Open Letter to Bitcoin Core: Anti-censorship is the only non-negotiable bottom line

"Bitcoin must maintain censorship resistance now and in the future." This statement has become the loudest call in the crypto community this week. As the spam war escalates, the division among node factions intensifies, and consensus disputes grow, developers, miners, and users are sending a clear signal to Bitcoin Core: any form of transaction censorship will undermine the foundation of Bitcoin.

Core Controversy: Transaction Review and Agreement Soul

Leonidas, the host of "Ordinal Show," warned in an open letter that if Bitcoin Core implements restrictions on Ordinals and Runes transactions, it will set a "dangerous precedent." He pointed out that the original design intention of Bitcoin is to be neutral, permissionless, and open to any transaction willing to pay a fee.

He said bluntly: "Censoring JPEG or meme coin transactions is no different from the state's censorship of currency transactions; both are betrayals of the spirit of censorship resistance."

Knots Node Rise Challenges Core Dominance

In this debate, the number of Bitcoin Knots nodes surged from 69 at the beginning of 2024 to over 4,200 in September 2025, accounting for more than 18% of the entire network. Knots supports stricter anti-spam mechanisms, attracting a large number of node operators to switch.

If the growth continues, Knots may reach a 23% network share in October, which will pose a substantial challenge to Bitcoin Consensus and even trigger the risk of a chain split.

Miner and Developer Positions

Leonidas stated that the Ordinals and Runes ecosystem has generated over $500 million in transaction fees for miners, demonstrating its contribution to network security. Several mining pools controlling more than half of the hash power have privately expressed that they will package transactions as long as they comply with consensus rules.

Bitcoin developer Shinobi also stated his position: "Even if I do not participate in these on-chain experiments, I will stand with those who oppose censorship."

Focus of Debate: What Should Bitcoin Be?

Behind this controversy is a fundamental divergence regarding the future positioning of Bitcoin:

Core Camp: Tends to maintain Bitcoin as a strict monetary settlement layer, limiting on-chain activities for non-monetary purposes.

Knots and the Open Faction: believing that as long as transaction fees are paid, any innovative applications should be allowed, including NFTs, meme coins, and other on-chain experiments.

Future Outlook: The Turning Point of Consensus is Approaching

Bitcoin core developer Peter Todd warned that the rapid expansion of Knots poses a "serious threat" to Bitcoin. As the v30 version approaches its release, the community will face a critical test of consensus.

Leonidas emphasized in the open letter: "We will not stand by and allow transaction censorship to become the norm. We will defend the openness, censorship resistance, and neutrality of Bitcoin."

Conclusion

The value of Bitcoin lies not only in its price but also in its commitment as a decentralized, censorship-resistant global currency system. The debate over spam, nodes, and protocol direction is actually answering a deeper question – how should the soul of Bitcoin be safeguarded? In the coming months, the outcome of this debate will profoundly impact the development path of Bitcoin and the cohesion of its community.