The Bitcoin Core Project has unveiled a significant update with the release of Bitcoin Core v26.0 on December 6, 2023, with key enhancements aimed at improving security and network performance while addressing concerns surrounding the controversial Bitcoin Ordinals and BRC-20 tokens.
The new release introduces preliminary support for an optional v2 protocol, known as BIP324, to optimize peer-to-peer connectivity without impacting existing legacy protocol operations. This is expected to strengthen defenses against eclipse attacks, which can isolate a node from the rest of the network, thereby compromising its functionality.
In addition to the security enhancements, Bitcoin Core v26.0 integrates the loadtxoutset RPC (NYSE:RES) to accelerate node bootstrapping using UTXO snapshots. This development is expected to significantly reduce synchronization times and provide a more efficient experience for users joining the network.
RPC enhancements in this update also improve node synchronization monitoring through getchainstates and provide advanced Taproot integration for wallets, further strengthening the overall Bitcoin infrastructure.
Looking ahead, developers have indicated that the upcoming v27 update may address issues caused by Bitcoin Ordinals – unique satoshis that have caused blockchain bloat and increased transaction fees since 2013 by exploiting vulnerabilities in transaction data size limits. These ordinals were encoded with additional data disguised as program code, circumventing existing limits.
Despite a slight drop of 5.2% following the release, ORDI – a notable BRC-20 token associated with Ordinals – has seen a notable spike of approximately 680% over the past month.
The community remains divided on the value of Ordinals. Some see them as a creative expression within the bitcoin ecosystem, while others argue for preserving bitcoin’s primary function as a digital currency free of such burdensome innovations.
