Adam Back Calls BIP-110 an Attack on Bitcoin's Reputation

Adam Back, CEO of Blockstream, has voiced strong opposition to BIP-110, a proposal intended to mitigate "spam" on the Bitcoin network. He argues that this initiative jeopardizes the credibility of Bitcoin as a secure store of value.

"This is an attack on Bitcoin's authority as a store of value. It's a lynch mob attempt to push changes without general consent," Back stated.

The proposal, put forth by developer Dathon Ohm, suggests a temporary reduction in transaction data limits for a year to alleviate congestion from media files. Back contends that spam is merely a nuisance and does not significantly threaten the network's security.

"Spam is just an annoyance; it all fits within the block size. The OP_RETURN returns are 4x smaller," Back added.

Back has also raised concerns regarding the technical implications of BIP-110, warning that its adoption could potentially lock users out of their unspent transaction outputs, effectively freezing their funds. Ohm acknowledged the theoretical risk but assured that the proposal's design aims to prevent any damage in known scenarios.

Currently, about 7.5% of Bitcoin nodes support BIP-110, primarily those running the Bitcoin Knots client. This client has gained traction, now accounting for 22.7% of users, as many have shifted from Bitcoin Core, which comprises 77.2% of nodes. This migration followed a decision at the end of 2025 to remove the 80-byte limit on the OP_RETURN function, allowing for new data types on the blockchain.

Back had previously criticized industry figures like Nick Carter for spreading fear regarding Bitcoin's vulnerability to quantum computing threats.