Bitcoin BIP-110 Enters Mandatory Signaling Window Amid Low Miner Support

Bitcoin's BIP-110 proposal entered its mandatory signaling phase around August 9, 2026, marking a high-stakes attempt to redefine the network's data standards. The move seeks to curb the use of block space for non-monetary purposes, though it does so with critically low support from the mining community.

The mandatory signaling window is active between blocks 961,632 and 963,647. Despite the urgency of this window, miner support remains marginal; as of August 6, 2026, signaling support was reported at just 2.42%. This figure falls drastically short of the 55% threshold required for early lock-in, suggesting a significant disconnect between the proposal's advocates and those securing the network.

The Battle Against Blockchain Bloat

BIP-110 is designed as a soft fork to combat what proponents call "blockchain bloat." The proposal specifically targets the proliferation of inscriptions and tokens—such as Ordinals and Runes—which utilize Bitcoin's block space for data unrelated to financial transactions. By restricting this non-monetary data, the proposal aims to preserve the network's efficiency.

This conflict emerges during a period of relative consensus stability that has persisted since the 2021 Taproot upgrade. The current debate centers on a fundamental philosophical divide: whether Bitcoin should remain a dedicated monetary network or evolve into a general-purpose data layer. While some see the current trend as an innovation of the permissionless chain, others view it as spam that threatens the network's long-term viability.

Industry Implications and Risks

The push toward mandatory signaling without broad miner backing introduces the risk of a "minority fork" or a full chain split. This tension highlights the ongoing struggle between technical signaling and economic consensus. For the industry, the outcome will serve as a litmus test for Bitcoin's governance model and its ability to resolve disputes over the network's primary purpose.

Critics of the proposal argue that the move is a targeted attack on specific protocols. Leonidas, an Ordinals advocate, stated that the "sole purpose of this proposal is to attack Ordinals and Runes." Conversely, some industry leaders believe the effort may be futile. Andrej Majcen, CEO of Bitcoin Suisse, noted that anyone determined to place unwanted content on the chain would likely find another encoding path once this one closes.

What to Watch

Market participants are now monitoring whether the mandatory window can bridge the gap in miner support or if the proposal will fail to reach the necessary thresholds. While the technical window is defined, the lack of economic alignment among miners suggests a difficult path forward. It remains to be seen if the network can reach a compromise or if the divide over on-chain data will lead to a permanent fragmentation of the protocol.