Controversial Changes to Bitcoin Code Under Discussion – Community Divided, Here Are the Details

Bitcoin Core developers plan to completely remove the 80-byte data limit on OP_RETURN outputs in an upcoming version of the Bitcoin (BTC) software. The move has sparked controversy within the developer community. OP_RETURN is a feature that allows small amounts of data to be embedded into Bitcoin transactions, creating a non-spendable output (UXTO). This method attracted a lot of attention, especially during the ordinals and inscription craze in early 2024. Bitcoin Core contributor Greg Sanders announced on GitHub on May 5 that the current 80-byte limit will be removed entirely, allowing any number of OP_RETURN outputs. Sanders argued that the current limit is no longer functional and that removing this restriction will encourage less harmful behavior on-chain. “This limit pushes users to opaque alternatives that put more strain on the network,” Sanders said, arguing that big data inscriptions and various indirect methods used to bypass the current limit put unnecessary strain on the network. “When the polite path is closed, determined users are driven to the less polite path. Some use naked multisig or fake output keys, which is exactly the outcome that OP_RETURN aims to prevent.” Developers considered three options: keeping the limit, raising it, or removing it entirely. While the first two options were deemed arbitrary and ineffective, the proposal for no limit found broad but not unanimous support in discussions on GitHub. *This is not investment advice. Source: https://en.bitcoinsistemi.com/controversial-changes-to-bitcoin-code-under-discussion-community-divided-here-are-the-details/