Bitcoin BIP-110 sets an August planning deadline for exchanges

Bitcoin infrastructure firms now have a fixed August window to watch in the BIP-110 dispute, even though miner support is still small. That matters for exchanges, wallets, pools, and node operators because the proposal has a defined activation path, not just a public debate.

Farside Investors has started posting automatic alerts each time a BIP-110 signaling block appears. Its July 3 update showed seven signaling blocks in the current period. Separate data from BGeometrics, current through July 2, showed 38 signaling blocks out of 9,066 since May 1, or 0.42%. In the latest seven-day window, the count was 8 out of 1,000 blocks, or 0.8%.

That is still far below the miner lock-in threshold. BIP-110 needs 1,109 of 2,016 blocks, or 55%, in a difficulty adjustment period. BGeometrics said earlier data showed no signaling until about May 20, then low activity that looked more consistent with individual miners or smaller operations than major pools. It also said Bitcoin Core had not endorsed the proposal.

The pressure comes from the calendar. The BIP defines a mandatory-signaling period from blocks 961,632 to 963,647, with lock-in by height 963,648 and activation one retarget later at 965,664. During mandatory signaling, enforcing nodes would reject blocks that do not signal bit 4.