#01 "HitBTC Confirms Bitcoin Cash Futures Trading, Will Credit User Accounts"

HitBTC has joined the exchanges announcing its official stance towards the controversial new Bitcoin fork Bitcoin Cash (BCC).

In comments to Cointelegraph before an official statement to users, the Hong Kong-based cryptocurrency exchange said it would offer futures trading for BCC.

Similar exchanges such as Huobi, HitBTC also confirmed it would credit users with equal amounts of BCC and BTC once the fork, scheduled for Aug. 1, is completed.

“Those who store a certain amount of BTC on their accounts will receive the same amount of BCC,” the message to traders will read.

“We assure you that all Bitcoin funds, stored on the exchange, will be safe before, during and after the fork process.”

Bitcoin Cash continues to provoke mixed reactions throughout the crypto industry, yet it is widely expected that the fork will occur and two versions of Bitcoin, will in fact, begin circulating.

In offering futures for BCC, HitBTC continues its tradition of giving traders exposure to tokens prior to their official release, having also provided Tezos’s Tezzies (TEZ) and Civic’s CVC tokens ahead of time.

Trading pairs with BTC, ETH and USD are available, with the motivation ostensibly to provide more advantageous trading tools for users.

“Our mission here is to protect your funds and provide you with the most flexible and up-to-date market tools,” HitBTC continued.

The announcement contrasts with the day’s other BCC statement from fellow European exchange Bitstamp, which in a note to its customers said it would not provide any form of support for the token.

“In Bitstamp’s view, BCC is an altcoin and the decision to list BCC tokens remains at our sole discretion at all times,” it said.

“If Bitstamp chooses to list BCC, we would decide at our own discretion on what course of action to take with balances deriving from the hard fork.”

On the BTC Blockchain, meanwhile, the past 24 hours saw 100 percent signaling for SegWit, indicating a rift between ideologies has already formed and could prove permanent. BCC, by contrast, opposes SegWit.