New Bitcoin Core update will increase from 80bytes to 4Mb the op_return top

By Canuto

Bitcoin Core 30, the next version of the main software to connect to Bitcoin, will drastically raise the op_return data limit by transaction. The decision ends a heated debate and could transform the way information is stored in the blockchain, reviving dilemmas on efficiency, spam and decentralization.

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• Bitcoin Core 30 will raise the op_return limit to almost 4MB, allowing more transaction data to be stored.
• The change seeks to improve the efficiency of the UTXO set, but generates concerns about abuse and spam.
• Developers and the Bitcoin community are divided, feeding debates about governance and network neutrality.

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The Central Network Software Bitcoinknown as Bitcoin Coreprepares to face an update that promises to shake the technical and community foundations of the ecosystem.

The next version Bitcoin Core 30which is expected by October 2025, it will eliminate the historical data restriction in the transactions used by op_return, increasing the limit of 80 bytes to almost 4 MB per operation, the maximum allowed by the size of the block in Bitcoin.

This adjustment, confirmed through the GITHUB platform and reported by COINDESKarises after an extensive and public debate between developers, experts and users. What for some represents an advance in the efficiency and predictability of internal functioning, for others it implies the opening of a door to risks never seen before, such as the potential increase of spam in the network.

Certain critics argue that incorporating these transaction data is “arbitrary” and goes against the original vision of the block chain of blocks Bitcoin raised by its pseudonym creator, Satoshi Nakamoto.

The importance of op_return lies in its ability to include additional data in transactions of Bitcoinfunction that has evolved to enable creative ideas such as inscriptions of Ordinalsthat store text and images directly in the Blockchain. However, pre -existing limitations pushed some users to explore alternative techniques to record information, causing possible problems, such as overload of the set of non -spent transaction outputs (UTXO).

Bitcoin Core 30: Towards an expanded op_return

In the center of the discussion is the desire to balance efficiency and security. As explained by Gloria Zhao, outstanding developer of Bitcoin Corethe low limited capacity caused a “imbalance“Which encouraged little ideal practices and caused negative impacts on the maintenance of the UTXO.”The main motivation for this [cambio] is to correct an imbalance between the harmful and the standardization of data storage techniques“, Zhao said both in Github and in his account in X.

Greg Sanders, another influential member of the development and author of the change request, argued that the extension generates “At least two tangible benefits: a cleaner utxo set and more consistent predetermined behavior“.

The new limit, coupled to the maximum block size of block BitcoinThus, it seeks to reduce the motivation for the use of non -standard techniques and facilitate transparency for all types of transactions. This could optimize the use of resources and simplify long -term management.

However, the community acknowledges that raising the ability to op_return multiplies the potential to store large volumes of arbitrary data in the Blockchain. And with this, the spectrum of abuse, congestion and questions about what the primary function of the network resurfaces Bitcoin.

Criticism and division in the community

The movement of Bitcoin Core 30 He has not been exempt from controversies. Numerous community actors propose that, when strict control is lost on the volume of information added, the network could be a victim of massive flow of irrelevant data, increasing the risk of spam and violating the principles of the original design of Bitcoin as financial network.

At the head of these concerns is Luke Dashjr, a veteran developer who has constantly expressed his opposition to change. Dashjr came to openly recommend avoiding update to the new version and considering alternatives such as Bitcoin Knotsa bifurcation of the original client, associated with a more restrictive vision of transaction processing.

The reference to past conflicts is not less. In 2023, the arrival of Ordinals –who opened the door to the NFT on the network Bitcoin– He had a Polarizing effect: the use of Blockchain For non -financial purposes, such as the issuance of images or texts, it was seen by some as innovation and others as pollution and overload of the network.

The current debate revives those tensions and questions governance: who should decide the legitimate limits and uses of the network? Should absolute neutrality impose themselves, although they run abuse risks?

Governance, decentralization and resistance to censorship

The issue of governance held a central role in public statements. Gloria Zhao highlighted the importance of Bitcoin Core developers acting with transparency and following a technical meritocracy, warning that any attempt at social manipulation or business pressure would endanger the decentralized essence of the project.

“If Bitcoin Core collaborators one day abandon these values, for example, to please social networks or corporate desires, the community will change to another node implementation that does better“, He warned in X.

Zhao insisted that efforts to censor types of transactions through technical policies usually fail due to underlying economic incentives and, even more, could move away Bitcoin from the principles that differentiate it from centralized systems.

Version 30 will maintain for now the option of establishing custom limits through the command line, as it stands out COINDESK. However, it is noted that these controls could disappear in future updates, which could limit the margin of action of users or companies that wish to impose additional restrictions.

The final result is a call to informed surveillance: the community and nodes must be attentive to the practical and philosophical implications of each update, understanding that changes in the software can substantially modify the dynamics of the network and the economic incentives of all participants.

Bitcoin’s future, between efficiency and freedom

With the BTC price oscillating around USD $ 109,500 at the time of this decision, the ecosystem Bitcoin Face the challenge of balancing continuous innovation with the defense of foundational values. This expansion of the op_return limit could facilitate creative developments or decentralized storage applications, but also faces possible non -anticipated negative consequences.

As you remember COINDESKpart of the historical strength of Bitcoin It lies in the ability of their community and its developers to support public discussions, resist external pressures and update transparency software. The outcome of the transition towards Bitcoin Core 30and the way in which participants respond to the challenges, will mark a relevant precedent for the future.

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Article written by an AI content editor and reviewed by a human editor to guarantee quality and precision

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