I do not fully agree on the
First of all, remove all bitcoins possible from banks/exchanges/"hosted wallets".
By "fully", I mean: Yes, if you are an inexperienced newbie and want to be on the totally safe side, this is what to do.
From experience with the ETH/ETC split, let me offer an alternative perspective on this, because I think it applies here very well:
At the time of the split, I had ETH at both BTC-e and at Kraken.
While at BTC-e this meant no ETC for me (of the same amount as I had ETH in there), at Kraken, I suddenly had magically <amount> ETC and the same <amount> ETH.
While the ETH/ETC split was intentional and we do not know if a similar thing will happen to BTC, it may happen and if it does, there are the following scenarios what may happen if you have your BTC at some exchange/bank:
- The Bank will only keep holding what it considers the "major" branch/split/fork of BTC. I.e. the "successor"
- The Bank will automagically provide you with both branches - read: wallets - (a.k.a. BTC and BTC-classic)
- The Bank will provide you only with the - from your perspective - "less desired branch".
It is only the 1st and 3rd scenario where the bank would f** you over and that justifies the precaution of not keeping any funds "at banks".
In the 1st one you lose potentially some assets of an alternate currency that may have quite some value, in the 3rd one you would
lose the majority of your value.
In case your Bank/Exchange will publish a handling policy in case of a non-negligible split that resembles case 2, I think it is not only safe, but also comfortable to keep the funds as is.
Executive Summary: If in doubt, go with the Theymos default. If exporting/selling BTC is a hassle
and you trust your bank
and it claims it would handle the split like giving you both coins: consider also "doing nothing" i.e. no moving the coins.
Quite a winded post that in the end justifies the argument it was supposed to rebut.
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