Michael Saylor, Executive Chairman of Strategy, declared that Bitcoin Improvement Proposal 110 cannot reach the 55% voluntary miner support threshold during the current difficulty period, calling it “mathematically unreachable.” In a detailed analysis, Saylor pointed to blockchain signaling data showing only 24 supporting blocks out of 946 mined by block 960,561—a 2.54% rate. All signals came from DATUM miners sharing rewards through the OCEAN pool, with zero signals from any other mining operation.
By August 2, the public BIP-110 monitor counted just 28 signals among 1,108 blocks (2.53%), with only 908 blocks remaining. Saylor argued that the signals do not represent genuine miner consensus, alleging that OCEAN set BIP-110 signaling as a default, turning the initiative into what he called a “vertically integrated marketing campaign.”
What Is BIP-110? Formally titled the Reduced Data Temporary Softfork, BIP-110 proposes temporary restrictions on non-monetary data stored in Bitcoin blocks. It would limit output scripts to 34 bytes, cap OP_RETURN outputs to 83 bytes, restrict certain data pushes, and temporarily disable some Taproot features. Supporters argue it keeps Bitcoin focused on money transfers; opponents like Saylor and Blockstream co-founder Adam Back maintain that fee markets—not new consensus rules—should manage block space.
The next critical phase begins at block 961,632, when nodes enforcing BIP-110 will reject any block that does not signal support. This mandatory window runs until block 963,647. Saylor warned that a sudden 100% signaling rate would merely reflect the software rule, not a real shift in miner opinion. Foundry USA Pool is polling its customers on whether to signal, with the voting window close to the mandatory start, though no public result had been released by August 2.
If enforced without broad consensus, BIP-110 could split the Bitcoin network into two chains—one following the softfork and one rejecting it. The low voluntary support does not automatically cancel the proposal, as the mandatory mechanism can still push it through, making miners’ next moves crucial.
