Bitcoin Core v30 removes the 80-byte limit on OP_RETURN outputs by default, raising it to the consensus limit (~4 MB) and deprecating the -datacarriersize option. This change aims to address the ineffectiveness of the old limit (e.g., bypassed by inscriptions allowing ~400 KB at lower cost) and reduce perverse incentives like disguising data as spendable outputs.
However, if adoption of v30 is slow—meaning a significant portion of nodes continue running older versions (e.g., v29 or earlier) or alternatives like Bitcoin Knots that enforce stricter relay policies—what could be the potential issues for the network?
Compared to keeping the 80-byte limit uniformly, could slow adoption create more short-term problems (e.g., fragmentation, prolonged centralization pressures) than the status quo, even if the limit is ineffective long-term?
