Bitcoin Core developer Luke Dashjr has identified a critical vulnerability in Bitcoin Core, the underlying software for the Bitcoin network. He asserts that a forthcoming bug fix could potentially halt the creation of new BTC ordinals and BRC-20 tokens, addressing an alleged vulnerability in the process.
Bitcoin Core Update Targets Congestion Caused by Ordinals and Tokens
Luke Dashjr has highlighted a potential solution to a pressing issue in the Bitcoin network. He suggests that an upcoming bug fix could effectively prevent new BTC ordinals and BRC-20 tokens from causing congestion. This proposal aims to address a vulnerability that these token types have been exploiting.
Dashjr’s announcement coincides with Bitcoin nearing the $45,000 mark and an observed surge in unconfirmed transactions, which has reignited debates about the impact of ordinal inscriptions on the network. In a recent post, he pointed out how ordinals and BRC-20 tokens, which embed data into satoshis, exploit a gap in Bitcoin Core’s design, contributing to blockchain spam.
He detailed that since 2013, Bitcoin Core has allowed users to impose limits on additional data in transactions. However, ordinal inscriptions have circumvented this limit by disguising extra data as program code, a loophole that has led to increased congestion.
To counter this, a recent update to Bitcoin Knots — a variant of Bitcoin Core known for incorporating experimental features — has remedied the bug that permitted inscriptions to exceed the set data limits. This update represents a significant step in mitigating issues related to blockchain efficiency and transaction processing.
Dashjr Confirms End to Ordinals and BRC-20 Tokens Post-Fix
Responding to queries about the future of ordinals and BRC-20 tokens following the vulnerability fix in Bitcoin Core, Dashjr confirmed that these would indeed cease to exist in their current form. He assured that existing inscriptions would remain, but new ones would no longer be possible post-fix.
Dashjr also shared his concerns about the upcoming Bitcoin Core release (v26), noting that the vulnerability in question still exists in this version. He expressed hope for a resolution in the Bitcoin Core v27 release slated for next year.
Adding to the discourse, Shenyu, co-founder of the mining pool f2pool, issued a statement to the Bitcoin community. He underscored the fundamental differences between Bitcoin and Ethereum, particularly in terms of governance and decision-making.
Shenyu highlighted that in the Bitcoin network, unlike Ethereum, developers do not hold complete authority over decision-making processes. This statement reflects the unique decentralized nature of Bitcoin’s development and governance, a principle that often shapes its technological and policy directions.
