Bitcoin Developers Cease Discussion on "Ordinal" Protocol

Bitcoin, the world's most renowned cryptocurrency, has hit a roadblock as its core developers find themselves in a heated debate over the "Ordinal" protocol. Colin Wu, a well-known cryptocurrency researcher, pointed out the lack of consensus among Bitcoin core developers regarding Ordinals, BRC-20 standard, and notations. For several weeks, programmers engaged in lively discussions about the pros and cons of "ordinal numbers" technology, with each individual advocating their viewpoint.

Some developers have voiced concerns that the traffic generated by "notations" constitutes spam, undermining the use of Bitcoin as a payment method due to the high transaction volume and fees involved. On the other side of the debate, some argue that miners will continue to support such transactions for their personal gain. A portion of the community believes that transactions within the Bitcoin network should not be subject to censorship, emphasizing Bitcoin's status as a free market that should not be restricted by anyone's ideals.

The discussion, initiated by developer Luke Dashjr on Bitcoin Github, eventually reached an impasse, with participants failing to reach a consensus on "ordinal numbers." The topic was eventually closed by Bitcoin Core maintainer ahow101, who stated, "It is quite evident that this conversation is contentious, and in its current state, we have no chance of arriving at a universally acceptable conclusion. At the moment, I see no reason to leave this open and continue sending notifications about ongoing discussions."

Bitcoin, the first and most well-known cryptocurrency, was created in 2009 by an anonymous programmer known as Satoshi Nakamoto. It operates on blockchain technology and lacks centralized control, relying instead on a decentralized network where miners confirm and record transactions. As of January 7, 2024, Bitcoin's market capitalization stands at $869.55 billion, with a price of $44,395 per BTC.