When it comes to cryptocurrencies, few names carry as much weight as Bitcoin (BTC). But as the crypto space evolved, so did its offshoots — often referred to as "Bitcoin's disciples" in the community. With similar names like Bitcoin Cash (BCH), Bitcoin SV (BSV), and Bitcoin Diamond (BCD), it's easy to confuse one for another — or worse, invest in the wrong one.
In this guide, we’ll break down the key differences between these Bitcoin-derived coins, their origins, technical upgrades, and real-world performance. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned trader, understanding these distinctions is crucial for informed decision-making in the digital asset space.
The Master: Bitcoin (BTC)
Before diving into its forks, let’s revisit the original.
Bitcoin, launched in 2009 by the pseudonymous Satoshi Nakamoto, remains the gold standard of cryptocurrencies. With a market capitalization consistently above 60% of the total crypto market, BTC pioneered decentralized peer-to-peer transactions and blockchain technology.
Its core features include:
- A hard cap of 21 million coins
- 1MB block size (originally)
- Proof-of-Work (PoW) consensus
- High security and decentralization
But as Bitcoin grew in popularity, scalability became a major concern. This led to debates within the community — ultimately resulting in multiple hard forks. These splits created new chains with modified rules, each claiming to improve upon Bitcoin’s original vision.
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First Disciple: Bitcoin Cash (BCH)
Born from a hard fork on August 1, 2017, Bitcoin Cash (BCH) was created to address Bitcoin’s long-standing transaction speed and fee issues.
Why Was BCH Created?
As Bitcoin’s network became congested, transaction fees soared and confirmation times slowed. A faction of developers and miners believed that increasing the block size was the best solution — contrary to the dominant view that favored off-chain scaling like the Lightning Network.
Thus, BCH increased the block size from 1MB to 8MB (later raised to 32MB), allowing more transactions per block and reducing fees significantly.
Market Performance
At its peak during the 2017 bull run, BCH surged to nearly **$3,000 per coin** — a 15x increase from its post-fork price of around $210. It briefly ranked among the top three cryptocurrencies by market cap.
However, since then, its value has declined by over 90% from its all-time high, facing stiff competition from both BTC and newer layer-1 blockchains.
Despite this, BCH maintains an active development team and merchant adoption in some regions, particularly for micropayments and daily transactions.
The Grandchild: Bitcoin SV (BSV)
Bitcoin SV, short for “Satoshi Vision,” emerged from a contentious hard fork of Bitcoin Cash in November 2018. Led by Craig Wright and nChain, BSV aimed to restore what its creators saw as Satoshi’s original blueprint — emphasizing massive on-chain scaling.
Key Features of BSV
- Block size increased to 128MB (and later scalable to gigabytes)
- Focus on enterprise-level data storage and blockchain applications
- Lower transaction fees for high-volume use cases
Rise to Prominence
BSV remained relatively obscure until early 2020, when it experienced explosive growth:
- On January 10, 2020: +50% surge
- On January 14, 2020: another +144% jump
This rally sparked widespread speculation about a new bull market and drew in numerous traders. However, much of the momentum was attributed to centralized buying pressure rather than organic adoption.
Today, while BSV supports large-scale data processing and has niche enterprise applications, it faces criticism over centralization concerns and lack of broad developer support.
Second Disciple: Bitcoin Diamond (BCD)
Launched in November 2017, Bitcoin Diamond (BCD) is another fork of Bitcoin, designed to enhance privacy and increase accessibility.
What Sets BCD Apart?
- Total supply: 210 million coins (10x BTC’s limit)
- Block size: 8MB
- Enhanced privacy via zero-knowledge proofs and encrypted transaction amounts
- Airdropped to existing BTC holders at a 1:10 ratio
This meant that if you held 1 BTC at the time of the fork, you received 10 BCD tokens automatically — essentially a reward for early adoption.
Challenges and Adoption
Despite its promising features, BCD struggled due to:
- Low community engagement
- Limited exchange listings
- Only 19% of coins available for mining (81% pre-allocated), reducing long-term miner incentives
As of now, BCD ranks around #64 by market capitalization, but trading volume and developer activity remain low. It serves more as a historical footnote than a serious competitor in today’s ecosystem.
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Third Disciple: Bitcoin Gold (BTG)
Another hard fork from Bitcoin, Bitcoin Gold (BTG) launched in October 2017, with a mission to democratize mining.
The Problem BTG Solved
By 2017, Bitcoin mining had become dominated by ASIC-powered farms, making it nearly impossible for average users with GPUs to participate profitably.
BTG responded by:
- Changing the mining algorithm to Equihash, which favors GPU mining
- Implementing emergency difficulty adjustment (EDA) to stabilize mining rewards
The goal was to return to Bitcoin’s decentralized roots — allowing everyday users to mine coins using consumer-grade hardware.
Post-Launch Reality
While BTG saw initial excitement and minor price gains at launch, it quickly lost steam due to:
- Weak development roadmap
- Security vulnerabilities (including a 51% attack in 2018)
- Declining community trust
Today, BTG trades at over 98% below its all-time high and is considered a minor player in the cryptocurrency landscape.
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These terms reflect common user queries related to understanding Bitcoin’s ecosystem of forks and making informed investment choices.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: Are BCH, BSV, and BCD official versions of Bitcoin?
No. These are independent cryptocurrencies created through hard forks of the original Bitcoin blockchain. While they share Bitcoin’s early transaction history, they operate on separate networks with different rules and development teams.
Q: Can I still mine Bitcoin Gold today?
Yes, BTG can be mined using GPU rigs. However, due to low profitability and frequent difficulty fluctuations, it may not be economically viable for most miners.
Q: Why did Bitcoin Cash split into BCH and BSV?
The split occurred due to ideological differences within the Bitcoin Cash community. One side wanted moderate on-chain scaling (led by Bitmain), while the other — supporting Craig Wright — pushed for massive blocks under the “Satoshi Vision,” leading to the BSV fork.
Q: Is Bitcoin Diamond a good investment?
Currently, BCD lacks strong adoption, active development, or significant utility. While it introduced privacy features early on, better alternatives like Monero or Zcash have since taken the lead. Investors should exercise caution.
Q: Which Bitcoin fork has the most real-world use?
Among the forks discussed, Bitcoin Cash (BCH) has the highest merchant adoption for payments. Some platforms accept BCH for goods and services, though usage remains limited compared to Bitcoin or stablecoins.
Q: How do I avoid buying the wrong cryptocurrency?
Always double-check ticker symbols before trading. For example:
- BCH = Bitcoin Cash
- BSV = Bitcoin SV
- BCD = Bitcoin Diamond
Use reputable exchanges and verify project details through official documentation or trusted analytics sites.
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With over 7,000 digital assets in existence today, confusion is inevitable. But by understanding the origins and purposes behind each fork — whether driven by scalability, privacy, or decentralization — you can make smarter decisions in your crypto journey.
Remember: Not every coin with “Bitcoin” in its name shares Bitcoin’s security or longevity. Always do your own research before investing.