Latest Bitcoin TLDR Newsletters

May 26 - May 28, 2025

Recent discussions among the Bitcoin developer community have spotlighted several pivotal issues and proposed innovations aimed at enhancing the network's resilience and user experience. Peter Todd highlighted an ongoing sybil attack on Libre Relay nodes, revealing a sophisticated effort to obstruct transactions and elevate operational costs for genuine nodes. This situation underscores the evolving challenges in securing transaction relay mechanisms against malicious activities ([source](https://gnusha.org/pi/bitcoindev/CAHTn92zkmfw2KwZCTRyGhnYPASWBUoLaxV65ASYpPeBUpX1SWw@mail.gmail.com/T/#mb7e09e4cf5025afb55251e57fadd6eaba37fd471)). In another vein, Aviv Bar-el introduced a "Well-Known Bitcoin Identity Endpoint," aimed at streamlining Bitcoin transactions by facilitating the discovery of payment and contact information through a simple HTTPS protocol. This initiative seeks to extend the utility of Lightning Addresses, highlighting a stride towards more efficient and user-friendly transaction processes ([source](https://gnusha.org/pi/bitcoindev/CAEbZFSsA49mnsVia7L-0k9S=oa93nCN4KudHdK8ZnSbboenohw@mail.gmail.com/T/#u#m6ee6a01d2cfe8842946e0812a9726d7213b45d74)). The conversation also touched upon the imperative of fortifying Bitcoin against quantum computing threats. Tadge Dryja discussed the potential of implementing post-quantum cryptography within the Bitcoin protocol to counter the advancements in quantum computing that could compromise the current cryptographic safeguards. This debate underscores the critical need for forward-thinking strategies to ensure the long-term security and viability of Bitcoin in the face of evolving technological landscapes ([source](https://gnusha.org/pi/bitcoindev/CAFC_Vt6gqV-8aoTKt2it1p9LAnvaADueHnC1cM6LQojZf6fjCw@mail.gmail.com/T/#m0085c639b6b596d9aecdc731d3afa917208fb8d4)). In summary, these discussions reflect the Bitcoin community's ongoing efforts to address both immediate and future challenges through technical innovation and strategic planning. The community's proactive approach to tackling issues related to security, usability, and quantum computing demonstrates a commitment to maintaining Bitcoin's integrity and functionality amidst a rapidly changing technological environment.

May 19 - May 25, 2025

Recent discussions in the cryptographic and Bitcoin communities have highlighted several key developments and challenges. Bas Westerbaan's exploration into "jpeg resistance" across various signature schemes reveals a spectrum of vulnerability, with traditional hash-based signatures lacking resistance, whereas RFC 8391 XMSS introduces enhancements to counteract manipulation attempts. This discourse underscores the complexity of ensuring digital signature security against sophisticated attacks, necessitating ongoing innovation in cryptographic practices ([source](https://gnusha.org/pi/bitcoindev/CAMjbhoU=PCUwbhWFbqCbOdZc+ybmREJmmt1K1TuHrCTncKH6VA@mail.gmail.com/T/#me741815bcd4a23a7fe6fbb0c1938016b3683a47a)). Jonathan Voss and the Bitcoin community's debate over the network's use for non-monetary data transmission, particularly through Citrea's Clementine Bridge proposal, reflects the broader discussion on blockchain utility beyond financial transactions. The proposition of a configurable data blob relay service within the Bitcoin protocol suggests a pragmatic approach to balancing the original monetary purpose with emerging technological demands, aiming to ensure network efficiency and relevance ([source](https://gnusha.org/pi/bitcoindev/a2fde16d-5ddd-47ae-8b8f-6ca313d92b66n@googlegroups.com/T/#u#m818954f6c0bf0fbb079d57f94a7814796b3e6091)). In the realm of secure cryptocurrency wallets, the dialogue led by pithosian emphasizes the technical intricacies involved in generating airgapped wallets. The discussion sheds light on the critical importance of using alternative entropy sources and the role of specialized tools in enhancing security measures. This conversation mirrors the broader effort within the cryptocurrency development community to make advanced cryptographic tools more accessible while ensuring users are well-informed about security practices ([source](https://gnusha.org/pi/bitcoindev/4c376336-1fe3-4b1c-b13b-8dcc2075e758n@googlegroups.com/T/#mee90c7498624e29f71da681d6d1259741113b8ea)). Lastly, the LN spec meeting's focus on the privacy implications of HTLC hold times illustrates the intricate balance between user experience and privacy within the Lightning Network. The discussion on encoding hold times and the potential for protocol changes to enforce privacy-preserving practices reveals the ongoing challenge of aligning network efficiency with the need for robust privacy measures ([source](https://delvingbitcoin.org/t/latency-and-privacy-in-lightning/1723)).

