Dust Expiry: Clean the UTXO set from spam

The proposal in discussion seeks to address the issue of dust in Bitcoin's network by specifically targeting dust that is generated for non-monetary purposes, which is a significant departure from approaches that aim to remove all dust indiscriminately. This targeted strategy is poised to deal directly with dust that can be deterministically identified as spam, particularly those supporting activities unrelated to Bitcoin’s primary monetary function. By focusing on this subset of dust, the proposal not only aims to cleanse the network of unnecessary clutter but also intends to undercut the financial motivations fueling the creation of such spam. The analysis provided indicates that approximately 40% of the current Unspent Transaction Output (UTXO) set within Bitcoin Core is composed of dust transactions under 1,000 satoshis, which can be confidently classified as spam according to specific rules linked to Ordinals.

Furthermore, the conversation highlights an appreciation for a method that shifts the responsibility onto the users, thereby mitigating risks associated with potential confiscation. This approach is commended for its cleverness in navigating regulatory concerns while addressing the problem at hand. However, there's an expressed interest in exploring how this user-centric burden methodology might integrate with the proposed strategy focused on non-monetary dust. The underlying challenge appears to be ensuring compatibility between these methods, with a particular emphasis on maintaining the objective to discourage future spamming behaviors within the network. This demonstrates a nuanced understanding of both the technical and behavioral facets of the problem, suggesting a comprehensive approach to tackling dust and spam in Bitcoin's ecosystem.