13% OF NODES SUPPORT SEGWIT RELEASE, BITGO RUNS CORE 0.13.1

The world of Bitcoin is constantly evolving, and one of the most significant milestones in its history was the release and eventual activation of Segregated Witness, or SegWit.This innovative scaling solution, implemented in Bitcoin Core 0.13.1, aimed to address critical issues like transaction malleability and improve the overall efficiency of the Bitcoin network. At press time, the day after the code s release, Core code version 0.13.1 is in third place, making up about 8 percent of the total node count. The new code edged out BitcoinUnlimited, which isWhile the journey to widespread adoption was complex, the initial release saw only a small percentage of nodes running the updated software. The Bitcoin Core project, launched by Satoshi Nakamoto eight years ago and today led by Wladimir van der Laan, aims to release a new major release of the software about once every six months. Such a release (0.12.0, 0.13.0, 0.14.0 ) includes most of the improvements made since the last majorAs of the immediate aftermath of the Bitcoin Core 0.13.1 release, roughly 13% of Bitcoin nodes were running SegWit code.This seemingly small number sparked much debate and discussion within the community, highlighting the challenges of implementing protocol upgrades in a decentralized system like Bitcoin. Overview Miners Upgrading Not upgrading Full node users Upgrading Not upgrading Wallet users Upgrading Not upgrading Bitcoin software developers Almost two years of iterative design, development, and testing has gone into the version of segwit being released in Bitcoin Core 0.13.1, with much of the effort over the last year focused on making it as easy as possible for existing Bitcoin usersThis article will delve into the specifics of SegWit, the significance of Bitcoin Core 0.13.1, the reasons behind the initial adoption rate, and the long-term impact of SegWit on the Bitcoin ecosystem. 82 votes, 22 comments. 6.1M subscribers in the Bitcoin community. Bitcoin is the currency of the Internet: a distributed, worldwide, decentralizedWe'll explore the technical aspects, the community dynamics, and the practical implications for Bitcoin users, miners, and developers. After a long time of waiting, it finally happens; the release of Bitcoin Core 0.13.1 prepares the activation of Segregated Witness. Since October 27, the newUnderstanding the nuances of this pivotal moment in Bitcoin's history is crucial for anyone seeking to navigate the ever-changing landscape of cryptocurrency.

Understanding Segregated Witness (SegWit)

Segregated Witness, often shortened to SegWit, is a soft fork upgrade to the Bitcoin protocol. The latest version of Bitcoin Core i.e 0.13.1 renders full support for segregated witness.Its primary purpose is to improve transaction capacity and fix the transaction malleability issue. The release of Bitcoin Core 0.13.1 client with the included SegWit solution took place on Octo. See Also on BitcoinWiki. BIP 141 Segregated Witness (Consensus layer) BIP 143 Transaction Signature Verification for Version 0 Witness Program ; BIP 144 Segregated Witness (Peer Services)But what exactly does that mean?

What is Transaction Malleability?

Transaction malleability refers to the ability to modify the transaction ID (txid) of a Bitcoin transaction before it is confirmed on the blockchain. 125 votes, 81 comments. 5.7M subscribers in the Bitcoin community. Bitcoin is the currency of the Internet: a distributed, worldwide, decentralizedThis could be done without invalidating the transaction itself.This issue presented a significant challenge for smart contracts and other advanced Bitcoin applications, as it made it difficult to reliably track transactions. Segregated Witness, Bitcoin Core s innovative scaling solution, is expected to be released on November 15, in Bitcoin Core s 0.13.1 release. Bitcoin Core developer Pieter Wuille made the announcement in the Bitcoin-dev mailing list, in which he stated that BIP 141, or the SegWit soft fork proposal, could be activated on the 15th of NovemberSegWit effectively eliminates transaction malleability by separating the signature data from the rest of the transaction data.

