Bitcoin’s BIP-110 Enforcement Fork Stalls After Only Two Blocks
A Bitcoin fork attempting to enforce signaling for BIP-110 has virtually ground to a halt, with minimal mining activity and a widening gap from the main chain.
Fork Grinds to Halt as Miner Support Evaporates
Bitcoin’s BIP-110-enforcing branch has stalled significantly after entering mandatory signaling, producing only two blocks before mining activity nearly ceased. The branch reached block 961,633 on Sunday and remained stuck there for approximately 12 hours, according to real-time monitoring data. Meanwhile, the standard Bitcoin blockchain continued its forward march, reaching block 961,721, creating an 88-block gap between the two chains.
A pseudonymous mining collective called Roughnecks, operating through Ocean’s Decentralized Alternative Templates for Universal Mining (DATUM) protocol, mined the fork’s initial two blocks. Beyond that, the branch has seen virtually no mining activity, highlighting the steep challenge facing the proposed change.
Minimal Support Triggers Mandatory Signaling
The fork’s stagnation follows its transition into mandatory signaling at block 961,632 on Saturday. In the preceding 2,016-block window, only 51 blocks signaled support for BIP-110—just 2.53% of the total. BIP-110 nodes now reject any blocks that don’t signal support through version bit 4, while standard Bitcoin nodes continue accepting both signaling and non-signaling blocks.
The fork persists partly due to Bitcoin’s difficulty adjustment mechanics. The enforcing branch must complete the entire 2,016-block adjustment period before it can recalibrate mining difficulty downward. With minimal hashpower dedicated to the fork, progress remains glacial. Mandatory signaling will continue through block 963,647, meaning the enforcing chain must overcome this difficulty disadvantage for an extended period.
High-Profile Opposition Emerges
The fork’s struggles occur amid growing concerns from prominent figures in the Bitcoin ecosystem. MicroStrategy’s Strategy executive chairman Michael Saylor acknowledged sharing BIP-110’s core objectives but argued that the proposal’s enforcement mechanism threatens Bitcoin’s foundational principle of neutral consensus rules. Blockstream CEO Adam Back raised similar concerns, warning that consensus-level changes of this nature could undermine Bitcoin’s credibility and potentially render certain unspent transaction outputs unspendable—a serious concern for network integrity.
These objections highlight the tension between innovation and consensus in decentralized systems. While BIP-110 proponents support the proposal’s goals, critics contend the enforcement approach diverges from how Bitcoin has traditionally resolved disagreements, which typically requires broader community consensus before implementation.
Source: Cointelegraph. Not financial advice.