Bitcoin Core v30: A New Drama Unfolds with OP_RETURN Chaos!

Oh, joy! The Bitcoin Core developers have just launched their v30 update, and boy, it’s stirring up quite the drama in the crypto world. From *gasp* bigger data limits to encrypted connections, everyone has something to say about it. Some are thrilled, others-well, not so much. 🤷‍♂️

The latest version (30.0, in case you missed it) brings a couple of pretty big changes. First, we have encrypted connections between nodes to spice up your privacy. Who doesn’t love a little secrecy? And then, the controversial part: the OP_RETURN data limit is now bumped up from a modest 80 bytes to a jaw-dropping 100,000 bytes. That’s right, 100,000! Now you can shove all kinds of *non-financial* data into your Bitcoin transactions. 📈📉

But wait, there’s more! They’ve also decided to let go of old versions 27.x and older. “End of Life,” as they put it. What a dramatic way to say goodbye, huh?

Of course, the update also includes bug fixes and performance boosts. But the biggest conversation-starter? That OP_RETURN limit. It’s like opening a can of worms with a side of controversy. Some folks are praising the move, claiming it’ll help make Bitcoin more like Ethereum. But other Bitcoin purists? Not so much. They want Bitcoin to stay pure, just used for financial transactions, thank you very much. 😤

Enter the Blocksize Wars 2.0

Doesn’t this all sound familiar? The debate over the OP_RETURN limit is starting to remind people of the block size wars back in 2017, which led to the famous Bitcoin Cash hard fork. 😱

Some folks are absolutely loving the update. Ark Labs’ Alex Bergeron, for example, was quick to announce on X (because why not?) that he’ll be using all that extra OP_RETURN space to “make Bitcoin more like Ethereum, except better.” Bold claim, Alex. Bold claim. 🙃

Even Pavol Rusnak, co-founder of Satoshi Labs, gave the update a thumbs up, citing the “great development team” and “sane engineering decisions.” Ah, the sweet smell of *sanity* in the crypto world! 🤩

But not everyone is sipping the Kool-Aid. Some are calling this a *total disaster* for Bitcoin’s original vision as a peer-to-peer cash system. They worry it’ll lead to blockchain bloat, higher node operation costs, and even legal headaches. Yikes! 😬

Some brave souls, though, are sticking with “Knots,” an alternative node software that enforces strict data size limits. It’s like the rebel group of the Bitcoin world. Don’t mess with them! 💀

Nick Szabo, the cryptography legend, has been vocal about his concerns. He’s not just worried about the *legal* risks-he’s worried about the *illegal* data that might pop up in those massive transaction blocks. And who wants to be responsible for hosting that, right? 😳

Luke Dashjr, the founder of Knots, has yet to weigh in, but considering his previous criticism of Bitcoin Core’s updates, we can guess how he feels. Not too thrilled, I bet. 😅

Data shows that Knots is becoming quite the popular alternative, with 21.48% of Bitcoin nodes running Knots software. That’s over 5,000 nodes! Looks like people are taking the “safe” route for now. 🛡️

2025-10-13 06:16

Enter the Blocksize Wars 2.0

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