Bitcoin Core Developer Luke Dashjr Criticizes Runes Protocol Exploiting Blockchain Design Flaw

Bitcoin core developer Luke Dashjr has raised concerns about the Runes protocol, claiming it exploits a fundamental flaw in the blockchain network. In a recent post on X (formerly Twitter), Dashjr highlighted the differences between Ordinal Inscriptions and the Runes protocol, pointing out that while Ordinals take advantage of vulnerabilities in the blockchain, Runes operate within the network’s design flaws.

Dashjr described Ordinals as a 9-vector attack that exploits Bitcoin Core vulnerabilities, while Runes are a 5-vector attack that technically follows the network’s rules. Ordinals are digital assets similar to NFTs that are etched onto satoshis, the smallest units of Bitcoin, while Runes are fungible tokens introduced after Bitcoin’s fourth halving, causing network congestion and increased transaction fees.

Dashjr has been a vocal critic of both asset types, arguing that they go against BTC’s core principles and contribute to blockchain spam. He previously labeled Ordinals as a bug and led efforts to address them through bug fixes.

In response to the proliferation of Runes transactions, Dashjr proposed methods for filtering them, suggesting setting datacarriersize=0 in the bitcoin.conf file or using the equivalent GUI option in Bitcoin Knots. However, despite his recommendations, miners, including those at Ocean Mining where Dashjr serves as CTO, have continued to process Runes transactions, citing the lucrative revenue stream as their motivation.

The debate over the Runes protocol and its impact on the Bitcoin network continues, with Dashjr’s criticisms adding fuel to the fire. As the crypto community grapples with these issues, the future of Runes and similar protocols remains uncertain.