Bitcoin News

Story: Bitcoin Core v30 Rolls Out With Controversial OP_RETURN Expansion

By Maheen Hernandez

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OP_RETURN Limit Change Divides the Bitcoin Community. The OP_RETURN field allows users to embed data in Bitcoin transactions, often for purposes beyond…

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Supporters Defend the Update’s Broader Utility. Despite the criticism, many prominent figures in the Bitcoin ecosystem have voiced support for the…

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Critics Warn of Potential Blockchain Bloat and Legal Risks. Not all developers share the same enthusiasm. Cryptographer Nick Szabo, known for his early…

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Growing Adoption of Knots as Alternative Node Software. According to data from BitRef, there are currently over 5,100 Knots nodes active on the Bitcoin…

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Balancing Innovation and Bitcoin’s Original Principles. Bitcoin Core v30 highlights an ongoing tension between innovation and ideological purity within…

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Bitcoin Core developers have released version 30.0, introducing several architectural and performance improvements to enhance network security and node efficiency.

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According to the official release, Bitcoin Core v30 includes optional encrypted peer-to-peer connections between nodes to strengthen privacy.

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“With the release of this new major version, versions 27.x and older are now considered End of Life and will no longer receive updates,” the announcement stated.

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While this new release focuses on refining node functionality, fee rate adjustments, and bug fixes, the drastic increase in the OP_RETURN limit has become the most debated aspect…

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However, the move has caused strong disagreement among long-time Bitcoin users and developers.

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Several Bitcoin supporters have likened the debate to the “block size wars” of 2017, which divided the community and resulted in the creation of Bitcoin Cash.

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Jameson Lopp, co-founder of CasaHODL, endorsed Bitcoin Core’s latest version, calling it an important step toward improving flexibility and resilience for node operators.

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Ark Labs ecosystem lead Alex Bergeron also supported the new OP_RETURN expansion, saying he intends “to use all of the additional OP_RETURN space and make Bitcoin more like…

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Not all developers share the same enthusiasm. Cryptographer Nick Szabo, known for his early influence on smart contracts and digital currency concepts, urged caution.

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“Without safeguards allowing archival node operators to delete illegal content non-disruptively, they could be held criminally liable,” Szabo cautioned on X (formerly Twitter).

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