Bitcoin Core is lifting the one-sided OP_RETURN constraint.

BlockBeats News, May 6th, Bitcoin Core developers have decided to lift the restriction on transaction data in the next network upgrade, enabling a more efficient way to include more data. Bitcoin developer Greg Sanders announced on GitHub on May 5th: "The next version of Bitcoin Core will relay and mine transactions with OP_RETURN outputs exceeding 80 bytes by default and allow any number of outputs."

In response, critics argue that the proposal was made without proper consensus. Marty Bent, Managing Partner at Ten31 Fund, stated: "There is currently no consensus on the OP_RETURN issue."

Reportedly, OP_RETURN allows for transaction outputs that store small pieces of data on the blockchain, gaining popularity during the Bitcoin ordered data boom in early 2024. Unlike regular transaction outputs, OP_RETURN outputs are unspendable and do not increase the Unspent Transaction Output (UTXO) set. (Cointelegraph)