Bitcoin BIP-110 fork stalls after two blocks
Enforcing fork struggles to progress with minimal hashpower support during mandatory signaling.
1BIP-110 fork stalls
Bitcoin's BIP-110 enforcing fork stalled at block 961,633 after producing only two blocks, while the main chain advanced to 961,721, creating an 88-block gap. The fork's latest block was mined approximately 12 hours ago as of UTC 10:19. Ocean data shows the first two blocks were mined by an anonymous group called Roughnecks using the DATUM mining protocol.
2Mandatory signaling process
BIP-110 entered mandatory signaling at block 961,632 on Saturday, with only 51 out of the preceding 2,016 blocks (2.53%) signaling support. BIP-110 nodes reject blocks that don't signal through version bit 4, while standard Bitcoin nodes accept both types. This has led to a chain split between enforcing and non-enforcing nodes.
3Difficulty adjustment hurdle
According to BIP-110 proposal, mandatory signaling continues through block 963,647. The fork chain must complete this 2,016-block period before it can adjust difficulty. Without substantial hashpower support, progress remains extremely slow. Currently, the fork chain struggles with Bitcoin's full mining difficulty.
4Industry backlash
BIP-110 has faced criticism from prominent Bitcoin advocates. Michael Saylor stated he supports the proposal's goals but argued it threatens Bitcoin's neutral rules and consensus. Blockstream CEO Adam Back warned the consensus-level change could damage Bitcoin's credibility and potentially render some UTXOs unspendable.
5Role of DATUM protocol
The fork's first two blocks were mined using Ocean's DATUM (Decentralized Alternative Templates for Universal Mining) protocol. This system provides flexible mining templates for fork scenarios. Roughnecks' choice of this protocol demonstrates confidence in BIP-110's technical infrastructure despite limited community support.
6Hashpower imbalance
The fork chain's slow progress results from the vast majority of hashpower supporting the main chain. Currently, the fork lacks sufficient hashpower to trigger difficulty adjustments. This significantly reduces the proposal's chance of success and creates uncertainty about the fork's future viability.
7BIP-110 objectives
BIP-110 proposal aims to combat spam transactions and improve network efficiency. However, its mandatory signaling mechanism is viewed as interfering with Bitcoin's decentralized nature. Supporters argue it's necessary for long-term network health, while opponents claim it violates Bitcoin's core principles.
8Community division
The BIP-110 debate reveals deep divisions within Bitcoin community. The fork's minimal hashpower support indicates most participants oppose this change. This situation will serve as an important case study for Bitcoin's future governance processes and protocol change implementations.
Original article: Cointelegraph.com News — Bitcoin BIP-110 fork'u iki blok sonra durakladı