How SegWit Solves Transaction Malleability and Increases Capacity

SegWit achieves its goals by segregating the ""witness"" data – which includes transaction signatures – from the base transaction data.This has several key benefits:

• Fixes Malleability: By removing the signature data from the part of the transaction that determines the txid, SegWit prevents malicious actors from altering the txid before the transaction is confirmed.
• Increases Capacity: SegWit allows for more transactions to be included in each block. Short version of my question: I run Bitcoin Core 0.14.1. Will I be fully compatible with the segwit soft fork after Aug 1 2025 with this version? IOW, I can simply do nothing and be segwit compatibThis is because signature data, which is relatively large, is moved outside of the main block size limit.This effectively increases the block size limit without actually increasing it on the base layer. Segregated witness (segwit) is a soft fork that, if activated, will allow transaction-producing software to separate (segregate) transaction signatures (witnesses) from the part of the data in a transaction that is covered by the txid. This provides several immediate benefits:It does this by introducing the concept of ""block weight.""
• Addresses Other Issues: SegWit also includes improvements to multi-signature (multisig) transactions, script versioning, and provides linear scaling of sighash operations, enhancing the overall security and efficiency of the Bitcoin network.

The increased capacity is achieved by discounting the weight of the segregated witness data.A traditional block is limited to 1MB in size. The release of Bitcoin Core 0.13.1 client with the included SegWit solution took place on Octo. See Also on BitcoinWiki. BIP 141 Segregated Witness (Consensus layer) BIP 143 Transaction Signature Verification for Version 0 Witness Program; BIP 144 Segregated Witness (Peer Services) BIP 145 getblocktemplate Updates for Segregated WitnessSegWit blocks are limited to 4MB of weight, where witness data counts as 1/4 of the weight of other data.This effectively creates blocks with a potential capacity greater than 1MB.

Bitcoin Core 0.13.1: The SegWit Release

Bitcoin Core 0.13.1 was a landmark release for the Bitcoin project.Released on October 27th, 2025, it was the first version of Bitcoin Core to include SegWit implementation.This release marked the culmination of nearly two years of iterative design, development, and testing by the Bitcoin Core team.

Key Features of Bitcoin Core 0.13.1

• SegWit Implementation: The most significant feature was, of course, the implementation of SegWit (BIP 141, BIP 143, BIP 144, BIP 145).This allowed nodes running 0.13.1 to signal support for SegWit activation and to process SegWit transactions.
• Improved Performance: The release included various performance improvements, making the Bitcoin Core client more efficient and responsive.
• Enhanced Security: Bitcoin Core 0.13.1 included several security enhancements to protect against potential vulnerabilities.
• Alert System Retirement: Coinciding with the SegWit release, the alert system within Bitcoin Core was retired.

Upgrading to Bitcoin Core 0.13.1 was crucial for users who wanted to utilize SegWit-related features, such as signaling BIP 141 activation, mining SegWit blocks, fully validating SegWit blocks, relaying SegWit blocks to other SegWit nodes, and using SegWit transactions in their wallets.

Why Only 13% Initial Adoption?

Despite the significant benefits of SegWit and the efforts of the Bitcoin Core team, the initial adoption rate of Bitcoin Core 0.13.1 was relatively low. 206 votes, 60 comments. 5.8M subscribers in the Bitcoin community. Bitcoin is the currency of the Internet: a distributed, worldwide, decentralizedSeveral factors contributed to this slow uptake:

Technical Considerations

Upgrading to a new version of Bitcoin Core requires technical expertise and can be time-consuming. SegWit will not activate until November 15th at soonest, when signaling will begin. SegWit requires 95% of miners to use Core or a compliant client. However, there s also a well-documented rift between miners and the Core devs. Currently, the 0.13.1 Core client runs on just over 8% of the nodes on the network.Node operators need to download the new software, verify its integrity, and configure it properly.Some users may have been hesitant to upgrade due to concerns about potential compatibility issues or bugs.

Consensus and Signaling

SegWit required a high level of consensus among Bitcoin miners to activate. Segwit (BIP 141) was deployed on October 27th 2025 with the release of Bitcoin Core version 0.13.1. Segwit activation falls under the control of BIP 9 a method of deploying multiple backwardsThe activation mechanism involved miners signaling their support for SegWit by including a specific bit in their blocks (bit 1). The non-segwit nodes still see block B as valid so could still pick up block B and orphan block A which is fine if the segwit nodes vastly outnumber the non-segwit nodes (say 99% ?). But if thanks to variance the segwit nodes have a run of bad luck and the next sequence of blocks are found by non-segwit nodes then that could be a whole chain ofIf 95% of blocks within a 2,016-block retarget period (approximately two weeks) signaled support, the soft fork would be locked in.

