Bitcoin TLDR

#108

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Summary

Dec 15 - Dec 21, 2025

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In a collaborative effort to preemptively secure Bitcoin against emerging quantum computing threats, Ethan Heilman, Isabel Foxen Duke, and contributors have significantly revised BIP 360, introducing a new output type called "Pay-to-Tapscript-Hash (P2TSH)" which aims to mitigate potential vulnerabilities in Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC) without incorporating post-quantum signature schemes. This revision, focused on enhancing Bitcoin's resilience to quantum-related risks, elaborates on a strategy that avoids premature transitions to post-quantum cryptographic methods, supported by test vectors in Python and Rust to engage the developer community (GitHub; BIP360.org).

Concurrently, a new procedure for handling moderated emails within the Bitcoin Development Mailing List has been established, aiming to streamline communication and ensure that moderated content is appropriately directed and reviewed. This adjustment facilitates more efficient operations and engagement within the community, ensuring valuable contributions are recognized and considered (Bitcoin Development Mailing List; Moderation Mailing List).

Erik proposes a quantum-resistant mechanism leveraging economic assumptions and blockchain data to enhance Bitcoin's security, introducing a minimal new introspection primitive that avoids a complete redesign of Bitcoin's Script. This proposal, aiming for immediate deployability, low validation costs, and minimal impact on transaction sizes, is based on a commit-challenge-response framework, requiring both a traditional signature and a hash-based proof conditioned on future blockchain data, underscoring a conservative approach to quantum resistance without significant infrastructural changes (Quantum Resistance Mechanism).

Furthermore, discussions on peer feature negotiation within blockchain networks highlight efforts to improve P2P messaging protocols, aiming at enhanced network efficiency and data management. Proposals for new BIPs suggest a comprehensive approach to introducing and negotiating new capabilities, emphasizing the importance of proactive contributions and the sharing of stale block information to improve understanding of network dynamics and syncing efficiency following reorganizations. This reflects a broader ambition to continuously optimize blockchain P2P networks in response to evolving challenges and opportunities (Peer Feature Negotiation BIP).

Active Discussions

Motion to Activate BIP 3

32 replies

By Murch

Involving Greg Maxwell, Jon Atack+17 others

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Original post on November 5, 2025 01:10 UTC

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Last reply on December 10, 2025 00:56 UTC

bitcoin-dev

  • Significant updates to Bitcoin Improvement Proposal 3 include reversing AI and LLM guidance.

  • Changelog introduction and BIP number assignment process refinement are key modifications.

  • Changes aim to align BIP 3 with actual practices, emphasizing technical soundness and community engagement.

Hash-Based Signatures for Bitcoin's Post-Quantum Future

14 replies

By Jonas Nick

Involving Mikhail Kudinov', Erik Aronesty+5 others

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Original post on December 8, 2025 20:28 UTC

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Last reply on December 19, 2025 08:36 UTC

bitcoin-dev

  • Bitcoin developers debate Multi-Party Computation's role in cryptographic parameters.

  • SHRINCS offers a viable path for MPC-based signatures with minimal computational needs.

  • Exploration into MPC's practicality in Bitcoin's context is encouraged despite drawbacks.

Re: The Cat, BIP draft discussion.

11 replies

By Greg Maxwell

Involving Jonathan Voss, Ataraxia 009+5 others

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Original post on December 11, 2025 20:54 UTC

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Last reply on December 19, 2025 03:31 UTC

bitcoin-dev

  • The email dismisses the possibility of making unspendable outputs spendable via steganography.

  • It warns against altering Bitcoin's consensus code hastily, citing high risks of errors.

  • The author advocates for individual solutions over consensus changes for niche functionalities.

Does GCC preclude a soft fork to handle timestamp overflow?

7 replies

By Antoine Riard

Involving Josh Doman, Antoine Poinsot'+3 others

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Original post on December 14, 2025 19:45 UTC

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Last reply on December 15, 2025 17:27 UTC

bitcoin-dev

  • A proposal discusses modifying Bitcoin's difficulty target via the header nTime in the blockchain.

  • The adjustment seeks to ensure the reliability of timelocks, considering the encoding's future viability.

  • Ongoing debates reflect the complexity of consensus in Bitcoin's development and protocol enhancements.

[Discussion] Year 2106 Timestamp Overflow - Proposal for uint64 Migration

5 replies

By Garlo Nicon

Involving Ethan Heilman, Henry Romp+3 others

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Original post on December 8, 2025 18:43 UTC

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Last reply on December 14, 2025 13:59 UTC

bitcoin-dev

  • The discussion highlights a validation issue in Bitcoin, risking network stability.

  • It debates the advisability of soft forks that older nodes perceive as unstable.

  • Emphasizes the importance of planning in blockchain evolution for network inclusivity.

op_ctv still has no technical objections

4 replies

By Erik Aronesty

Involving /dev /fd0, conduition'+2 others

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Original post on November 27, 2025 07:43 UTC

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Last reply on November 29, 2025 23:08 UTC

bitcoin-dev

  • A consensus on a new activation mechanism for BIPs has been reached in the Bitcoin community.

  • The mechanism draws from BIP 9, targeting a seamless update process through extended timing and strict miner consensus.

  • The discussion also explores whether to create a new BIP or amend BIP119, highlighting the importance of informed community involvement in Bitcoin's evolution.

Splitting more block, addr and tx classes of network traffic

2 replies

By Antoine Riard

Involving defenwycke

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Original post on December 4, 2025 22:33 UTC

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Last reply on December 9, 2025 23:13 UTC

bitcoin-dev

  • Antoine's email describes efforts to enhance traffic class isolation in Bitcoin's architecture.

  • It explores the balance between functionality and privacy, acknowledging previous signaling concerns.

