Bitcoin BIP-110 stalls as chain split draws minimal miner support

The mandatory signaling phase for BIP-110 began at block 961,632 on August 8, following a lackluster support showing of just 51 out of 2,016 blocks. While the proposal mandates that nodes reject any blocks lacking the version bit 4, the vast majority of the network’s hash power continues to ignore these requirements. The enforcing branch, initiated by the pseudonymous operation Roughnecks, produced only two blocks before activity ceased, leaving the chain significantly behind the dominant Bitcoin ledger.

This lack of consensus has sparked debate among industry leaders. MicroStrategy’s Michael Saylor argued that the failure to reach even the 55% voluntary threshold demonstrates a lack of genuine miner support. Conversely, proponents claim the restrictions are necessary to curb non-monetary data storage within blocks. For users, the split introduces immediate security concerns; developer Kevin Loaec warned that transactions could be valid on both chains, exposing holders to potential replay attacks if they move assets before the network state stabilizes. While developers like Chris Guida have prepared contingency code for a proof-of-work algorithm change, no activation timeline exists, leaving BIP-110 to drift toward irrelevance unless significant hash power shifts to support the minority chain.