Over the past two months, debate has flared over Bitcoin Knots as an alternative to Bitcoin Core, with tensions building ahead of the Core v30 release (planned for Oct. 2025). The update removes certain data caps, drawing criticism for allowing more non-financial entries often described as “spam.”
The Great Bitcoin Client Divide
At its core, the Bitcoin Core versus Bitcoin Knots clash revolves around removing the 80-byte OP_RETURN data cap in Core v30. Core advocates say the change boosts flexibility, but Knots supporters argue it invites spam and threatens Bitcoin’s neutrality, fueling sharp divisions. In response, Knots adoption has swelled as users protest what they see as a drift from Bitcoin’s monetary mission.
Want a deep-dive into this story’s main controversy? Read this article.
In mid-June, Bitcoin.com News reported on the Knots’ momentum, noting it made up 12% of the network’s nodes. Fast forward to Aug. 19, 2025, and that share has risen to 17.12%. Back on June 16, Knots counted 2,673 nodes; today it boasts 3,914, while Core nodes have dipped to 18,900.
Since June 16, Knots adoption has climbed 46.41%, while Core nodes slipped by 1.49%. Meanwhile, the debate has taken center stage on X, dominating discussions as nearly everyone weighs in with their perspective. For instance, the operator of the open-source, user-friendly Bitcoin node package Parmanode stated, “Parmanode runs Bitcoin Knots by default. It’s possible to run Bitcoin Core if you must.”
The X account added:
“Version 30 will not be supported. If you want that, install it yourself, you’re not going to use my software to do it.”
Casey Rodarmor, the creator of Bitcoin’s Ordinal Theory, offered a different take. “It’s going to be so funny when a bug in Knots causes a consensus break and nobody notices when they fork off the network because they’re not economically relevant,” Rodarmor wrote. Critics pushed back on Rodarmor, arguing that Ordinals is nothing more than an exploit.
“Has fantasising about farking dogs rotted your brain?” one person responded to Rodarmor’s statement on X. “You’ve already identified the bug & instead chose to exploit it. Crystal clear consensus break (non technical def).” For many, Knots is seen as a saving grace.
“Knots is a historic clone of the Bitcoin Core software, designed to keep an independent copy ready and running when the Core software devs start running amok, threatening bitcoin,” one X user opined. “That’s more or less what’s happening in a nutshell. Knots has become relevant now, a safeguard.”
The debate over Knots’ role reveals a broader struggle about Bitcoin’s future—whether it remains a neutral settlement system or evolves into a canvas for wider experimentation. The outcome could shape governance models, node diversity, and the community’s trust in development paths.
What happens next may determine Bitcoin’s resilience against internal division. As developers, node operators, and users stake their ground, the network faces a critical test: balancing innovation with fidelity to its monetary roots while navigating growing ideological and technical rifts.