SHA-256 proof of work · No premine
What if you had a second chance?
Bitcoin’s rules. A fresh start.
“It might make sense just to get some in case it catches on.”
Many people wish they could have been mining Bitcoin since 2009. Absent a working time machine, this is the best chance at a second chance that we can provide. BitcoinII (BC2) is, in its whitepaper’s words, “a faithful re-deployment of the original protocol”: a new network with a clean genesis block, no premine, SHA-256 proof of work and a 21 million coin cap.
BC2 is not BTC. It is a separate network with its own coins. Why that matters
Network, live
Watch the chain grow
Live numbers load from the public explorer when JavaScript is on.
- Block height
- —
- Hashrate (estimate)
- —
- Difficulty
- —
- Last block
- —
The chart needs JavaScript and the explorer. See the mining dashboard.
Next halving
— blocks to go
At block 210,000, estimated from the recent block time. — of the 21 million cap issued so far.
Latest blocks
- Live data appears here when JavaScript is on. Open the explorer
All network charts and the mini explorer Open the block explorer
Source: explorer.bitcoin-ii.org
Get started
Get going in three steps
Everything runs on software you control. No account, no sign-up.
-
01 / WALLET
Get a wallet
Install BitcoinII Core, the official wallet and full node, from the official GitHub release.
-
02 / MINE OR BUY
Get BC2
Mine it with a SHA-256 ASIC or a Bitaxe-class home miner on a pool such as CapsPool.io, or buy it on the NonKYC.io exchange.
-
03 / COMMUNITY
Join the community
Ask questions, get help and meet other BC2 users and miners.
Why BitcoinII
Proven money, kept simple
The rules Bitcoin made famous, on a network where every coin is still to be earned by mining.
-
Fair launch
A clean genesis block with no premine. Every coin is mined under the same rules.
-
Proven rules
Bitcoin’s monetary design: a 21 million cap, 50 coins per block halving every 210,000 blocks, and SHA-256 proof of work.
-
Money, not data
Block space is kept for payments. Since block 57,750, consensus rules limit arbitrary data in transactions.
-
Complements Bitcoin
“BitcoinII does not ask users to abandon Bitcoin.” It runs side by side with Bitcoin on the same computer, without conflict.
-
A place to learn
Practise self-custody, wallet backups, running a node and mining with the same tools and address formats as Bitcoin. The skills carry straight over.
-
Built by its community
No company, issuer or foundation. Built and maintained by volunteers. The community kept the chain running through difficult early periods and continues to build.
Key facts
The rules, at a glance
- Proof of work
- SHA-256 (SHA-256d)
- Maximum supply
- 21,000,000 BC2
- Block time
- Targets 10-minute blocks; actual intervals vary with hashrate
- Halving
- Every 210,000 blocks; the first is at block 210,000
- Difficulty adjustment
- ShockWave, every block (since block 57,750)
- Current release
- BitcoinII Core v31.1.0 (Aug 29, 2026)
View the live network on the explorer Network page: live block height and hashrate
Important distinction
BitcoinII is not Bitcoin.
BC2 and BTC are separate ledgers. Holding BTC does not give you BC2, and the address formats look the same, so never send coins between the two networks.
Roadmap
Milestones so far
Shipped and on-chain. What comes next is decided in the open by the community.
Genesis block
A clean start, no premine.
Mainnet mining begins
Block 1 is mined.
Whitepaper published
Core v29.1.0
BitcoinII Core release.
Core v31.1.0
ShockWave difficulty adjustment.
- Next
Community roadmap
News
Latest updates
BitcoinII Core v31.1.0 released
The current release, based on Bitcoin Core v31.1. It brings ShockWave per-block difficulty adjustment. Older versions can’t follow the chain, so upgrade now.
BitcoinII Core v29.1.0 released
An earlier BitcoinII Core release. It has since been replaced by v31.1.0, which every node must now run.
The BitcoinII whitepaper
The project’s whitepaper sets out the idea: a faithful re-deployment of Bitcoin’s original protocol on a new network, with no premine.
Tools
Plan it, set it up, watch it work
Free tools that run in your browser. No account, no tracking.
Mining calculator
Expected BC2 from your hashrate at the live difficulty, and your power cost.
Setup wizard
Step-by-step for your computer: wallet, pool and miner.
Compare pools
The ten known pools side by side, with live blocks found.
Mini explorer
Look up a block, transaction or address without leaving the site.
Choose your path
Mine it, hold it, or help build it
Pick where to start. Every path takes a few minutes.
- SHA-256
Mine
Point a SHA-256 ASIC or Bitaxe at one of ten independent pools.
- SELF-CUSTODY
Get a wallet
BitcoinII Core: the official wallet and full node.
- EXCHANGES
Exchanges
Where BC2 trades, and how to move it to your own wallet.
- PEOPLE
Community
Discord, Telegram, Reddit and GitHub. Volunteers welcome.
