A heated debate is brewing within the Bitcoin community as Leonidas, the lead developer of Bitcoin Ordinals, floated the idea of forking Bitcoin Core if upcoming network updates that benefit Ordinals and Runes are reversed. The warning, made in an open letter on X (formerly Twitter), comes amid rising tension between proponents of censorship-resistant transactions and those who believe non-financial data transactions, such as media files, are spam.
Ordinals and Runes are digital assets that leverage Bitcoin’s blockchain to store data like images, videos, and other files. While some view these as innovative applications of blockchain technology, critics argue they burden the network and deviate from Bitcoin’s original purpose as a peer-to-peer financial system. Leonidas’ statement signals that any attempt to limit these transactions could lead to decisive action, including the creation of an alternative Bitcoin client.
Leonidas warned that if Bitcoin Core developers were to impose tighter rules or censor non-financial transactions, his community—referred to as the “DOG Army”—would fund and maintain an open-source fork of Bitcoin Core. He emphasized that the fork would strip nearly all policy rules, enabling censorship-resistant transactions and ensuring that Bitcoin remains open for all forms of use.
“Thousands of people will run this fork to make it abundantly clear that Bitcoin is and must always remain censorship resistant,” Leonidas said.
This move comes ahead of Bitcoin Core’s anticipated v30 release, scheduled for October 30, which will remove the 80-byte limit on the OP_RETURN function. This change would allow significantly more media files to be stored onchain, benefiting Ordinals and Runes users. Leonidas’ preemptive stance reflects fears that the update could be rolled back.
The proposal has deepened divisions within the Bitcoin ecosystem. Blockstream CEO Adam Back, along with other prominent Bitcoin figures like Luke Dashjr and Dennis Porter, argue that large data transactions constitute spam and should have no place in the blockchain.
Bitcoin Knots, an alternative to Bitcoin Core, has been growing in popularity among users who prioritize freedom from restrictive policy rules. The number of Bitcoin Knots nodes has surged from 67 in March 2024 to over 4,380 in 2025, representing more than 18% of the network. The growing adoption of alternative clients demonstrates the community’s willingness to explore options if Bitcoin Core fails to accommodate diverse use cases.
Leonidas highlighted the financial contribution of Ordinals and Runes to Bitcoin’s security. Over the years, these transactions have generated more than $500 million in fees, a crucial factor as the block subsidy continues to halve roughly every four years.
He noted that miners representing over 50% of Bitcoin’s hash rate indicated their willingness to continue accepting transactions as long as fees remain competitive. This suggests that despite ongoing debates, there is a significant economic incentive for miners to support Ordinals and Runes activity.
However, Ordinals’ activity has been uneven. Data from Dune Analytics shows that on August 31, 2025, Bitcoin miners earned only $3,060 from Ordinals transactions—a stark contrast to the $9.99 million recorded on December 16, 2023. Even in 2025, daily totals have yet to reach $1 million, indicating that while the ecosystem remains impactful, its revenue contribution is seasonal and fluctuating.
The tension between allowing creative uses of Bitcoin and maintaining its integrity as a peer-to-peer payment network is at the heart of this debate. On one hand, Ordinals and Runes expand Bitcoin’s capabilities and attract developers and users seeking diverse applications. On the other hand, critics warn that overloading the blockchain with non-financial data could compromise transaction efficiency and long-term scalability.
Leonidas’ proposed fork is as much a philosophical statement as it is a technical solution. It underscores the importance of maintaining a censorship-resistant network while providing a clear warning that Bitcoin’s community will act decisively if updates are rolled back.
As the Bitcoin Core v30 release approaches, the community will closely watch how developers handle Ordinals and Runes transactions. The upcoming updates and potential fork debate could set important precedents for how Bitcoin balances innovation, censorship resistance, and network efficiency.
For now, the core issue remains: whether Bitcoin should strictly prioritize financial transactions or embrace a broader use case ecosystem, including digital collectibles and media storage. The decisions made over the next few months could shape the network’s evolution and influence how developers, miners, and users engage with Bitcoin for years to come.
A finance graduate, Maheen Hernandez has been drawn to cryptocurrencies ever since Bitcoin first emerged in 2009. Nearly a decade later, Maheen is actively working to spread awareness about cryptocurrencies as well as their impact on the traditional currencies. Appreciate the work? Send a tip to: 0x75395Ea9a42d2742E8d0C798068DeF3590C5Faa5
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