Perth BitDevs
SwiftSync
A 5.28x speedup of initial block download (IBD) over Bitcoin Core’s default IBD settings, reducing the initial sync time from about 41 hours to about 8 hours. The user performing SwiftSync downloads a "hints" file and uses it when processing each block such that it only stores outputs in the UTXO database if the hints file indicates that the output will remain in the UTXO set up to the block that the SwiftSync "checkpoint" matches. This massively reduces the number of entries that are added, and then later removed, from the UTXO database during IBD.
Quantum Computing Threat to Bitcoin
Multiple discussions about quantum computing threat. Jameson Lopp posted to the Bitcoin-Dev mailing list several arguments for the destruction of bitcoins vulnerable to quantum theft after an upgrade path to quantum resistance has been adopted and users have had time to adopt the solution. (Optech #348)
Block Releases Open-Source Tools for Bitcoin Treasury Management
Released as part of the Block Open Source initiative. Not much yet - a bit of a let down. Maybe the public pricing endpoint is useful: pricing data refreshed every 60 seconds, comprised of a volume weighted average of price data from many cryptocurrency exchanges.
New SEC Chairperson - Paul Atkins
Gary Gensler is out. Atkins is "a vocal supporter of the digital asset space." A "top priority" of his chairmanship would be to provide a "firm regulatory foundation for digital assets through a rational, coherent and principled approach." Paul Atkins’ first public event as chairman was a crypto roundtable. He previously served as an SEC Commissioner from 2002 to 2008 under the George W. Bush administration.
Tether Directs Hashrate to OCEAN Pool
OCEAN enables miners to construct their own block templates via its DATUM protocol - individual miners have a say! Tether has a number of mining interests, them directing their hashrate to OCEAN is good for decentralisation.
Bitcoin Core v29.0 Is Out!
Ephemeral dust is a new concept that allows a single dust output in a transaction, provided the transaction is zero fee. Also features the switch of the build system to CMake, bringing multi-config builds, more robust support for Windows, macOS, and various Linux distributions, and better support for modern C++ features.
ESP32 Bluetooth CVE
Blockstream Jade uses ESP32, a microcontroller widely used in IoT devices to provide Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity. An attacker can embed a hidden list of vulnerabilities through module updates, potentially compromising ESP32 devices and allowing unauthorized access to private keys. However, Blockstream says both v1 and Plus products are not affected by the ESP32 Bluetooth CVE.
Twenty One Capital
Twenty One Capital is set to launch with over 42,000 BTC in its treasury. Led by Jack Mallers of Strike. Backed by Tether, SoftBank, Cantor equity partners. Mission: "to maximize Bitcoin ownership per share and offer investors direct exposure to Bitcoin via a public company structure." Aims to replicate (Micro)Strategy.
Federal Reserve Retracts Guidance Discouraging Banks from Crypto
"The Board will no longer expect banks to provide notification and will instead monitor banks’ crypto-asset activities through the normal supervisory process." Saylor: "Banks are now free to begin supporting Bitcoin."
UTXOscope - On-Chain Price Analysis Tool
UTXOscope is a text-only BTC blockchain analysis tool that visualizes price dynamics using only on-chain data. It estimates Bitcoin price trends by analyzing the value distribution of newly created UTXOs, identifying clusters that likely represent common purchase amounts ($100, $50, $200), and tracking these clusters over time to infer price movements. This demonstrates how price information is inherently embedded in the blockchain itself, without needing external oracles.
LNBig Shares Thoughts on Running Lightning Nodes
"The entire network of my nodes earns about 500,000 satoshis per day on average." Liquidity across all nodes is roughly around 300 bitcoins. That works out to about 0.6% profit from fees annually - not accounting for the costs of opening/closing channels and on-chain fees. "Is this a profitable venture? You decide for yourselves."
Mempool v3.2.0 Released
Support for v3 transactions, anchor outputs, new UTXO bubble chart on the address page, DATUM miner tags, tags to identify runestone messages and inscriptions, package broadcast, stratum job data visualizations, taproot multisig labels, transaction & PSBT preview feature, and address poisoning detection.
Bitcoin Softforks Database
A comprehensive research database comparing active Bitcoin soft fork proposals.
Consensus Cleanup Soft Fork BIP Draft - Announced and Withdrawn
This proposal addresses a number of long-standing vulnerabilities and weaknesses in the Bitcoin protocol, bundling fixes together to overcome the fixed cost of deploying a soft fork. Opened March 27th. Feedback was that it should be "separate, focused BIPs" (4 of them) rather than a single BIP. Closed April ~23rd.
AI Bots with eCash Stamps
Very interesting approach to gated payments.
OP_RETURN Drama
Discussed briefly in the WA Bitcoiners Signal group. Active debate on the Bitcoin-Dev mailing list and in Bitcoin Core PR #32359.
Social Engineering Attack for 3,500 BTC
Social engineering attack resulting in the theft of a casual 3,500 BTC.