ANYTHING BUT BITCOIN UNLIMITED: 75 PERCENT OF EXPERTS FAVOR SEGWIT SURVEY REVEALS

Last updated: June 19, 2025, 18:26 | Written by: Anthony Di Iorio

The Bitcoin scaling debate has been a long and arduous journey, filled with passionate arguments and competing visions for the future of the world's leading cryptocurrency.In the midst of this fervent discussion, two primary proposals emerged: Segregated Witness (SegWit) and Bitcoin Unlimited (BU). A Coin Journal survey conducted on 1,100 respondents have found that 71 percent of the community and industry are in support for the Bitcoin Core development team s Segregated Witness (SegwitWhile both aimed to address Bitcoin's scalability challenges, they differed significantly in their approaches and underlying philosophies. Bitcoin Unlimited later aligned with the Bitcoin Cash project, contributing to the development of client software that supported the Bitcoin Cash network. With rebranding efforts, Bitcoin Cash transitioned to Bitcoin ABC and eventually eCash (XEC), maintaining Bitcoin Unlimited as a client for the network.The battle between SegWit and Bitcoin Unlimited sparked intense debate within the community, dividing miners, developers, businesses, and users alike.The question of how to best scale Bitcoin became a central point of contention.A recent survey conducted by 21 Inc. amongst blockchain, Bitcoin, and Ethereum leaders reveals some surprising information. Neither SegWit Nor Bitcoin Unlimited Can Solve Bitcoin s Scalability Problems: Experts Despite all the exploits of Bitcoin especially in recent monthsThe survey provided crucial insight into the opinions of industry leaders, indicating that a resounding 75.4 percent of experts favored SegWit over Bitcoin Unlimited.This article will delve into the core differences between these proposals, examine the reasons behind the expert consensus, and explore the implications of this preference for the future of Bitcoin. Bitcoin Unlimited blocks mined have reached a new high, passing SegWit and indicating that a hard fork may be just around the corner. Of the last 144 blocks over the last 24 hours, blocks minedWas Segwit really the answer?What does Bitcoin's future hold?

Understanding SegWit and Bitcoin Unlimited: A Head-to-Head Comparison

To truly grasp the significance of the survey results, it's crucial to understand the fundamental differences between SegWit and Bitcoin Unlimited. On Today's Episode Of The Cryptoverse:Let's take a quick big picture view of where we are with these two proposed improvements to the Bitcoin technology.Both proposals sought to increase Bitcoin's transaction capacity, but they approached the problem from distinct angles.

Segregated Witness (SegWit): A Soft Fork Solution

SegWit, proposed by the Bitcoin Core development team, is a soft fork, meaning that it's backward-compatible with older Bitcoin nodes. You need to enable JavaScript to run this app.Its core innovation lies in separating transaction signatures (the ""witness"" data) from the main block data. Topic: Bitcoin Unlimited v/s SegWit (Read 6091 times) Luke Fox (OP) Newbie Offline Activity: 16 Merit: 0. Bitcoin Unlimited v/s SegWit. ApThis separation achieves several key benefits:

Increased Block Capacity: By removing signature data, SegWit effectively increases the amount of transaction data that can fit into a block, resulting in a block size limit increase.
Transaction Malleability Fix: SegWit resolves the issue of transaction malleability, a vulnerability that allowed malicious actors to alter transaction IDs before they were confirmed on the blockchain.This fix was crucial for enabling more complex Bitcoin applications.
Foundation for Layer 2 Solutions: SegWit paved the way for the implementation of Layer 2 scaling solutions like the Lightning Network, which further enhances Bitcoin's transaction processing capabilities.

Bitcoin Unlimited (BU): A Hard Fork Approach

Bitcoin Unlimited (BU), on the other hand, proposed a hard fork, meaning that it was not backward-compatible with older Bitcoin nodes. 68 votes, 25 comments. 6.5M subscribers in the Bitcoin community. Bitcoin is the currency of the Internet: a distributed, worldwide, decentralizedIts central tenet was to allow miners to choose the block size they wanted to mine, essentially removing the fixed 1MB (later 2MB) block size limit.

