Bitcoin BIP 110 Fails as Backers Threaten Radical Fork

Bitcoin experienced a brief chain split over the weekend following the failed deployment of the BIP 110 soft fork. The proposal, which sought to limit arbitrary data on the network, required 55 percent miner signaling but failed to gain traction. Consequently, the chain stalled after producing only two blocks, as the vast majority of the network continued on the dominant chain.

Prominent figures in the space, including Michael Saylor, noted that over 99 percent of the network hashpower ignored the fork. The aftermath has turned into a heated debate over protocol governance. Bitcoin developers are now calling for the removal of Luke Dashjr from the BIP editorial team, citing concerns that he handled the proposal with bias and bypassed standard community procedures.

In response to the failure, BIP 110 supporters are planning to escalate the situation by proposing a change to Bitcoin’s proof of work algorithm. The goal is to effectively replace existing mining pools, which they blame for the fork's collapse. A small group of miners has announced plans to keep the minority chain alive until this change is implemented.

This shift to a new mining algorithm would be a significant move that could lead to a permanent, incompatible split from the main Bitcoin network. As developers debate the future of the editorial team and supporters attempt to revive their stalled branch, the community remains focused on whether this conflict will leave any lasting impact on the primary Bitcoin protocol.