Bitcoin BLAKE2b fork faces Sept. 1 launch test

A proposed fork to replace Bitcoin’s SHA-256 proof-of-work with the BLAKE2b algorithm is scheduled for a test launch on Sept. 1. The change is intended to neutralize SHA-256 ASIC advantage and shift mining toward more general-purpose hardware, potentially altering miner economics. If the fork fails to gain broad miner, developer and node-operator support it is likely to produce a separate chain rather than supplant Bitcoin, causing hash-rate reallocation and short-term market and security risks. Broad consensus and coordination will be required to avoid network fragmentation and lasting impacts on Bitcoin’s security model.