Key Highlights:
- Bitcoin Core will remove the 83-byte limit on OP_RETURN by October.
- The new limit is 100,000 bytes, allowing more flexible onchain data embedding.
- The change has sparked debate over spam risks and centralization.
- Advocates say it reflects real-world mining behavior and supports decentralization.
Major Policy Update for Bitcoin Core
Bitcoin Core developers have approved a change to increase the OP_RETURN data limit from 83 bytes to 100,000 bytes. This update will go live with the v30 release scheduled for October 2025.Aiming for Practical Decentralization
The change allows users to embed larger data chunks onchain via the mempool rather than negotiating directly with miners. Developers argue that this aligns Bitcoin Core’s defaults with how miners already behave, reducing centralization pressures.Pushback from the Community
Some Bitcoin developers and community figures have criticized the update. Detractors warn of increased spam and argue the decision lacked sufficient consensus. Still, others see the move as long overdue, noting that users could already bypass the limit through direct miner submission.No Consensus Rule Change, but Still Significant
This is a policy-level change affecting transaction relay, not consensus rules. Users can choose alternative clients like Bitcoin Knots if they disagree. Developers maintain that OP_RETURN outputs are prunable and do not bloat the UTXO set.A Divisive but Pivotal Shift
While some critics label the change risky, others like Gloria Zhao and Jameson Lopp support it as a natural evolution of Bitcoin’s policy. The broader debate underscores ongoing tensions over governance and decentralization in Bitcoin development.
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