However, there was significant debate and disagreement within the Bitcoin community regarding SegWit. Upgrading from 0.13.0 will be required in order to utilize segwit-related features on mainnet (such as signal BIP 141 activation, mine segwit blocks, fully validate segwit blocks, relay segwit blocks to other segwit nodes, and use segwit transactions in the wallet, etc). Mining transaction selection ( Child Pays For Parent )Some miners and businesses preferred alternative scaling solutions, such as increasing the block size limit directly. News: Latest Bitcoin Core release: 25.0 Home : Help: Search: Login: Register But is there anything which shows what % of full nodes are running segwit code?This led to a prolonged and sometimes contentious debate that delayed SegWit activation.

The Miner-Developer Rift

A well-documented rift existed between some miners and the Bitcoin Core developers.This division stemmed from differing opinions on the best way to scale Bitcoin and concerns about the perceived centralization of development. 65 votes, 49 comments. The alert system retirement happend coincidentally with the segwit release of Bitcoin Core. Every node operator not running aThis rift made it difficult to achieve the necessary consensus for SegWit activation.

Network Variance and Potential Chain Splits

If a significant portion of the network continued to run non-SegWit nodes, there was a risk of a chain split. Amid a spike in transactions and price hike, the Bitcoin Core team has released its 0.13.1 update. Notably, this release is the first to implement SegWit.In a scenario where non-SegWit nodes found a longer chain of blocks than SegWit nodes, the network could have diverged into two separate chains.This risk, while manageable, added to the uncertainty and hesitation surrounding SegWit adoption. I've recently started work on supporting SegWit on my pool. As is typical, I always ensure I execute against testnet well before I put anything into the live network. So, I fire up my trusty dev box and build 0.13.1 from source (I had 0.12.0 on the box already). Everything goes swimmingly, and I start up the daemon.For example, if SegWit nodes vastly outnumbered non-SegWit nodes (say 99%), the risk was low. Segwit's version bit is bit 1, and nodes will begin tracking which blocks signal support for segwit at the beginning of the first retarget period after segwit's start date of . If 95% of blocks within a 2,016-block retarget period (about two weeks) signal support for segwit, the soft fork will be locked in.However, if there was variance and non-SegWit nodes found the next sequence of blocks, it could lead to a temporary chain split.

The Path to SegWit Activation and Beyond

Despite the initial challenges, SegWit eventually activated on August 23, 2017.This activation marked a significant turning point for Bitcoin, paving the way for further innovation and improvements.

The Role of BIP 9

SegWit activation was controlled by BIP 9, a method for deploying multiple backwards-compatible protocol upgrades (soft forks).BIP 9 allows for different activation mechanisms and signaling periods, providing flexibility in how upgrades are deployed.

The Impact of SegWit Activation

The activation of SegWit had several immediate and long-term impacts on the Bitcoin ecosystem:

• Reduced Transaction Fees: SegWit's increased block capacity led to lower transaction fees, making Bitcoin more affordable for everyday use.
• Improved Scalability: SegWit improved Bitcoin's scalability, allowing it to handle a higher volume of transactions.
• Enabled Lightning Network: SegWit was a prerequisite for the Lightning Network, a layer-2 scaling solution that enables instant and low-cost Bitcoin transactions.
• Enhanced Security: The transaction malleability fix improved the security and reliability of Bitcoin transactions and smart contracts.

SegWit and the Lightning Network

Perhaps the most significant long-term impact of SegWit was its role in enabling the Lightning Network.The Lightning Network is a layer-2 scaling solution that allows for near-instant and low-fee Bitcoin transactions. Posted by u/kolinHall - 17 votes and 45 commentsIt works by creating off-chain payment channels between users, allowing them to transact without broadcasting every transaction to the main Bitcoin blockchain.

SegWit was essential for the Lightning Network because it fixed the transaction malleability issue, which would have made it impossible to reliably create and manage payment channels.Without SegWit, the Lightning Network would not be viable.

The Current State of SegWit Adoption

Today, SegWit is widely adopted within the Bitcoin ecosystem. Posted by u/castorfromtheva - 206 votes and 56 commentsMost wallets and exchanges support SegWit transactions, and a significant portion of Bitcoin transactions now use the SegWit format.

