Bitcoin SV (BSV): how it works, supply and reviews
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Key facts
- Ticker
- BSV
- Network
- own blockchain
- Official site
- bsvblockchain.org
- Source code
- github.com/bitcoin-sv/bitcoin-sv
Data: CoinGecko (trading activity) and CoinPaprika (links), 2026-10-27. Only projects that still trade with meaningful volume are listed.
What is Bitcoin SV
Bitcoin SV (BSV, 'Satoshi Vision') is a proof-of-work blockchain that split from Bitcoin Cash on 15 November 2018 with the aim of keeping the original Bitcoin protocol and scaling through very large blocks. It is aimed at payments and at recording data for enterprise and public-sector applications.
Network and consensus
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Type | Layer-1 blockchain; a hard fork of Bitcoin Cash (itself a fork of Bitcoin) |
| Consensus | Proof of work |
| Launched | 15 November 2018, at the Bitcoin Cash hard fork |
| Block size | No fixed protocol block size limit since the 2020 Genesis upgrade; most limits are set by miners |
| Node software | SV Node (C++), developed by the BSV Association; Teranode is the next-generation node |
Supply and issuance
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Maximum supply | Below 21,000,000 BSV; the node software uses 21 million as its upper sanity limit |
| Issuance | New coins are paid to miners as a block reward that started at 50 coins per block |
| Halving | The block reward halves every 210,000 blocks, roughly every four years, as in Bitcoin |
What BSV is used for
- Paying for transactions at fractions of a cent
- Recording and timestamping data on a public ledger
- Mining reward for nodes that find proof-of-work blocks
Who develops and governs Bitcoin SV
- Foundation
- BSV Association, a non-profit based in Switzerland that acts as steward of the network
- Governance
- Miners (nodes) operate under the Network Access Rules, a contract with the BSV Association; the Association can send signed alert messages
- Developer
- Originally created by nChain at the request of CoinGeek and other miners (announced 16 August 2018)
- Open source
- SV Node and Teranode source code are public; use of the node software is licensed and binds nodes to the Network Access Rules
History
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 16 August 2018 | nChain announces the BSV full node implementation for miners backing the 'Satoshi Vision'. |
| 15 November 2018 | A contested Bitcoin Cash hard fork splits the chain into Bitcoin SV (BSV) and Bitcoin Cash (BCH). |
| 2020 | The Genesis upgrade removes most limit-based consensus rules, including the fixed block size limit. |
| 7 April 2026 | Chronicle upgrade targeted to activate on mainnet at block 943,816. |
Security and audits
- A bug bounty programme on Immunefi covers the Bitcoin SV full node code.
- SV Node v1.1 reintroduced the Alert System, which lets the BSV Association send signed informational or directive messages to the network.
Risks and caveats
- Through the Alert System, the BSV Association can direct nodes to freeze, release or reassign coins (UTXOs) to comply with court orders.
- Nodes are contractually bound by the Network Access Rules, which the BSV Association enforces as the network's steward.
- Removing most consensus limits means block size and similar limits depend on miners' own settings.
Official links
- Website: bsvblockchain.org
- Docs: docs.bsvblockchain.org
- Source code: github.com/bitcoin-sv/bitcoin-sv
- Network Access Rules: docs.bsvblockchain.org/network-access-rules/network-access-rules.md
Questions and answers
What is Bitcoin SV?
Bitcoin SV (BSV) is a proof-of-work blockchain that split from Bitcoin Cash on 15 November 2018, aiming to keep the original Bitcoin protocol and scale with very large blocks.
Who created Bitcoin SV?
The BSV node software was announced by nChain in August 2018 at the request of CoinGeek and other miners; the Swiss non-profit BSV Association now stewards the network.
What is the maximum supply of BSV?
BSV keeps Bitcoin's issuance rules: a block reward that started at 50 coins and halves every 210,000 blocks, so total supply stays below 21 million BSV.
Can BSV coins be frozen?
Yes. Under the Network Access Rules, the BSV Association can use the Alert System to have nodes freeze or reassign UTXOs to comply with court orders.
Sources
- CoinGecko — Bitcoin SV
- CoinPaprika — Bitcoin SV
- BSV Blockchain — About
- BSV Docs — SV Node
- BSV Docs — Chronicle release
- BSV Docs — Alert System
- BSV Docs — Bug Bounty
- BSV Docs — Network Access Rules: Background
- BSV Docs — Network Access Rules FAQ (general audience)
- Bitcoin SV — User guide to managing BCH coin splitting (28 November 2018, Wayback)
- BSV Blockchain — BSV full node implementation launched (16 August 2018, Wayback)
- SV Node — validation.cpp
- SV Node — amount.h
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- Basic Attention (BAT)
- All Crypto projects →
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