The Ethereum Classic (ETC) development team has activated the Atlantis hard fork, a strategic upgrade designed to enhance the altcoin's functionality and improve compatibility with Ethereum (ETH).
Background: Ethereum Classic's Origins
Ethereum Classic emerged from a pivotal 2016 event—The DAO hack—where Ethereum's community split over how to handle stolen ETH. While ETH implemented a chain reversal to recover funds (creating today's Ethereum), ETC continued on the original chain to uphold blockchain immutability principles.
The Atlantis Upgrade: Key Details
Implementation Timeline
- Activated between September 12–13, 2019
- Triggered at block height 8,772,000
- Confirmed by 60% of nodes and 75% of hash power pre-launch
👉 Explore how ETC maintains decentralization
Objectives Achieved
- Enhanced Security: New protocols to mitigate attack vectors
- ETH Compatibility: Smoother interoperability with Ethereum
- Community Consensus: Months of developer discussions ensured alignment
Industry Support
Major exchanges including Binance, Coinbase, and Kraken updated systems to support Atlantis. ETC Labs CEO noted:
"This hard fork demonstrates our commitment to collaborate with Ethereum while preserving ETC's core values."
FAQs: Understanding Atlantis
Why was Atlantis necessary?
To modernize ETC's infrastructure without compromising its immutable ledger philosophy.
How does this affect ETH holders?
It enables future cross-chain functionality, though assets remain separate.
What's next for ETC?
Developers hint at further upgrades to boost scalability.
👉 See blockchain interoperability in action
Key Takeaways
- Atlantis marks ETC's first major protocol upgrade
- Maintains backward compatibility for existing smart contracts
- Positions ETC for enterprise adoption through ETH alignment
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