used, not the price.

Total value locked (DeFi)

n/a

Value locked in DeFi protocols on Bitcoin Cash. Updated Jun 2, 2026. Source: DefiLlama.

Native token

BCH

Used for fees and securing the network. See the live BCH price.

How it works

How Bitcoin Cash works.

Miners compete to solve a SHA-256 hashing puzzle, the same algorithm Bitcoin uses, and the winner adds the next block roughly every ten minutes and collects the reward. Difficulty adjusts over time to keep that interval steady as mining power changes.

Consensus: Proof of Work (SHA-256)

Miners compete to solve a SHA-256 hashing puzzle, the same algorithm Bitcoin uses, and the winner adds the next block roughly every ten minutes and collects the reward. Difficulty adjusts over time to keep that interval steady as mining power changes.

Bitcoin hard fork

Bitcoin Cash split from Bitcoin in August 2017 as a separate chain with its own rules and the goal of supporting more transactions directly on-chain.

Larger blocks

A larger block size, currently 32 MB, lets each block hold more transactions, which is the design choice that distinguishes it from Bitcoin.

On-chain payments

The larger capacity is aimed at keeping fees low so that everyday payments settle on the base chain rather than on a separate layer.

Shared mining algorithm

Because it uses SHA-256, it shares the same mining hardware ecosystem as Bitcoin.

Ecosystem & usage

What Bitcoin Cash is used for.

BCH is used mainly as a medium of exchange for low-cost, on-chain payments and transfers.

Everyday payments

Send value on-chain with low fees aimed at point-of-sale and peer-to-peer use.

Merchant settlement

Accept transfers that settle directly on the base chain without a separate scaling layer.

Remittances

Move value between people at low cost using larger-capacity blocks.

In the Zypto App

Hold, swap and spend BCH.

Bitcoin Cash is integrated in the Zypto App. Hold BCH in self-custody, swap it to any supported asset, and use it across Zypto’s features.

Hold BCH in Zypto How to buy BCH

Be the reason Bitcoin Cash ships next.

Bitcoin Cash isn’t in the Zypto App yet. Post the request to your followers, chains with the most demand get prioritised.

Request on X

FAQ

Common questions.

How is Bitcoin Cash different from Bitcoin?

It is a 2017 hard fork of Bitcoin with a larger block size, currently 32 MB, intended to keep fees low for on-chain payments.

Does Bitcoin Cash use mining or staking?

It uses proof-of-work mining with the SHA-256 algorithm, the same one Bitcoin uses, with new blocks roughly every ten minutes.

How fast are Bitcoin Cash transactions?

Blocks are produced about every ten minutes, and the larger block size is designed to keep on-chain fees low.

Can I hold BCH in the Zypto App?

Not yet. BCH isn't in the Zypto App at the moment. You can hold it in any self-custodial wallet, and you can ask us to add Bitcoin Cash using the "Request Bitcoin Cash" button above.

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