The Bitcoin community has been having a fierce debate, and now one of its most outspoken members raises the alarm. Samson Mow, former Blockstream CSO and current CEO of Jan3, says that Bitcoin core (the main software used by most nodes) is “Bitcoin risk.”
In response to a thread by Bitcoin developer James O’Bail, I challenged the recent claim that Bitcoin users can “just” completely free if they don’t agree to the core. That idea was driven by Jameson Ropp, who said sovereignty is the idea.
But, as O’Beirne pointed out, this view is a bit naive. For him, Bitcoin Core has a “huge amount of stickiness.” Most businesses and node operators don’t leave because they can’t, but because of the huge risks and costs associated with doing so. Even with other options, it’s too complicated, too entrenched and trusted.
Bitcoin core has become a risk for Bitcoin. https://t.co/fmlwm7lv0c
– Samson Mow (@excellion) June 8, 2025
Samson Mow went a step further and reposted O’Beirne’s comment in a dull statement.
That’s everything
This all began with a technical proposal earlier this year to remove the 83-byte limit in the OP_Return field. This could result in more data being attached to a Bitcoin transaction. The change has no effect on the consensus rules, but it caused a fierce backlash. Some people were worried that it could lead to spam, inflated blockchains and distract BTC from its main purpose as a currency tool.
Supporters like Lopp and Peter Todd say this change will improve innovation and remove obsolete restrictions. But for people like Mow, it’s not just the code. It’s about how decisions are made and who actually controls them.
With alternative client Bitcoin Knots getting adoption, this dispute feels more like a deeper governance battle over Bitcoin’s future than a technical disagreement.