Bitcoin Core 30 Release to Raise OP_RETURN Data Limit to Nearly 4MB
Bitcoin Core developers announced that the upcoming version 30 release will increase the default limit for OP_RETURN data transactions from 80 bytes to nearly 4MB. This change, confirmed on GitHub, has sparked debate within the Bitcoin community over potential issues such as network spam and a deviation from Bitcoin's primary financial function.
Key points include:
- The OP_RETURN code allows users to embed data in transactions.
- Critics fear removing the limit may promote arbitrary data storage and network congestion.
- The current 80-byte limit has led to alternative data storage methods causing UTXO set bloating.
- Gloria Zhao emphasized correcting the mismatch in data storage techniques as the primary motivation for the change.
- Greg Sanders noted benefits of a cleaner UTXO set and more consistent behavior with the removal.
Debate over governance
Zhao addressed governance concerns, highlighting the importance of maintaining transparency and meritocracy in decision-making. She warned against external influences affecting development choices.
Developer Luke Dashjr opposed loosening limits, advising users to avoid upgrading or consider alternative node implementations like Bitcoin Knots.
The Core 30 release will still offer manual control options for stricter limits, though these will be deprecated and may be removed in future updates.