The remote anchor of anchor channels is redundant

In a recent correspondence, the intricacies of blockchain channel management were discussed, particularly focusing on the handling of to_remote outputs and the potential adoption of anchor outputs as an alternative. The conversation highlighted that whenever a to_remote output disappears in a transaction, it can be replaced by an anchor output, which must be paid by the channel initiator. This technique is not exclusive to channel creation but is also necessary to support channels with zero reserves, which are commonly associated with mobile wallets.

The issue with small dust to_remote outputs is their inability to be claimed by the peer due to their insignificant value, leading to their permanent presence in the unspent transaction output (UTXO) set, effectively causing pollution. In contrast, anchor outputs offer a solution by allowing anyone to claim them after a specific period, typically 16 blocks. This enables entities to sweep these outputs collectively when the memory pool has ample space, optimizing the UTXO set.

The ongoing debate between the two options remains unresolved, with no clear consensus on which is superior. However, there is a hopeful outlook towards version 3 (v3), which promises a more streamlined approach to achieving similar results in channel management without the drawbacks currently being faced.