Nostr Web Client

To be fair, I think he’s referring to the issue with Core 30. The mining pool centralization problem is already solved with Datum - it just needs much wider adoption. Core 30 is an entirely different issue. BIP-444 could be a potential solution, but it remains to be seen whether a USAF will gain enough traction and support to make it happen. If it does, I’ll be more bullish than ever.

Control-Plane Capital 2mo ago

Could be, it is not very relevant what he is referring to, I just analyzed the message.

Core 30 opens up major attack vectors as well.

But to say "the mining pool centralization problem is already solved with Datum - it just needs much wider adoption", is like saying "the MoE problem is already solved with Bitcoin/Monero - you just have to get people to use them".

Inside OCEAN, DATUM is now the default; network-wide it's still ~1% or less.

OCEAN is only about ~1% of total Bitcoin hashrate (order of magnitude; varies over time). If ~65–94% of OCEAN’s hashrate is on DATUM, that implies ~0.6–0.9% of the network hashrate is mining with DATUM today.

Stratum V2 is available at Braiins Pool and OCEAN/DEMAND’s pool, plus scattered tests elsewhere, but network adoption remains ~1% of hashrate or below.

So mining pool centralization isn't a solved problem for now. Solvable problem, but not solved.

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Discussion

Tauri 2mo ago

Fair enough

Control-Plane Capital 2mo ago

BTW, there's a reason less than 2% run protocols in which miners, not pools, decide which transactions get added to the blockchain.

The Controllers kind of have the miners by the balls.

Steering can come from:

- Energy & permitting (Power contracts, Carbon accounting credits, Zoning / environmental sign-off),

- Banking access, Insurance, Capex financing,

- ASIC supply choke: export licenses/customs enforcement prioritize shipments to "certified" operators,

- Relay & mempool policy,

- Safe-harbor statutes (if you run a certified policy client, you're presumed compliant. If you don't, you own the legal risk),

- Reporting/KYC on pool payouts: force miners into KYC'd payout rails; non-KYC payouts trigger Suspicious Activity Reports and audits,

- Tax policy: extra depreciation/credits for compliant miners; audits for the rest.

And these are just a few of the choke-points.

So Bitcoin mining is a tough gig.