  • The conversation considers the design's impact on network efficiency and scalability challenges.

Dust Expiry: Clean the UTXO set from spam

37 replies

By Claire

Involving gmaxwell, RobinLinus+11 others

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Original post on May 20, 2025 01:53 UTC

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Last reply on December 15, 2025 18:09 UTC

delvingbitcoin

  • The email details how classification rules ensure precise, reliable on-chain data analysis.

  • It underscores the rules' specificity and objectivity for consistent transaction reproduction.

  • The system's transparency and accuracy promise broad community trust and adoption.

Gossip Observer: New project to monitor the Lightning P2P network

19 replies

By endothermicdev

Involving jonhbit, rustyrussell+2 others

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Original post on November 14, 2025 20:48 UTC

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Last reply on December 18, 2025 08:07 UTC

delvingbitcoin

  • A strategy suggests sending updates every 12 seconds to improve data processing efficiency.

  • Incorporating gossip messages into sketches directly avoids hashing, enhancing update ease.

  • The system's design factors in computing and bandwidth limits, using a Raspberry Pi 5 for illustration.

Understanding and Mitigating a OP_CTV Footgun: The Unsatisfiable UTXO

17 replies

By gmaxwell

Involving 1440000bytes, salvatoshi+7 others

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Original post on July 3, 2025 20:09 UTC

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Last reply on December 21, 2025 20:51 UTC

delvingbitcoin

  • The criticism highlights CTV's design flaws, especially in rigid covenant creation.

  • It notes SegWit's oversight in not reserving witness ID ranges, risking misdirected funds.

  • Suggests scripts without address encodings could decrease accidental transaction risks.

Scaling Noncustodial Mining Payouts with CTV

17 replies

By coinjoinkillua

Involving vnprc, AntoineP+5 others

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Original post on June 4, 2025 20:12 UTC

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Last reply on December 20, 2025 17:48 UTC

delvingbitcoin

  • Miners face a choice between custodial services and self-sovereignty in cryptocurrency mining.

  • Some prefer decentralization and control over their operations, accepting lower fees.

  • The debate emphasizes the importance of decentralization and autonomy in the mining community's values.

Response to Pieter Wuille's StackExchange Answer Re: Nuking the Opreturn Filter

16 replies

By coinjoinkillua

Involving cguida, AdamISZ+6 others

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Original post on September 17, 2025 17:50 UTC

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Last reply on December 15, 2025 12:53 UTC

delvingbitcoin

  • The discussion highlights the need for neutrality in spam filter development.

  • It warns against default arbitrary filters that might enforce social biases.

  • Emphasizes balancing user autonomy with protocol integrity in solutions.

Benchmarking Bitcoin Script Evaluation for the Varops Budget (Great Script Restoration)

13 replies

By ajtowns

Involving Julian, instagibbs+1 other

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Original post on November 7, 2025 15:14 UTC

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Last reply on December 18, 2025 00:56 UTC

delvingbitcoin

  • The discussion highlights the need for computational budgets in blockchain script processing.

  • It proposes limiting GSR execution costs and targets validation times to ensure efficiency.

  • The conversation also explores improving the system by integrating new functionalities without limiting current ones.

Bitcoin Embracing MimbleWimble

12 replies

By REDBaron

Involving vazertuche, 1440000bytes+3 others

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Original post on October 27, 2025 12:04 UTC

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Last reply on December 22, 2025 08:58 UTC

delvingbitcoin

  • Significant entities are implementing censorship in cryptocurrency transactions.

  • There's fear that such censorship might lead to a restricted, 'zombified' network.

  • Links provided offer insights into the censorship practices and their future implications.

SHRINCS: 324-byte stateful post-quantum signatures with static backups

5 replies

By jonasnick

Involving moonsettler

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Original post on December 11, 2025 08:40 UTC

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Last reply on December 16, 2025 22:40 UTC

delvingbitcoin

  • The email explains 128-bit encryption's adequacy under NIST's post-quantum criteria.

  • It mentions Grover's algorithm's limitations and the extreme resources needed for its efficiency.

  • Details are provided on SHRINCS signature scheme, highlighting signature sizes and quantum resistance.

Modifying BIP54 to Support Future nTime Soft Fork

5 replies

By josh

Involving ajtowns, AntoineP+1 other

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Original post on December 15, 2025 00:36 UTC

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Last reply on December 18, 2025 04:36 UTC

delvingbitcoin

  • The discussion suggests using timelocks to mitigate cryptocurrency confiscation risk by signaling far in advance.

  • It emphasizes a cautious approach to blockchain evolution, favoring soft forks over hard forks for protocol amendments.

  • The narrative argues for future-proofing cryptocurrencies without exceeding established risk levels, like those in BIP54.

Measuring minrelaytxfee across the Bitcoin network

5 replies

By danielabrozzoni

Involving 0xB10C, 1440000bytes

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Original post on September 17, 2025 13:22 UTC

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Last reply on December 18, 2025 14:31 UTC

delvingbitcoin

  • Significant rise in low fee filter acceptance observed from September to December 2025.

  • The majority of i2p nodes adopted a 100 minrelayfee, indicating a shift in fee preferences.

  • Visual data supported textual findings, highlighting evolving network node configurations.

BIP The Cat - Draft discussion

2 replies

By Claire

Involving billymcbip

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Original post on December 9, 2025 23:52 UTC

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Last reply on December 15, 2025 18:22 UTC

delvingbitcoin

  • A Bitcoin Development Mailing List discussion addressed concerns over arbitrary data use in Bitcoin protocol.

  • Proposals suggested mitigating misuse by discouraging spam through financial disincentives, but effectiveness and ethicality were debated.

  • The debate highlighted a need for clear communication in proposals, amid complexities in digital currency evolution and integrity.

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