May 12 - May 17, 2025

Chris Stewart proposes a significant upgrade to Bitcoin's Script numerical capabilities, aiming to enhance precision and functionality by expanding the range of numeric operands and results for arithmetic operations. This proposal, documented on GitHub, seeks to lay the groundwork for future monetary amount integrations into Script, representing a potential leap forward for Bitcoin scripting capabilities ([GitHub repository](https://github.com/Christewart/bips/blob/2025-03-17-64bit-pt2/bip-XXXX.mediawiki)). The Bitcoin community is engaging in a vibrant debate over proposed changes to OP_RETURN limits and the management of mempools, highlighting concerns over spam transactions, blockchain bloat, and the implications for network health. These discussions underscore the community's commitment to scrutinizing potential modifications to Bitcoin's core code to ensure they align with the network's long-term interests, as evidenced by the extensive overview provided on Stacker News ([Stacker News Overview](https://delvingbitcoin.org/t/a-comprehensive-op-return-limits-q-a-resource-to-combat-misinformation/1689)). Moonsettler's discussion draws attention to the inefficiency of peer-to-peer (P2P) value transfers in Bitcoin due to spam, questioning the effectiveness of traditional cost-based spam mitigation strategies. This skepticism is grounded in the observation that spammers derive more value from their activities compared to regular users, prompting a reevaluation of Bitcoin's design principles to better balance openness with spam resistance without compromising its core values ([Spam Problem Discussion](https://delvingbitcoin.org/t/the-spam-problem-of-bitcoin-and-unpermissioned-broadcast-networks-in-general/1692)). The introduction of bitcointap by jb55, leveraging the Rust programming language and Bitcoin Core's eBPF USDT tracepoints, represents an innovative tool for developers to analyze Bitcoin Core's runtime behavior without performance drawbacks. This development, inspired by @0xB10C's peer_observer project, is accompanied by a demonstration video and an open invitation for community feedback, highlighting the project's commitment to enhancing Bitcoin development tools and methodologies ([bitcointap on GitHub](https://github.com/jb55/bitcointap), [Demo Video](https://cdn.jb55.com/s/bitcointap-demo.mp4)).

May 5 - May 11, 2025

Joshua Doman's "Graftleaf" proposal is a significant advancement in Bitcoin's scripting capabilities, introducing a method for generalized program composition and coin delegation through a new Taproot leaf version. It aims to overcome the limitations of previous proposals by supporting complex script compositions and delegations, promising improved privacy, fungibility, and backward compatibility with existing P2TR addresses. The technical sophistication of Graftleaf is highlighted by its design to prevent security issues like replay attacks and witness malleability, emphasizing its potential for creating complex spending policies such as "vault-of-vaults" ([source](https://gnusha.org/pi/bitcoindev/0b5b560b-aa0c-4669-9621-67ccbecba516n@googlegroups.com/T/#u#m2f5da099a7ecd43f8a7495cba67f9a009ca57851)). The transition from OP_VAULT (BIP-345) to OP_CHECKCONTRACTVERIFY (CCV) marks a pivotal development in Bitcoin scripting, with CCV offering a more general and efficient approach to secure Bitcoin vaults. This evolution retains the foundational appeal of VAULT while introducing improved functionality and flexibility, setting a new benchmark for future proposals despite challenges in implementing certain security-enhancing "decorator" opcodes ([source](https://delvingbitcoin.org/t/withdrawing-op-vault-bip-345/1670)). Discussion on routing in payment networks, led by brh28, addresses liquidity uncertainty and inefficiencies in path discovery, proposing cooperative path queries to enhance routing efficiency and reduce costs. This model promotes a distributed routing landscape by enabling dynamic information sharing among nodes, improving the success rates of large payments, and minimizing reliance on comprehensive channel graphs. Despite privacy concerns, the approach offers a balanced mechanism for nodes to manage information disclosure, potentially revolutionizing payment routing in the network ([source](https://delvingbitcoin.org/t/path-queries-overcoming-liquidity-uncertainty-and-other-routing-limitations/1672)).

