What crypto can today really claim a level of decentralization similar to that of Bitcoin (BTC)? No known founder or co-founders whose actions would influence the price of crypto and, a technical architecture that would survive the demise of all its developers, according to this Bitcoin maximalist who dared to call all altcoins scams.
Bitcoin is irreplaceable, not its developers
One of the developers of Bitcoin Core, Wladimir van der Laan, announced on Twitter his intention to put his activities on hiatus.
This news has revived questions in the cryptosphere about the possible impacts of the disappearance of the Github maintenance team.
Adam Back, one of the leading developers of Bitcoin Core and CEO of Blockstream, shed some light on the matter during an interview with Cointelegraph.
According to his explanations, this pause by Laan and, even, the disappearance of all those responsible for Bitcoin Core would not constitute a catastrophe for BTC: it would still be possible to create a new Github.
He believes that the majority of cryptophiles tend to overstate the importance of the role of Bitcoin Core developers.
Changes that developers can make must be backwards compatible and in accordance with the key principles of the protocol: changes that do not respect these principles will be rejected by the community.
Who rules Bitcoin?
Back also touched on the decision-making process within the BTC community. The CEO of Blockstream is known for his opposition to any form of governance which, according to him, risks creating pressure groups.
Large organizations like Lightning Labs, Chaincode Labs, and even Blockstream, however, are accused of having disproportionate influence in the ecosystem.
In response to these accusations, Back indicated that Blockstream refrains from taking a position on the Bitcoin proposals.
Back also touched on the fact that some players are more interested in process changes for their personal benefit, a behaviour that had led to schisms, the most notable of which to date remains the one that gave birth to Bitcoin Cash.
Will the technical architecture of Bitcoin one day experience a real evolution – and not just a tinkering – or is the work of Satoshi Nakamoto doomed to remain more or less fixed? The disappearance of all BTC developers is unlikely but possible; however, governments would have to come up with another strategy if they want to wipe out Bitcoin. Nevertheless, the protocol continues to evolve constantly. Indeed, even if it is not visible to everyone, updates like the signatures of Schnorr or Taproot are essential for the continuation and the future of Bitcoin!
