Bitcoin Community Faces New OP_RETURN War Amid Data Storage Debate

Bitcoin developer Pieter Todd has submitted a pull request for a change in the Bitcoin Core code that aims to lift the restrictions on storing arbitrary data in the blockchain. This initiative has sparked a divide within the community.

The proposal suggests eliminating the 83-byte limit set in the technical parameters of the OP_RETURN script. If these restrictions are lifted, node operators will be able to publish larger volumes of data, including media files, in transactions.

In this proposal, Todd has formalized an initiative by Antoine Poinsot from Chaincode Labs. Both developers assert that it is «foolish» to hold onto nonfunctional parameters since users can easily bypass the limit by routing transactions through private mempools like MARA Slipstream or alternative Bitcoin Core nodes such as Libre Relay.

Some commentators have voiced their support for removing what they deem unnecessary code.

Conversely, others, while acknowledging the ineffectiveness of the OP_RETURN limit, oppose its removal. They argue that lifting restrictions could lead to increased spam in the network and jeopardize Bitcoin’s standing as a financial asset.

Bitcoin Core developer Luke Dash — known for his staunch opposition to Ordinals and BRC-20 tokens — described Todd’s proposal as «utter madness.»

«We need to fix issues, not approve abuses,» he stated.

The programmer pointed out that the «attack» from «arbitrary data spammers» has been ongoing for over two years.

«The developers of Bitcoin Core are looking to make a change that would turn Bitcoin into a worthless altcoin, and it seems no one is taking action against it. I’ve voiced my objections, lost sleep over this, and despite clear public disapproval, the proposal continues to progress,» wrote Jason Hughes, vice president of the OCEAN pool.

The platform, founded by Dash and Jack Dorsey, encourages miners to ignore non-financial transactions by collecting fees.

Co-founder and CTO of Casa, Jameson Lopp, noted the resurgence of the «OP_RETURN wars» and reposted a statement claiming the failure of OCEAN’s censorship policies.

«Efforts to filter JPEGs, art, privacy, or ‘undesirable’ Bitcoin transactions by any other criteria are economically irrational, technically trivial to route, and are guaranteed to fail,» read the message published on the blockchain.

A Bitcoin user known as Bryan called Todd’s proposal «technically sound and correct.»

«People are already embedding arbitrary data via Taproot outputs and other scripts that bypass the OP_RETURN limitations. In that sense, the spirit of the old limit has long since died,» he noted.

However, the user sided with the critics, emphasizing that opponents like Dash are strategically correct. He believes that the growing volume of data poses long-term threats:

«The most significant conflict surrounding the first cryptocurrency is now cultural rather than technical,» concluded Bryan.

It’s worth noting that in an HBO documentary, Todd was identified as the creator of Bitcoin.

The programmer denied the filmmakers’ claims, but Money Electric: The Bitcoin Mystery director Cullen Hoback continued to insist on his version of the identity of Satoshi Nakamoto.