The core tenets of Bitcoin Unlimited:

Flexible Block Size: Allowing miners to set their own block size limits, arguing it would lead to greater scalability as the network grew.
Emergent Consensus: Believing that the block size would naturally evolve through miner consensus.
Decentralization of Power: Aiming to shift power away from core developers and to the miners who secured the network.

Why Experts Preferred SegWit: A Deep Dive into the Survey Results

The 21 Inc. survey clearly indicated a strong preference for SegWit among blockchain and Bitcoin experts. 75.4 percent of respondents favored SegWit activation, suggesting that they believed it was the superior solution for scaling Bitcoin.

Here are some of the key reasons behind this preference:

Safety and Stability: SegWit, as a soft fork, was seen as a less risky and more stable approach compared to Bitcoin Unlimited's hard fork proposal.Hard forks carry the potential for chain splits and network disruption.
Transaction Malleability Fix: The fix for transaction malleability provided by SegWit was considered crucial for enabling new Bitcoin applications and improving the overall security of the network.
Enabling Layer 2 Solutions: SegWit's role in paving the way for the Lightning Network was a significant factor for many experts. The vast majority of respondents favored SegWit over Bitcoin Unlimited. 75.4 percent of the Blockchain and Bitcoin experts community expressed their support for Segwit activation and 70.5Layer 2 solutions offer the potential for massive scalability improvements.
Developer Support: SegWit had the backing of the Bitcoin Core development team, a group that many considered to be the most experienced and knowledgeable Bitcoin developers.
Concerns about Centralization: Bitcoin Unlimited's flexible block size proposal raised concerns about potential centralization of mining power, as larger blocks could be more difficult for smaller miners to process.

Addressing Concerns About SegWit and Bitcoin Unlimited

Both SegWit and Bitcoin Unlimited faced their share of criticism and concerns within the Bitcoin community.Understanding these concerns is essential for a balanced perspective on the scaling debate.

SegWit Criticisms:

Limited On-Chain Scaling: Some argued that SegWit's on-chain capacity increase was not sufficient to meet the growing demand for Bitcoin transactions.
Complexity: Others found SegWit to be complex, making it difficult to understand and implement.
Witness Discount: The discounted fees for SegWit transactions were criticized by some as being unfair to non-SegWit users.

Bitcoin Unlimited Criticisms:

Hard Fork Risk: The primary concern with Bitcoin Unlimited was the risk of a chain split, which could have potentially devastating consequences for the Bitcoin network.
Centralization Concerns: The flexible block size proposal raised concerns that it could lead to a centralization of mining power, as only large miners would be able to handle the increasing block sizes.
Lack of Developer Support: Bitcoin Unlimited lacked the widespread support of the Bitcoin Core development team, which raised concerns about its long-term viability.

The Aftermath: What Happened After the SegWit Activation?

Despite the initial resistance from some segments of the community, SegWit was eventually activated on the Bitcoin network in August 2017.Its activation marked a significant milestone in Bitcoin's scaling journey.

Here are some of the key developments following SegWit activation:

Lightning Network Growth: SegWit paved the way for the rapid growth of the Lightning Network, a Layer 2 scaling solution that enables near-instant and low-cost Bitcoin transactions.
Increased On-Chain Capacity: SegWit resulted in a noticeable increase in Bitcoin's on-chain transaction capacity.
Adoption by Exchanges and Wallets: Major Bitcoin exchanges and wallets began adopting SegWit, making it easier for users to benefit from its features.

The Rise and Fall (and Rebirth?) of Bitcoin Unlimited

While SegWit gained traction and ultimately prevailed as the preferred scaling solution, Bitcoin Unlimited did not disappear entirely.The project faced challenges but continued to evolve.

