User Activated Soft Fork (UASF)
governance · consensus
A soft-fork activation approach where upgraded economic nodes enforce new rules at a planned time or height.
In a user activated soft fork, wallets, exchanges, businesses, and full nodes choose software that begins enforcing new consensus rules on a schedule, even if miners have not signaled enough support.
A UASF relies on enough economic weight coordinating around the new rules. If support is weak or communication is poor, the network can face disruption, miner orphan risk, or a chain split.
Related terms
Soft Fork
→A backward-compatible protocol change where upgraded nodes enforce stricter rules without splitting the network.
governance · consensus
Consensus
→The process by which blockchain participants agree on valid transactions, blocks, and ledger history.
security · blockchain
Governance
→The processes a blockchain community or protocol uses to propose, decide, and implement changes.
concept · governance