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BTC to PKR price and Bitcoin’s core network governance are now in the spotlight as the number of Bitcoin nodes signaling support for Bitcoin Improvement Proposal 110 (BIP-110) a temporary soft fork designed to cap arbitrary transaction data has risen above 2% of all active nodes. Today, roughly 583 out of 24,481 nodes are running code that supports BIP-110, highlighting how the network’s non-monetary data debate is rapidly escalating.
The Bitcoin network allows users to embed small amounts of arbitrary data in transactions using a script field called OP RETURN, originally designed for tiny notes or metadata. However, a controversial update in Bitcoin Core version 30 removed limits on OP RETURN data size and count, allowing much larger volumes of non-monetary data. Critics say this could invite spam, bloat the blockchain, and raise hardware requirements for running full nodes, weakening Bitcoin’s decentralization.
In response, developers and node operators behind BIP-110 (in some reports associated with a drafting effort similar to BIP-444) want to cap OP RETURN at 83 bytes and limit other data fields to ensure transaction data remains tightly focused on monetary transfers.
The proposal has reignited debates within the Bitcoin ecosystem about the network’s identity whether it should remain focused strictly on peer to peer money or tolerate increasing levels of arbitrary data transactions. Supporters of uncapped data argue that letting the market decide block space is more neutral, while opponents warn that large arbitrary data use could prompt spam and legal issues if illicit content is stored on chain.
Veteran developers and critics alike have weighed in, with some arguing the change undermines Bitcoin’s core accessibility, while others support expanded data capacity and technological evolution.
“If the blockchain contains content that is illegal to possess or distribute, node operators could face a dilemma of violating the law or shutting down their node,” reads language associated with some draft proposals limiting data a clause that has itself become controversial within the community.
BIP-110 is designed as a temporary soft fork lasting around one year, giving developers time to explore permanent solutions and gauge community support. Whether Bitcoin node operators continue to adopt BIP-110 or remain with uncapped data approaches will influence the future direction of Bitcoin’s consensus rules and node policy.