Bitcoin Unlimited's story has several chapters:

Realignment with Bitcoin Cash: Bitcoin Unlimited later aligned with the Bitcoin Cash project, contributing to the development of client software that supported the Bitcoin Cash network.
Transition to Bitcoin ABC and eCash: With rebranding efforts, Bitcoin Cash transitioned to Bitcoin ABC and eventually eCash (XEC), maintaining Bitcoin Unlimited as a client for the network.
Ongoing Development: Despite the dominance of SegWit and subsequent developments in Bitcoin scaling, Bitcoin Unlimited remained in development, seeking to provide alternative solutions and maintain its vision of a more flexible and decentralized Bitcoin ecosystem.

Other Considerations and Future Implications

The Bitcoin scaling debate and the preference for SegWit over Bitcoin Unlimited have several broader implications for the future of Bitcoin and the cryptocurrency industry as a whole.

Importance of Consensus: The scaling debate highlighted the importance of achieving consensus within the Bitcoin community.Reaching agreement on major protocol changes is crucial for ensuring the long-term stability and success of the network.
Role of Developers: The debate also underscored the role of developers in guiding the evolution of Bitcoin. The percentage of blocks that are signaling support for Bitcoin Unlimited has surpassed SegWit, though 95% support is still far off.The Bitcoin Core development team's expertise and leadership played a significant role in shaping the outcome of the scaling debate.
Layer 2 Solutions: The success of the Lightning Network has demonstrated the potential of Layer 2 scaling solutions to dramatically improve Bitcoin's transaction processing capabilities. 21 Inc, a Bitcoin company which operates a micropayments marketplace and pay-by-completion network, conducted a survey using its community of Blockchain, Bitcoin and Ethereum executives and influencers to address important issues of Bitcoin.These solutions are likely to play an increasingly important role in the future of Bitcoin.
Continued Innovation: The Bitcoin scaling debate has spurred innovation in the development of new scaling solutions and technologies. As you can see, at the time of writing 37.2% of miners are supporting (aka signalling) Bitcoin unlimited and 31.2% are supporting Segwit. If these 37.2% that support Bitcoin Unlimited suddenly decide to start mining Bitcoin unlimited blocks a hard fork will occur and two Blockchains will now be available the Bitcoin Core blockchain (BTC) and the Bitcoin Unlimited blockchain (BTU).This ongoing innovation is essential for ensuring that Bitcoin can continue to meet the evolving needs of its users.

The Broader Impact: Bitcoin's Scalability and Adoption

The debate surrounding SegWit and Bitcoin Unlimited wasn't just about technical specifications; it was about the future of Bitcoin and its potential for widespread adoption.Scalability is a critical factor in determining whether Bitcoin can truly become a global currency and a viable alternative to traditional financial systems.

Here's how the scaling debate impacted Bitcoin's adoption:

Transaction Fees: High transaction fees were a major barrier to Bitcoin adoption.The scaling debate aimed to address this issue and make Bitcoin more affordable for everyday transactions.
Transaction Speed: Slow transaction speeds also hindered Bitcoin's usability. Advertisement Coins. 0 coinsScaling solutions like SegWit and the Lightning Network sought to improve transaction speeds and make Bitcoin more practical for real-world use.
User Experience: A seamless user experience is crucial for attracting new users to Bitcoin.Scaling solutions aim to improve the user experience by making Bitcoin transactions faster, cheaper, and more reliable.

Looking Ahead: What's Next for Bitcoin Scaling?

While SegWit and the Lightning Network have made significant strides in improving Bitcoin's scalability, the journey is far from over. Anything But Bitcoin Unlimited: 75 Percent of Experts Favor SegWit Survey Reveals The vast majority of respondents favored SegWit over Bitcoin Unlimited. 75.4 percent of the Blockchain and BitcoinThe Bitcoin community continues to explore new and innovative scaling solutions.

Some of the potential future scaling solutions include:

Taproot: A proposed soft fork that aims to improve Bitcoin's privacy, efficiency, and smart contract capabilities.
Schnorr Signatures: A new signature scheme that would improve Bitcoin's scalability and privacy.
EIP-1559: While primarily associated with Ethereum, the concept of a base fee that burns could potentially be adapted to Bitcoin to improve fee predictability.

The Current Landscape: How Are Things Looking Today?

