Bitcoin TLDR

#80

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Summary

May 12 - May 17, 2025

Our weekly newsletter is focused on keeping you updated on what's new in Bitcoin, and summarizes the bitcoin-dev, lightning-dev and delving bitcoin mailing lists

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).

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).

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).

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, Demo Video).

Active Discussions

Relax OP_RETURN standardness restrictions

59 replies

By Anthony Towns

Involving Greg Maxwell, Peter Todd+21 others

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Original post on April 17, 2025 18:52 UTC

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Last reply on May 25, 2025 15:53 UTC

bitcoin-dev

  • The email discusses optimizing Bitcoin data storage and limiting `OP_RETURN` outputs.

  • It explores integrity challenges in transactions and roles of network participants.

  • Proposed solutions include annex entries for per-input height locks, enhancing transaction security.

Unbreaking testnet4

31 replies

By Anthony Towns

Involving Saint Wenhao, Sjors Provoost+9 others

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Original post on March 18, 2025 14:29 UTC

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Last reply on May 17, 2025 05:11 UTC

bitcoin-dev

  • Transaction value errors in blockchain are highlighted, focusing on inputs and outputs exceeding 0-21 million.

  • Solutions include adjusting premine and halving times to control total supply and prevent errors.

  • A premined testnet and a massive initial block strategy are proposed for efficiency and security.

How to linearize your cluster

78 replies

By sipa

Involving stefanwouldgo, Lagrang3+7 others

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Original post on December 20, 2023 03:59 UTC

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Last reply on May 18, 2025 17:06 UTC

delvingbitcoin

  • Integration of GGT and SFL into a code base is anticipated.

  • SFL is preferred despite a serious flaw that may cause endless execution.

  • Both methods are under evaluation for their benefits and limitations in the project.

An overview of the cluster mempool proposal

23 replies

By blockchainhao

Involving sdaftuar, instagibbs+4 others

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Original post on January 9, 2024 22:52 UTC

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Last reply on May 12, 2025 14:31 UTC

delvingbitcoin

  • Understanding blockchain transactions requires grasping their inter-relations and potential conflicts.

  • Conflicts between transactions stem from their parental lineage affecting the blockchain's integrity.

  • Ensuring transaction consistency is vital for the blockchain's reliability and trustworthiness.

Perpetually KYC'd Coins Using Evil Covenants

15 replies

By RobinLinus

Involving recent798, light+6 others

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Original post on February 13, 2024 17:04 UTC

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Last reply on May 26, 2025 05:12 UTC

delvingbitcoin

  • Concerns exist about KYC in crypto allowing abuse due to slow blacklist updates.

  • KYC's lack of transaction limits does little to stop quick theft liquidation.

  • Despite discussions, no government has mandated KYC models for digital currencies.

A simple backup scheme for wallet accounts

9 replies

By sjors

Involving salvatoshi, kloaec+3 others

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Original post on April 16, 2025 13:52 UTC

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Last reply on May 25, 2025 23:34 UTC

delvingbitcoin

  • The method balances security and recoverability in Bitcoin cryptographic backups.

  • It employs a unique strategy leveraging the secrecy of not having a specific descriptor.

  • The approach includes self-healing backups and considers expanding data types for flexibility.

Fee-Based Spam Prevention For Lightning

8 replies

By JohnLaw

Involving harding, ClaraShk

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Original post on March 14, 2025 23:58 UTC

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Last reply on May 22, 2025 21:20 UTC

delvingbitcoin

  • The protocol suggests novel fees for each node in a 10-hop, 10,000 sats payment chain.

  • It aims to cover costs and risks, using fixed and proportional fees, enhancing fairness and efficiency.

  • This approach could significantly mitigate spam and malicious activities in payment networks.

Spanning-forest cluster linearization

7 replies

By gmaxwell

Involving sipa

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Original post on February 5, 2025 01:08 UTC

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Last reply on May 24, 2025 00:56 UTC

delvingbitcoin

  • Loop states in algorithms impact runtime minimally, enhancing performance despite potential looping.

  • Advanced algorithms risk unintentional loops, yet their complexity and speed mitigate susceptibility to attacks.

  • Practical effectiveness prioritized over theoretical optimization in algorithm selection, as shown in historical choices.

OP_RETURN limits: Pros and Cons

4 replies

By 1440000bytes

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Original post on May 1, 2025 09:21 UTC

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Last reply on May 19, 2025 15:05 UTC

delvingbitcoin

  • OP_RETURN enables embedding metadata in Bitcoin transactions, enhancing its utility.

  • Coinjoin improves Bitcoin privacy by merging multiple payments into one transaction.

  • Both technologies illustrate Bitcoin's adaptability and potential for further innovation.

Withdrawing OP_VAULT (BIP-345)

3 replies

By instagibbs

Involving jamesob, salvatoshi+1 other

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Original post on May 6, 2025 15:51 UTC

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Last reply on May 15, 2025 09:14 UTC

delvingbitcoin

  • MEV allows miners to profit by manipulating transaction order, affecting user costs and network efficiency.

  • Pursuit of MEV can compromise blockchain decentralization and security through behaviors like front-running.

  • Efforts to mitigate MEV's negative impacts focus on innovation and developing fair, secure blockchain protocols.

Path Queries: Addressing Payment Reliability and Routing limitations

2 replies

By brh28

Involving renepickhardt

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Original post on May 9, 2025 17:39 UTC

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Last reply on May 14, 2025 17:25 UTC

delvingbitcoin

  • Reducing communication overhead in payment routing emphasizes a one round-trip mechanism over HTLC's three.

  • The proposal enhances privacy and route flexibility by allowing selective liquidity information sharing among nodes.

  • It explores dynamic fee adjustments and scalability concerns, questioning the impact on network decentralization.

Anecdotal kode (code) for humans

1 reply

By jsarenik

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Original post on February 12, 2025 14:55 UTC

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Last reply on May 12, 2025 16:22 UTC

delvingbitcoin

  • Integrating SHA256 hashes into Bitcoin's locktime enhances transaction integrity without size increase.

  • Applying SHA256 via command line and optical verification ensures security and authenticity.

  • Real-world application and cryptographic signatures' importance are showcased through Testnet4 and OpenBSD signify references.

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