Hacker News new | ask | show | jobs
by rcxdude 2026 days ago
Bitcoin couldn't even change a constant which would allow the system to actually be used for a slightly more reasonable number of transactions. Why do you think it can do a more fundamental change?
2 comments

Bitcoin couldn't even change a constant which would allow the system to actually be used for a slightly more reasonable number of transactions…

Lightning took care of increasing the number of transactions Bitcoin can handle. Apparently the folks who wanted to keep the block size the same won; the Bitcoin cash is essentially worthless now. Meanwhile, Lightning is doing great: https://bitcoinvisuals.com/lightning

Why do you think it can do a more fundamental change?

Because there's $300+ billion at stake, which could be at risk with quantum computers in the future. It's already being planed for.

Your slightly more reasonable number of transactions also requires slightly more resources to fully validate all bitcoin history, leaving it slightly less decentralized. By the time it takes many days to sync, few people will bother to run a full node.

Bitcoin will make a fundamental change only when it faces an existential crisis, like facing imminent threats from quantum computers.