Relax OP_RETURN standardness restrictions
Posted by Pieter Wuille
May 21, 2025/14:47 UTC
Pieter's message addresses a critical concern regarding the potential threat to Bitcoin posed by non-publicly-enforced business deals concerning future block space. He articulates that such arrangements represent a danger as significant, if not more imminent, than previously acknowledged issues related to transaction relay policy. Pieter underscores the importance of recognizing the use case for these arrangements while also highlighting the challenges and possible threats they introduce to the sustainability and security of Bitcoin. The feasibility of acquiring such deals is questioned, suggesting it poses a serious risk to the decentralized nature of Bitcoin.
Pieter expresses skepticism about the effectiveness of current measures to mitigate this threat, suggesting that increased decentralization of mining may be a necessary step forward. He criticizes the attitude of disregarding the public network's relay policy in favor of prioritizing transactions for large direct customers, indicating such an approach contradicts the goals of preventing centralization and maintaining the integrity of Bitcoin. Through his critique, Pieter calls attention to the need for a reassessment of strategies to ensure the cryptocurrency remains secure and true to its foundational principles of decentralization.
TLDR
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