Relax OP_RETURN standardness restrictions
Posted by Sjors Provoost
May 21, 2025/07:41 UTC
In a recent discussion regarding the behavior of large miners in the Bitcoin network, it was pointed out that designing protocols should consider the worst-case scenarios rather than optimistic assumptions. This conversation highlighted the instance of Eligius, a mining pool, which mined a non-standard OP_RETURN transaction back in 2013. The transaction in question can be reviewed at mempool.space. Such examples underline the necessity for robust protocol design in the cryptocurrency space, acknowledging that while singular anecdotes do not create a pattern, they nonetheless serve as important considerations.
The discussion further delves into the dynamics between large miners and the centralization of services within the Bitcoin ecosystem. It suggests that large miners have a vested interest in centralization, as it enables them to offer paid services that bypass the need for transactions to adhere to standard formats. This perspective introduces a critical examination of how financial incentives might influence the behavior of significant players in the cryptocurrency mining industry, potentially affecting the decentralization ethos of blockchain technology.
TLDR
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