Apr 28 - May 4, 2025

Anthony Towns highlighted a pivotal update in the Bitcoin network where the `mempoolfullrbf` default setting was changed in version 28.0, marking a significant shift that could influence network operations and user experiences, given the considerable adoption rate of this version. This change prompts a closer examination of its implications on transaction dynamics and support requirements [source](https://gnusha.org/pi/bitcoindev/CABZBVTBupMcBbOUtLbMaEmAiWGsMwisNW+k+bTUJGsUad2=ZZg@mail.gmail.com/T/#mb7bc2785adb6d821b21cceedeb33b7f641ec580c). Antoine Poinsot alerted the community to a security advisory addressing a low-severity issue in Bitcoin Core versions prior to 29.0, underscoring the importance of adhering to updated security practices and the project’s transparent disclosure policy. This advisory, along with the detailed security disclosure policy, is essential for maintaining the integrity and trustworthiness of the software [source](https://gnusha.org/pi/bitcoindev/EYvwAFPNEfsQ8cVwiK-8v6ovJU43Vy-ylARiDQ_1XBXAgg_ZqWIpB6m51fAIRtI-rfTmMGvGLrOe5Utl5y9uaHySELpya2ojC7yGsXnP90s=@protonmail.com/T/#u#mc3e78110ae4b67757a616e3c7492ce1cc56858c1). Matthew Zipkin suggested improvements to the Bitcoin development process by proposing an intermediary step involving GitHub "discussions" to bridge the gap between mailing list discourse and pull request reviews, aiming to enhance community engagement and feedback quality. This approach seeks to mitigate disenfranchisement felt by community members not involved in initial discussions and to streamline the review process for policy changes [source](https://gnusha.org/pi/bitcoindev/2294D284-77C1-4885-9585-E591FEE4878A@sprovoost.nl/T/#m42bd7df02f781ba1c91aa1db25d309126f5382be). Victor K of StarkWare introduced ColliderVM, a protocol enabling stateful computation on the Bitcoin network, facilitating a broader range of functionalities including smart contracts and layer two bridges without relying on fraud proofs. This development marks a significant leap towards enhancing Bitcoin's computational capabilities and operational efficiency, offering a glimpse into future applications that extend beyond the current scope of Bitcoin script [source](https://delvingbitcoin.org/t/collidervm-protocol-for-computation-and-l2-bridges/1662).

Apr 21 - Apr 27, 2025

Ruben Somsen's analysis reveals a potential vulnerability in SwiftSync related to the removal of checkpoints predating 2013, which currently prevent a reorganization (reorg) back to 2010, safeguarding against certain exploits. The discussion extends to the inefficiencies of BIP30 in consensus checks and its complication for implementing alternative validation methods. Somsen proposes either enforcing a no-reorg rule between specific blocks or amending pre-checkpoint consensus rules to mitigate risks associated with reorgs and the spending of duplicated transactions. Further, Somsen outlines the indefinite activation of BIP30 until the activation of BIP34 at block height 227931, highlighting concerns over output creation that conflicts with BIP34's rules. He suggests a more efficient system that caches coinbase transaction IDs (TXIDs) to prevent duplicates, potentially enabling the sunset of BIP30. This new approach aims to ensure coinbase uniqueness up until BIP34's activation block, facilitating its activation regardless of a reorg and contributing to the ongoing dialogue among developers to improve blockchain consensus mechanisms' efficiency and security. [Read more about the discussion](https://gnusha.org/pi/bitcoindev/000201dbb7b7$7af02be0$70d083a0$@voskuil.org/T/#mc008edc5f9383e091d1c6259c798877fb79588a7).

Apr 14 - Apr 19, 2025

Gloria Zhao announces the release of Bitcoin Core version 29.0, featuring performance improvements, bug fixes, and new functionalities such as `-natpmp` for better IPv4 and IPv6 support, alongside a significant shift from Autotools to CMake in the build system, aimed at enhancing the software's development process. Users are advised to follow specific upgrade procedures based on their operating system and to consult the [official release notes](https://bitcoincore.org/bin/bitcoin-core-29.0/) for detailed information on all changes, including adjustments to P2P networking, mining, and the introduction of new RPCs to improve developer interactions with Bitcoin Core. Jonas Nick, Tim Ruffing, and Yannick Seurin introduce DahLIAS, an innovative cryptographic protocol allowing for constant-size, interactive aggregate signatures compatible with secp256k1. This advancement, detailed in their [published paper](https://eprint.iacr.org/2025/692.pdf), presents a significant step forward in reducing transaction sizes and verification costs for Bitcoin and similar applications, marking a key development in the efficiency and scalability of cryptographic practices within digital currency systems. A debate surrounding the moderation guidelines in the Bitcoin Core metadata repository has emerged, with proponents arguing for the removal of such policies citing concerns over formal governance structures potentially influencing consensus rules. This discussion, fueled by references to decentralized development philosophies and legal considerations like the Berne Convention, underscores the tension between maintaining civility within the community and adhering to the foundational principle of decentralization. The dialogue encapsulates a broader discourse on the balance between structured governance and the anarchic ethos that has historically underpinned Bitcoin's development community, as detailed in [this forum post](https://delvingbitcoin.org/t/some-problems-with-current-bitcoin-core-moderation-md/1616).

