Bitcoin Core developers have unveiled the second test version of their contentious Bitcoin Core v30 update, aimed at introducing a new wallet format and non-monetary data inclusion sometime in October.
A new release candidate of Bitcoin Core (v30.0rc2) is now available for testing, as stated by the Bitcoin Core Project on Sunday, branding it as a “new major release.”
The update phases out older legacy wallet infrastructure and introduces a new simplified command system, but the key points of contention revolve around the policy changes regarding the OP_RETURN opcode, which permits embedding arbitrary data in transactions.
The expansion of data limits lifts the default cap from 80 bytes to essentially unlimited, potentially allowing nearly 4 megabytes per transaction output.
Bitcoin purists vs. maxis
However, Bitcoin purists argue that the network should be exclusively used for financial transactions, not data storage.
They contend that excessive OP_RETURN usage permanently bloats the blockchain, as every Bitcoin node must retain this data, leading to increased costs. It may also result in the network being overwhelmed by spam and malware.
Conversely, Bitcoin maximalists argue that as long as users pay fees, they should be free to utilize block space as they see fit, and market forces will naturally mitigate malicious usage through fees.
Related: Jimmy Song criticizes Bitcoin Core devs for ‘fiat’ mindset on OP_Return
Bitcoin Core is backing the update, which is anticipated to be rolled out by late October, although the exact timeline is flexible due to ongoing testing and intense discussions among developers.
Nick Szabo weighs in on legal risks
Bitcoin pioneer Nick Szabo returned to X after nearly a five-year absence with a surge of activity and contributions to the debate on Sunday.
He noted that the network fees, described as the “spam filter” by developer “calle,” safeguard the miners, but they don’t offer sufficient disincentives to protect full nodes.
“This has always been a problem, of course. But increasing the OP_RETURN allowance will likely worsen this issue. It will also elevate legal risks.”
He further stated, “It’s an open legal issue almost everywhere,” indicating that nodes could bear legal responsibility for harmful data stored on the blockchain.
A court case referenced by crypto litigator Joe Carlasare established that node operators are not liable if they lack knowledge or control of the data.
Szabo mentioned that one viewpoint is that data can be concealed in other manners, but OP_RETURN data is prunable. “This implies that permitting more data on OP_RETURN could conceivably lower legal risks.”
However, a counterargument asserts that illegal content in a standard format is more likely to attract the attention of legal authorities than data that is fragmented or hidden, which would require specialized software to reconstruct,” he stated.
There are speculations that cypherpunk Szabo is the pseudonymous creator of Bitcoin, Satoshi Nakamoto; however, he has consistently refuted this claim. Szabo joined Samson Mow’s Bitcoin infrastructure company Jan3 as chief scientist in January.
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