Bitcoin Core 30’s OP_RETURN limit increase to ~100KB sparks debate.

Dangers:

• Blockchain bloat risks centralization by straining node resources.

• Spam transactions could clog mempools.

• Legal risks from illegal data storage.

• Deviates from Bitcoin’s monetary focus.

Benefits:

• Enables larger proofs, sidechains, and privacy tools.

• Reduces UTXO bloat from workarounds.

• Aligns policy with consensus rules.

• User-configurable limits.

Clear-Headed Assessment: Dangers outweigh benefits. Increased centralization, spam, and legal risks threaten Bitcoin’s core mission as decentralized money. Benefits like flexibility are minor and better addressed off-chain. Defaults matter, and this could normalize data bloat, risking node wars and regulatory issues.