Hard Fork'lar Nedir? Neden Blokzincirler Bölünür ve Bu Durum Kripto Paranız İçin Ne Anlama Gelir?

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## TL;DRA hard fork is when a blockchain network splits into two separate chains running different rules. You get new tokens, but need to update your wallet and watch out for price volatility.## The Basics: What Actually Happens?Think of a hard fork like a fundamental software update that breaks backward compatibility. Old nodes can't talk to new nodes anymore. The blockchain literally splits—one chain follows the old rules, another follows the new ones. Both can exist simultaneously, but they operate independently.There's also a softer cousin called a soft fork, where updates stay compatible with older nodes. But hard forks? That's a clean break.## Why Do They Happen?**Security threats**: Ethereum hard forked after the DAO hack in 2016 to reverse stolen funds. Some users disagreed with the rollback and kept mining the original chain—boom, Ethereum Classic was born.**Scaling issues**: Bitcoin Cash forked from Bitcoin in August 2017, bumping the block size from 1MB to 8MB to process more transactions faster and cut fees.**Governance fights**: Bitcoin SV split from Bitcoin Cash in November 2018 after the community couldn't agree on block sizes and the project's direction.**Philosophy clashes**: Zcash → Ycash (July 2019) happened because some users hated that miners gave a portion of rewards to developers. Ycash removed this completely.## What Happens to Your Coins?Here's the good news: if you hold coins before a hard fork, you typically get the same amount on both chains. Had 10 BTC before Bitcoin Cash forked? You got 10 BTC + 10 BCH.But there are catches:**1. Wallet compatibility**: Your old wallet might not recognize the new tokens. You may need to update software or switch wallets entirely—or you risk losing access to your new coins.**2. Price chaos**: Markets go haywire. Traders speculate on which chain will "win," causing wild price swings. Some forks fizzle out; others become major assets.**3. Different futures**: After the split, the two blockchains evolve separately. Bitcoin Cash never caught up to BTC in adoption or value. Bitcoin SV exists on the fringes. Bitcoin Gold aimed for GPU-friendly mining but stayed niche.**4. New risks**: The forked chain might introduce security bugs or governance problems. Do your homework on what changed.## Notable Hard Fork Timeline| Fork | Date | Why | Status ||------|------|-----|--------|| BTC → BCH | Aug 2017 | Larger blocks for faster txs | Survived but marginal vs BTC || BTC → BSV | Nov 2018 | Even bigger blocks, governance dispute | Periphery of market || BTC → BTG | Oct 2017 | Decentralize mining via GPU | Minor player || ETH → ETC | Jul 2016 | DAO hack reversal | ETC still exists but ETH dominates || ETH → Eth2 | Ongoing | Proof-of-Work → Proof-of-Stake | Major upgrade, not typical fork || ZEC → YEC | Jul 2019 | Remove founder rewards | Niche community project |## The Bottom LineHard forks aren't inherently good or bad—they're tools. Sometimes they fix real problems. Sometimes they split communities and create confusion. The key: **stay informed, update your wallet, don't panic during volatility**, and understand *why* the fork happened before deciding which chain to support.The original chain never disappears just because a fork occurs. Both can coexist, compete, and have very different trajectories.

Fork	Date	Why	Status
BTC → BCH	Aug 2017	Larger blocks for faster txs	Survived but marginal vs BTC
BTC → BSV	Nov 2018	Even bigger blocks, governance dispute	Periphery of market
BTC → BTG	Oct 2017	Decentralize mining via GPU	Minor player
ETH → ETC	Jul 2016	DAO hack reversal	ETC still exists but ETH dominates
ETH → Eth2	Ongoing	Proof-of-Work → Proof-of-Stake	Major upgrade, not typical fork
ZEC → YEC	Jul 2019	Remove founder rewards	Niche community project