Blockstream CEO Adam Back rejected BIP-110 on June 8, calling the proposal technically flawed and warning that forced activation could split Bitcoin into a minority fork. Node support for the user-activated soft fork sits at low single-digit levels. Despite the dispute, Back said he bought Bitcoin during the recent dip and remains bullish.
Blockstream Chief Executive Adam Back rejected BIP-110 on June 8, warning the proposal could split Bitcoin into a minority fork if forced through without broad ecosystem consensus.
"The bip is stupid, it doesn't work, and it doesn't have technical nor ecosystem consensus," Back said in a post on X. "Forcing it anyway is how you end up on a minority contentious fork."
BIP-110 would restrict non-monetary data in Bitcoin transactions through a user-activated soft fork, bypassing miner consensus. Node support for the proposal stands at low single-digit levels, according to public signaling data. Michael Saylor, executive chairman of MicroStrategy, separately called BIP-110 Bitcoin's "biggest self-inflicted risk."
A contentious fork would force exchanges, wallet providers, and node operators to choose which chain to support, creating operational complexity and potential value fragmentation. Back contrasted BIP-110 with SegWit, which secured broad developer and miner support before activating in 2017 after years of coordination.
Back dismissed comparisons between BIP-110 and SegWit, arguing the earlier upgrade had both technical and ecosystem consensus before a late-stage disruption affected its activation. "Polar opposite to segwit which did have technical AND ecosystem consensus," he said.
The Blockstream CEO illustrated his stance with an image of a cat sitting inside a blue-tape square labeled "DEFAULT OP_RETURN LIMIT," captioning it "the 110 contentious fork in a nutshell."
Despite the protocol dispute, Back retained a bullish outlook on Bitcoin. On June 9, he identified "the bitcoin permabulls" as those still fully committed to BTC. He also said he purchased additional Bitcoin during the recent price dip, expecting higher prices ahead.
Critics have accused BIP-110's lead proponent of misrepresenting past events to build support for the proposal. The proposal's activation window narrows over the coming months, with node support remaining in low single digits.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.
