Subject: [bitcoindev] Mandatory Inclusion of Old Transactions in Blocks

From: developer <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat, 28 Dec 2024 07:54:33 -0800 (PST)

Status: Draft
Type: Standards Track
Created: December 27, 2024
Abstract

This proposal mandates miners to include at least 0.1% of transactions in 
their blocks from the oldest transactions by date, even if they have low 
fees. This mechanism helps prevent mining centralization and censorship, 
encouraging miners not to exclude certain transactions.
Motivation

The increasing centralization of Bitcoin mining and potential regulations 
that may require miners to censor or exclude certain transactions pose a 
threat to the Bitcoin network. Mandating the inclusion of a small 
percentage of old transactions, even with low fees, ensures that no single 
miner can censor block contents without sacrificing their own rewards.
Specification

    Mandatory Inclusion of Old even if with Low-Fee Transactions
        Each miner is required to include at least 0.1% of the total 
transactions in a block from the oldest transactions in the mempool, even 
if their fees are below the current market average.
        These transactions must be added to blocks regardless of their 
fees, prioritizing their age.

    Block Validation
        Bitcoin network nodes will validate blocks only if they contain the 
required percentage of old transactions.
        If a block fails to meet this criterion, it will be deemed invalid 
and rejected by the network.

    Incentives
        Miners are incentivized to include these transactions to ensure 
their blocks are valid and to avoid losing block rewards.

Advantages

    Censorship Resistance: Miners cannot censor transactions without 
forfeiting their rewards.
    Greater Inclusivity: Old and low-fee transactions are assured of being 
confirmed.
    Decentralization Prevention: Reducing the potential for centralized 
censorship keeps the Bitcoin network decentralized.

Considerations

    Impact on the Mempool: The mempool may become more dynamic and 
up-to-date with fewer old, stagnant transactions.
    Resource Management: Miners will need to adjust their systems to 
automatically identify and include relevant transactions.

Conclusion

Implementing this BIP will help maintain the integrity and decentralization 
of the Bitcoin network, preventing censorship and ensuring all transactions 
have a fair chance of confirmation.

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