Bitcoin Debate Heats Up Over Network Software Revamp
- Front-runner called OP_CAT may enable better Bitcoin custody
- Bitcoin can be more than it is, Taproot’s Wertheimer says
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Bitcoin blockchain’s reputation as a network that mainly supports digital gold may be changing as efforts gain traction to add new features via a software upgrade to its code.
The front-runner in the upgrade debate is a program called OP_CAT — a small software tweak that would add about 10 lines to the code that enables linking of two elements together, so-called concatenation. If adopted it would open the door to a host of enhancements for Bitcoin users from better coin custody to decentralized-finance apps of the type that are already common on rival blockchains like Ethereum and Solana.