Bitcoin Improvement Proposal 110, a temporary soft fork aimed at limiting non-monetary data on the network, has fallen short of the voluntary miner support needed for lock-in during the present difficulty adjustment period. Strategy Executive Chairman Michael Saylor stated on August 1 that the 55% threshold is now mathematically out of reach based on current signaling figures.

At block 960,561, Saylor reported 24 signaling blocks out of 946, equating to 2.54% support. He noted that every one of those signals originated from DATUM miners sharing rewards through the OCEAN system, with zero signals from miners outside that setup. By August 2, public monitoring data showed the count at 28 signals among 1,108 blocks, or 2.53%, with only about 908 blocks remaining in the period.

Proposal Details and Intended Restrictions

BIP-110, formally known as the Reduced Data Temporary Softfork, was advanced in late 2025 by developer Dathon Ohm. It puts forward seven temporary consensus changes lasting roughly one year, or 52,416 blocks after activation. The measures include limiting most new output scripts to 34 bytes, capping OP_RETURN outputs at 83 bytes, restricting certain data pushes to 256 bytes, and placing temporary bounds on several Taproot features. Outputs created before activation would remain exempt from the new rules.

Proponents argue the changes would curb arbitrary data storage such as images and text, reduce blockchain spam, and keep the network oriented toward monetary transactions. They maintain the temporary nature of the rules provides a controlled way to free resources for financial activity.

Opposition from Leading Bitcoin Figures

Saylor has consistently opposed the proposal. He maintains that consensus rules should not determine which currently valid transaction structures receive block space. Instead, he points to fee markets and individual node policies as preferable mechanisms for addressing disputed data use. Blockstream co-founder Adam Back and JAN3 CEO Samson Mow have also voiced strong resistance.

Critics contend the soft fork introduces unnecessary technical risks, including the possibility of an activation bug that could contribute to a chain split. Some developers have observed that images and other data could still be recorded on the blockchain despite the proposed limits, raising questions about the practical effectiveness of the restrictions. Saylor further described the signaling activity as a vertically integrated marketing campaign tied to Bitcoin Knots and the OCEAN/DATUM system, though that characterization remains his interpretation.

Path Ahead: Mandatory Signaling Phase

The current voluntary signaling window ends at block 961,631. Beginning at block 961,632 and continuing through block 963,647, nodes enforcing BIP-110 are designed to treat every non-signaling block as invalid. Lock-in would then occur at block 963,648, with activation of the transaction restrictions scheduled for block 965,664.

Saylor cautioned that any reading of 100% signaling during the mandatory window would result from the software rule itself rather than a new expression of miner support. Foundry USA Pool has asked its mining customers to vote on whether the pool should signal, with the voting period set to close near the start of mandatory signaling. No verified outcome from that process was available as of August 2.

Low voluntary participation does not automatically end the proposal because of the built-in mandatory phase. However, if the majority of hashpower continues to produce non-signaling blocks, enforcing nodes could end up following a minority chain. Both Saylor and Back have previously warned that proceeding without broad agreement carries the risk of dividing the network. The decisive signals will now come from major mining pools, exchanges, wallets, and node operators in the period leading into and through the mandatory window.