Jimmy Song, a Bitcoin (BTC) developer and supporter, criticized the choice made by Bitcoin Core developers to eliminate the OP_Return limit for non-monetary data embedded on the Bitcoin blockchain in the upcoming Bitcoin Core 30 update, labeling it a “fiat” mindset.
Song accused the Core developers of ignoring user concerns about lifting the OP_Return limit, which currently stands at 80 bytes, and dismissing the significant backlash from the Bitcoin community and node operators. He also stated:
“The assertion that spam is hard to define, and therefore we shouldn’t make any distinctions in the software, is a time-wasting argument stemming from fiat politics where you’re feigning ignorance of the obvious, preventing the actual debate from commencing — the non-monetary uses of Bitcoin qualify as spam.
One can argue whether that is a desirable trait or not, but claiming you can’t define it is merely a delaying tactic to evade the real discussion about tangible effects — especially the long-term impact of this modification,” Song added.
The OP_Return debate has persisted for nearly six months, echoing the Bitcoin block size wars of 2015 to 2017, which eventually led to a hard fork of the Bitcoin protocol, resulting in the creation of Bitcoin Cash (BCH), provoking speculation within the Bitcoin community about whether the OP_Return conflict could lead to a similar division.
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Node operators seek alternatives in historic shift to Bitcoin Knots
The unilateral decision by Bitcoin Core developers to open up the OP_Return data limit has split the Bitcoin community and led to an unprecedented influx of Bitcoin node operators to Bitcoin Knots, an alternative version of the Bitcoin node software.
This increase in nodes utilizing Bitcoin Knots, which now constitutes roughly 20% of the network compared to about 1% in 2024, signifies a remarkable rise in just nine months.
Knots enables node operators to impose strict data size limits, which advocates argue is essential to maintain the decentralization of the Bitcoin protocol.
Since the launch of the decentralized protocol in 2009, the Bitcoin ledger has accumulated approximately 680 gigabytes of data, attributed to Bitcoin’s straightforward architecture and rigid data limits.
Bitcoin’s minimal data storage requirements allow anyone to run a node on standard retail hardware for as little as $300, promoting accessibility and ensuring optimal decentralization.
In contrast, higher-throughput blockchain networks and smart contract platforms, which produce significantly more data, can cost tens of thousands of dollars to operate and necessitate specialized commercial hardware, which means only wealthy investors and large corporations can run nodes and enforce the consensus rules of those networks.
Robust hardware prerequisites lead to increased centralization of a blockchain protocol and elevate the risk that a few nodes might collude to alter consensus rules or reverse transactions.
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