F2Pool’s Chun Wang Rejects BIP-444 Proposal as Debate Intensifies

F2Pool co-founder Chun Wang has strongly opposed the new Bitcoin proposal known as BIP-444, calling it “a bad idea.” He stated that he will not support any kind of soft fork, regardless of whether it is intended to be temporary or permanent. His comments have reignited debate within the Bitcoin community, as the proposal aims to reduce network spam through short-term technical adjustments.

Wang, who gained media attention earlier this year for being the first Bitcoiner to travel to space, criticized developers for “moving further in the wrong direction.” He warned that short-term network fixes could potentially harm Bitcoin’s long-term integrity. These remarks emerge amidst growing tensions surrounding the balance between innovation and decentralization within Bitcoin’s core development.

Developers Clash Over BIP-444

Shortly after Wang’s statement, Bitcoin Core developer Luke Dashjr responded sharply. “Users decide protocol changes, not miners. You going to repeat Bitmain’s 2017 mistakes?” he questioned on X. His comment alluded to Bitcoin’s 2017 SegWit2x fork conflict, which divided the community.

Another developer, Timón of Philus, shared similar reservations. “Still haven’t read the proposal but, in principle, a temporary softfork doesn’t seem like a good idea to me,” he wrote. Luke later elaborated on his position, stating, “It’s not a good change. It’s a heavy handed restriction to protect Bitcoin while we come up with a good change.”

Industry Voices Join the Debate

Alex Thorn, head of research at Galaxy, described BIP-444 as “incredibly stupid” and even characterized it as an “attack” on Bitcoin. In parallel, Bitcoin analyst James Check argued that the proposal is “highly defective” and “antithetical” to Bitcoin’s foundational principles. “I don’t think anyone serious can read that BIP and come out believing that is a good result for Bitcoin,” he commented.

Interestingly, the two key figures involved in this debate, Wang and Dashjr, have a documented history of public interaction. In 2021, Wang donated 1 BTC to Dashjr after the latter posted about experiencing financial difficulties. However, their relationship has reportedly deteriorated since then. Earlier this month, Dashjr accused F2Pool of compromising the Bitcoin network by potentially exposing users to illegal content, urging miners to transition to pools such as Foundry or Antpool.

The intense discussion surrounding BIP-444 underscores the growing divergence within the Bitcoin community. While some participants believe the proposed change could serve as a protective measure for the network, others express concerns that it might contradict Bitcoin’s original objective of remaining open and genuinely decentralized.