{"id":24626,"date":"2025-06-11T11:10:21","date_gmt":"2025-06-11T08:10:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/bitcoin-core-update-to-remove-data-limit-for-op_return\/"},"modified":"2025-06-11T11:10:21","modified_gmt":"2025-06-11T08:10:21","slug":"bitcoin-core-update-to-remove-data-limit-for-op_return","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/bitcoin-core-update-to-remove-data-limit-for-op_return\/","title":{"rendered":"Bitcoin Core Update to Remove Data Limit for OP_RETURN"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Bitcoin Core developers will remove the default data limit for OP_RETURN in the client release v30, scheduled for October.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">I posted a full writeup for the #32406 merge decision on the PR.<\/p>\n<p>These changes go into effect in v30, which is scheduled for release in October.<br \/>The PR changes the defalt value of -datacarriersize. You will still be able to use -datacarrier and -datacarriersize options in v30,\u2026<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 gloria (@glozow) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/glozow\/status\/1932062404566761473?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">June 9, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>The effective limit will be the 4 MB block size. Users can still manually set a limit by specifying the -datacarriersize argument, which will remain available but marked as deprecated.<\/p>\n<p>Debates over the data size in OP_RETURN intensified since late April. Bitcoin developer <a href=\"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/news\/peter-todd-unlikely-creator-of-bitcoin\">Peter Todd<\/a>, who was <a href=\"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/news\/peter-todd-refutes-hbos-claim-of-being-bitcoins-creator\">dubbed<\/a> the creator of the first cryptocurrency in an HBO documentary, <a href=\"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/news\/the-op_return-war-intensifies-within-the-bitcoin-community\">proposed<\/a> removing the existing 83-byte limit.<\/p>\n<p>The initiative divided the community. Opponents argue that lifting the restriction encourages the use of the network for non-financial transactions, potentially overloading the blockchain.<\/p>\n<p>Critics point out that users still find alternative ways, and miners have the opportunity and incentives to include such operations in a block.<\/p>\n<p>In May, developers prepared code changes intended to be <a href=\"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/news\/bitcoin-core-to-remove-data-volume-limit-for-op_return\">included<\/a> in the next client release.<\/p>\n<p>In early June, the Bitcoin Core team penned an open letter explaining their decision to remove the OP_RETURN limit. They stated that any restrictions ultimately contradict the fundamental principles of the first cryptocurrency\u2014decentralization and censorship resistance.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cThis does not mean approval or encouragement of using non-financial data, but rather an acknowledgment that a censorship-resistant system can and will be used even in cases not everyone agrees with,\u201d the letter&#8217;s authors stated.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Some Bitcoin supporters reacted sharply to the developers&#8217; decision to remove the OP_RETURN limit. Co-founder and CEO of Satoshi Action Fund, Dennis Porter, noted that he had helped raise $200,000 for the Bitcoin Core team.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">I\u2019ve helped raise over $200,000 for core devs during my time in Bitcoin. My faith in their work is now broken. <\/p>\n<p>I will no longer be financially supporting Core Development. <\/p>\n<p>I have begun exploring other implementations to support. <\/p>\n<p>Dm me if you are interested in joining me.<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Dennis Porter (@Dennis_Porter_) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Dennis_Porter_\/status\/1932569449535582501?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">June 10, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cMy faith in their work is now broken. I will no longer be financially supporting and have begun exploring other implementations,\u201d he wrote.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>The vice president of the Ocean mining pool stated that developers made a corporate-style decision, disregarding user positions. In his view, this undermines Bitcoin as the benchmark monetary system and threatens the network&#8217;s future.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">52 days.<\/p>\n<p>That&#8217;s all it took for a non-Bitcoin project to co-opt Bitcoin Core&#8217;s development and direction.<\/p>\n<p>If that doesn&#8217;t terrify you, it should. If such an insignificant shitcoin entity can shift Bitcoin Core&#8217;s development so easily with so little influence, despite massive\u2026<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Jason Hughes (@wk057) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/wk057\/status\/1932099385975771486?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">June 9, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cPersonally, I have no strength for this fight. Users must stand against this nonsense and not let Bitcoin Core kill Bitcoin,\u201d he emphasized.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Prominent Bitcoin advocate Jimmy Song also <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/jimmysong\/status\/1932072722319696292\">noted<\/a> that removing the OP_RETURN data limit will lead to more \u201cjunk\u201d in the network.<\/p>\n<p>According to video blogger Matthew Kratter, the developers&#8217; decision could spell trouble for Bitcoin Core. Ignoring community opinion has already led to a loss of market share, and within one to three years, it could shrink from the current 88% to 20-30%, the expert believes.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-lang=\"en\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">In 1-3 years from now, expect Bitcoin Core&#8217;s market share to have fallen to 20-30% <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/bxarqFDcjj\">https:\/\/t.co\/bxarqFDcjj<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Matthew R. Kratter (@mattkratter) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/mattkratter\/status\/1932129897486668180?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">June 9, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>In June, on-chain activity in the first cryptocurrency&#8217;s network <a href=\"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/news\/bitcoins-on-chain-activity-declines-to-october-2023-levels\">dropped<\/a> to levels seen in October 2023.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Bitcoin Core developers will remove the default data limit for OP_RETURN in the client release v30, scheduled for October. I posted a full writeup for the #32406 merge decision on the PR. These changes go into effect in v30, which is scheduled for release in October.The PR changes the defalt value of -datacarriersize. You will [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":24625,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"select":"","news_style_id":"","cryptorium_level":"","_short_excerpt_text":"","creation_source":"","_metatest_mainpost_news_update":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[18,1134],"class_list":["post-24626","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news-and-analysis","tag-bitcoin","tag-technical-updates"],"aioseo_notices":[],"amp_enabled":true,"views":"201","promo_type":"","layout_type":"","short_excerpt":"","is_update":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24626","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24626"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24626\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/24625"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24626"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24626"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forklog.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24626"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}