In the years since the SegWit/Bitcoin Unlimited debate, the Bitcoin landscape has changed considerably.SegWit is now widely adopted, and the Lightning Network has continued to grow. The issue ViaBTC and many other Bitcoin Unlimited-supporting mining pools have over SegWit is that the 75 percent increase in on-chain capacity will not be sufficient to supplement the exponentialThe focus has shifted to other areas of development, such as improving privacy, smart contract functionality, and overall network efficiency.

The Bitcoin community has learned valuable lessons from the scaling debate:

The Importance of Collaboration: Working together to find common ground is essential for moving Bitcoin forward.
The Need for Careful Consideration: Major protocol changes should be carefully considered and thoroughly tested before being implemented.
The Power of Innovation: The Bitcoin community is constantly innovating and developing new solutions to address the challenges facing the network.

FAQ: Addressing Common Questions About SegWit and Bitcoin Unlimited

Here are some frequently asked questions about SegWit and Bitcoin Unlimited:

What is a soft fork?

A soft fork is a change to the Bitcoin protocol that is backward-compatible with older nodes.This means that nodes that have not upgraded to the new protocol can still validate transactions and blocks on the new chain.

What is a hard fork?

A hard fork is a change to the Bitcoin protocol that is not backward-compatible with older nodes. Pakistan makes waves in the crypto world with its latest initiative to attract miners by introducing crypto-friendly electricity tariffs. This groundbreakingThis means that nodes that have not upgraded to the new protocol will not be able to validate transactions and blocks on the new chain, potentially leading to a chain split.

What is transaction malleability?

Transaction malleability is a vulnerability that allowed malicious actors to alter transaction IDs before they were confirmed on the blockchain. Anything But Bitcoin Unlimited: 75 Percent of Experts Favor SegWit Survey Reveals cointelegraph. upvotesSegWit fixed this vulnerability.

What is the Lightning Network?

The Lightning Network is a Layer 2 scaling solution that enables near-instant and low-cost Bitcoin transactions. Anything But Bitcoin Unlimited: 75 Percent of Experts Favor SegWit Survey Reveals. 75 Percent of Experts Favor SegWit Survey RevealsIt works by creating payment channels between users, allowing them to transact without broadcasting every transaction to the main Bitcoin blockchain.

Conclusion: SegWit's Triumph and the Future of Bitcoin

The survey results, revealing that 75 percent of experts favored Segregated Witness over Bitcoin Unlimited, reflected a wider sentiment within the Bitcoin community regarding the best path forward for scaling the cryptocurrency. Set to offer an effective block size limit increase, a transaction malleability fix and more, SegregatedWitness (SegWit) could soon go live on the Facebook Instagram Linkedin Rumble Twitter Youtube NEWSWhile Bitcoin Unlimited advocated for a more radical, hard-fork approach with flexible block sizes, SegWit's backward-compatible soft fork offered a more conservative and less disruptive solution.The support for SegWit underscored the community's prioritization of stability, security, and the importance of developer consensus.

Key takeaways from the SegWit/Bitcoin Unlimited debate:

SegWit's Success: SegWit ultimately prevailed as the preferred scaling solution, thanks to its lower risk profile, transaction malleability fix, and enablement of Layer 2 solutions like the Lightning Network.
The Importance of Consensus: Achieving consensus within the Bitcoin community is crucial for ensuring the long-term stability and success of the network.
Continued Innovation: The Bitcoin community continues to innovate and develop new scaling solutions to address the challenges facing the network.

The scaling debate, while at times contentious, ultimately strengthened Bitcoin and paved the way for future innovations.As Bitcoin continues to evolve, the lessons learned from this debate will continue to guide the community in its pursuit of a more scalable, secure, and accessible cryptocurrency. While Bitcoin Unlimited is considered the most popular proposal in terms of hashing power, a look at the companies that support it or SegWit reveals the exact opposite. As of this writing, out of the companies listed in Coin Dance, 66 support SegWit and 58 are ready for it.Explore the options!What are you waiting for?Dig in, and start learning about the blockchain!