Bitcoin Cash network upgrade on May 2026
Last updated: May 13, 2026
BCH “CashVM” upgrade is targeted for May 15, 2026 at ~12:00:00 UTC (MTP-based activation against unix timestamp 1778846400). Paxos will pause on‑chain BCH deposits and withdrawals starting ~1 hour before the upgrade and resume within an estimated 2–4 hours after we confirm network stability. Trading on Paxos is expected to remain available throughout.
What's Changing
The May 2026 Bitcoin Cash upgrade introduces high-precision arithmetic (BigInt) and optimized VM limits, enabling more powerful on-chain smart contracts while maintaining backward compatibility across major node implementations.
Timing
Target: May 15, 2026 at ~12:00:00 UTC (MTP-based activation against unix timestamp 1778846400)
Paxos plan: Pause BCH on‑chain deposits and withdrawals ~1 hour prior; resume within 2–4 hours after stability verification.
Other networks: No impact expected.
Impact:
No action required for custody/balances; all assets held with Paxos remain safe. The corresponding amount of BCH assets will be reflected on the upgraded BCH chain
Trading: We do not expect trading interruptions on Paxos.
Transfers (for Transfers API customers):
Create Crypto Withdrawal: Allowed; requests will remain PENDING until processing resumes.
Create Deposit Address: Allowed.
Deposit detection/crediting: Paused until processing resumes; deposits made during the window will be processed after resumption.
On-chain transfer processing for other networks is not expected to experience any interruption.
What does Paxos recommend to do in order to prepare for the upgrade?
Consider pausing BCH withdrawal initiation in your app during the maintenance window to avoid user frustration due to transactions waiting on ‘PENDING’ during the upgrade.
Inform users that BCH deposits made during the window will be credited after Paxos resumes processing.
Where can I receive updates?
We will communicate all updates before, during, and after the BCH upgrade through the Paxos status page found at status.paxos.com. To receive real-time updates, select “Subscribe to Updates” in the upper right-hand corner of the page.
We expect minimal disruption, but in the event that there are any issues that impact your ability to trade or use our services, you can file a support ticket via support.paxos.com