Bitcoin News Today: Bitcoin's Censorship Battle Could Spark Core Fork Over Ordinals

A Bitcoin Ordinals developer has raised the possibility of funding an open-source fork of Bitcoin Core if developers attempt to censor Ordinals, Runes, and other non-financial transactions on the network. In a public letter on X, Leonidas, host of The Ordinal Show, warned that any tightening of policy rules or censorship of Ordinals and Runes transactions could trigger "decisive action" from the DOG Army, a community of supporters. This threat comes amid growing tensions within the Bitcoin community over whether node validators should prioritize financial transactions and potentially ignore large data transfers like images and videos, which some view as spam [1].

Leonidas emphasized the importance of censorship resistance, a core principle of Bitcoin. He argued that Bitcoin’s security is being bolstered by the Ordinals and Runes ecosystems, which have contributed over $500 million in transaction fees. This contribution becomes increasingly important as the mining block subsidy continues to halve approximately every four years [1]. Leonidas also noted that he has spoken with Bitcoin miners representing over 50% of the network’s hash rate, many of whom have expressed willingness to process any transaction provided the fees are competitive.

The debate has drawn attention from prominent Bitcoin figures. Adam Back, CEO of Blockstream, is among those who argue that large data transactions, such as images and documents, have "no place in the timechain." Others in agreement include Ocean Mining’s Luke Dashjr and Satoshi Action Fund’s Dennis Porter. Meanwhile, Bitcoin Knots, an alternative node software to Bitcoin Core, has gained traction, growing from 67 nodes in March 2024 to over 4,380 today, accounting for more than 18% of the network. This rise in popularity has occurred ahead of Bitcoin Core’s v30 release, which is set for October 30 and will remove the 80-byte limit on the OP_RETURN function, allowing for more on-chain data [1].

Despite the potential benefits, the reliance on fees from Ordinals transactions has proven unpredictable. On August 31, Bitcoin miners earned just $3,060 from Ordinals—a stark contrast to the $9.99 million peak recorded on December 16, 2023. Dune Analytics data also shows that even in 2025, daily earnings from Ordinals have not exceeded $1 million, suggesting a decline in on-chain activity [1]. This volatility underscores the challenges of using such transactions as a reliable source of miner income.

The broader Bitcoin ecosystem continues to evolve, with geopolitical and economic factors playing an increasing role. In a separate development, Bitcoin Asia, held in China Hong Kong, highlighted the shifting power dynamics in the space. Bitmain, a Chinese mining giant, announced it is now building machines in the United States and has secured $1 billion in preorders for its S23 Hydro rig, all to be manufactured in America. This shift reflects a broader trend as the U.S. asserts its influence in the Bitcoin landscape [2].

Source: [1] Ordinals leader threatens Bitcoin Core fork (https://cointelegraph.com/news/ordinals-leader-threatens-bitcoin-core-fork) [2] Bitcoin Asia shows the US is in charge now (https://www.cryptopolitan.com/bitcoin-asia-shows-the-us-is-in-charge-now/)