Apr 7 - Apr 13, 2025

Ruben Somsen introduces SwiftSync, a novel method that streamlines the Bitcoin blockchain validation process by using hints for unspent transaction outputs and requiring less than 100MB for validation, significantly enhancing efficiency and enabling parallel processing. This approach negates the need for a stateful UTXO set during initial block download, promising a potential 5.28x speed-up in transaction validation ([source](https://gnusha.org/pi/bitcoindev/CAPv7TjaM0tfbcBTRa0_713Bk6Y9jr+ShOC1KZi2V3V2zooTXyg@mail.gmail.com/T/#u#mc66763934f25b65ce5006f0a4dd19cd359a8b452)). Ethan Heilman discusses the integration of Post-Quantum signatures into Bitcoin, highlighting their larger size and the scalability challenge it presents. He proposes Non-interactive Transaction Compression as a solution, which could drastically reduce transaction sizes and increase Bitcoin's transaction throughput, addressing scalability and economic implications of larger PQ signatures while acknowledging the need for efficient proof construction to avoid mining centralization ([source](https://delvingbitcoin.org/t/post-quantum-signatures-and-scaling-bitcoin-with-starks/1584)). Robin Linus elaborates on the use of input-committing covenants for constructing more efficient and secure bridges in the BitVM ecosystem, leveraging CTV and CSFS to eliminate the need for presigning committees and significantly reduce transaction sizes. This advancement simplifies bridge architecture, enhances operational efficiency, and aims towards trust-minimized Bitcoin interoperability, though challenges such as potential censorship in the peg-in process remain ([source](https://delvingbitcoin.org/t/how-ctv-csfs-improves-bitvm/1591)). Lastly, zawy proposes a novel security method for cryptocurrency seed words, using mining techniques to allow users to remember fewer seed words. By splitting a nonce into seed words and a highly public random seed, the method balances remembrance with security, making unauthorized access economically prohibitive. This approach leverages computational work as a defensive mechanism, ensuring that an attacker's costs outweigh potential gains ([source](https://delvingbitcoin.org/t/hashing-to-remember-forgotten-seed-words/1597)).

Mar 31 - Apr 6, 2025

Jonas Nick's introduction of secp256k1lab heralds a pivotal advancement for cryptographic endeavors within Bitcoin's ecosystem, providing a Python library aimed at facilitating prototyping, educational purposes, and experimentation with the secp256k1 elliptic curve. Despite its designation as INSECURE for production use, secp256k1lab supports crucial features like Schnorr signatures and Elliptic Curve Diffie-Hellman (ECDH), underscoring its potential for enhancing decentralized key generation protocols within the Bitcoin Improvement Proposal (BIP) framework. The project, developed by Sebastian Falbesoner, Jonas Nick, and Tim Ruffing, encourages community engagement for further development and is accessible on [GitHub](https://github.com/secp256k1lab/secp256k1lab). Ethan Heilman brings to light the imperative for Bitcoin to integrate Post-Quantum (PQ) signatures to counteract vulnerabilities against quantum computing attacks, proposing Non-interactive Transaction Compression (NTC) or Non-Interactive Witness Aggregation (NIWA) using STARKs for efficient PQ signature transactions. This solution aims to mitigate potential scalability and centralization issues by significantly reducing the transaction size, thus preserving Bitcoin's on-chain payment functionality and decentralization. The proposed methods and their implications for Bitcoin's future are discussed in various resources, including [Bitcoin Improvement Proposals](https://github.com/bitcoin/bips/pull/1670/files) and [SNARKs and Blockchain Future](https://medium.com/@RubenSomsen/snarks-and-the-future-of-blockchains-55b82012452b). Chris_Stewart_5 discusses the vibrant debates within the Bitcoin community concerning enhancements to Script's functionality, particularly focusing on overflow handling and arithmetic opcode enhancements. This discourse, framed by initiatives like Rusty Russell's Great Script Restoration and proposals for 64-bit arithmetic soft forks, underscores the delicate balance between computational integrity and security. The community's efforts to refine script operations reflect a broader commitment to ensuring Bitcoin's scripting language remains robust against potential vulnerabilities, as detailed in discussions on [overflow handling in Script](https://delvingbitcoin.org/t/overflow-handling-in-script/1549). Ruben Somsen's proposal to expedite Bitcoin Core's Initial Block Download (IBD) phase through pre-generated hints represents a forward-thinking approach to optimizing blockchain performance. This "IBD Booster" aims to streamline the validation process, reducing resource-intensive operations by selectively adding coins to the UTXO set, thereby accelerating the IBD phase while highlighting operational limitations and areas for future research. The community is invited to contribute to this innovative project, with tools and a proof-of-concept implementation available on [GitHub](https://github.com/theStack/ibd-booster-hints-gen) and further details on the [IBD Booster branch](https://github.com/theStack/bitcoin/tree/ibd_booster_v0).