While the initial adoption rate was slow, the long-term benefits of SegWit have become clear, and its widespread adoption has contributed to the continued growth and development of the Bitcoin network.

Practical Implications for Bitcoin Users

Understanding SegWit and its implications is crucial for all Bitcoin users. Bitcoin Core to Release SegWit maybe the 13.1 client will get out of release candidate even without signalling support. pools can run a node on the side toHere are some practical considerations:

Using SegWit Addresses

If your wallet supports SegWit, you should consider using SegWit addresses. 117 votes, 44 comments. 6.1M subscribers in the Bitcoin community. Bitcoin is the currency of the Internet: a distributed, worldwide, decentralizedSegWit addresses typically start with ""bc1"" (for native SegWit addresses) or ""3"" (for P2SH-wrapped SegWit addresses). See full list on bitcoincore.orgUsing SegWit addresses can result in lower transaction fees and faster transaction confirmation times.

Choosing a SegWit-Compatible Wallet

When choosing a Bitcoin wallet, make sure it supports SegWit transactions. Currently, the 0.13.1 Core client runs on just over 8% of the nodes on the network. Other parts of the SegWit soft-fork address issues such as transaction malleability, increased security for multisig, script versioning and linear scaling of sighash operations.Most modern wallets now offer SegWit support, but it's always a good idea to verify before using a new wallet.

Understanding Transaction Fees

SegWit has helped to reduce transaction fees on the Bitcoin network.However, transaction fees can still fluctuate depending on network congestion. Posted by u/castorfromtheva - 224 votes and 99 commentsIt's important to understand how transaction fees work and to choose an appropriate fee level for your transactions.

Frequently Asked Questions About SegWit

Here are some common questions about SegWit:

What is a soft fork?

A soft fork is a type of blockchain upgrade that is backward-compatible. Bitnodes reports that just over 25% of bitcoin nodes are running on the latest Core software 0.13.1 which includes the code for SegWit. By the data service's count, that's 1,362 nodes out of a total of 5,436 nodes connected to the bitcoin network that are now prepared for the upgrade.This means that nodes that have not upgraded to the new version of the software will still be able to validate transactions and blocks created by nodes that have upgraded.However, they may not be able to fully utilize the new features introduced by the soft fork.

What is a hard fork?

A hard fork is a type of blockchain upgrade that is not backward-compatible.This means that nodes that have not upgraded to the new version of the software will not be able to validate transactions and blocks created by nodes that have upgraded.Hard forks can lead to a permanent split in the blockchain, resulting in two separate cryptocurrencies.

Is SegWit a soft fork or a hard fork?

SegWit is a soft fork.

Why was SegWit controversial?

SegWit was controversial because it represented a compromise between different visions for scaling Bitcoin.Some preferred larger block sizes, while others favored layer-2 solutions like the Lightning Network.The debate surrounding SegWit highlighted the challenges of achieving consensus in a decentralized system.

What are the benefits of using SegWit?

The benefits of using SegWit include lower transaction fees, improved scalability, and enhanced security.

Conclusion

The release of Bitcoin Core 0.13.1 and the implementation of SegWit was a pivotal moment in Bitcoin's history.While the initial adoption rate of 13% of nodes supporting the release may seem low, it was a crucial first step towards a more scalable, efficient, and secure Bitcoin network.The journey to SegWit activation was marked by debate, disagreement, and technical challenges, but the long-term benefits have proven to be significant.SegWit laid the foundation for the Lightning Network, reduced transaction fees, and improved the overall user experience of Bitcoin.

Key takeaways from this article include:

• SegWit addressed transaction malleability and increased block capacity.
• Bitcoin Core 0.13.1 was the first release to include SegWit.
• Initial adoption was slow due to technical challenges and community disagreements.
• SegWit enabled the Lightning Network and improved Bitcoin's scalability.
• Using SegWit addresses can result in lower transaction fees.

As Bitcoin continues to evolve, understanding the history and impact of SegWit is essential for navigating the future of cryptocurrency.Stay informed, use SegWit-compatible wallets, and continue to explore the innovative solutions being developed on the Bitcoin network.