OG Developer Amir Taaki Unleashes Scathing Critique on Bitcoin Leadership and Governance
Amir Taaki, once a prominent figure in the Bitcoin development community, has recently taken to X to voice his frustration and disillusionment with Bitcoin's current leadership, branding it as fundamentally "corrupt and broken." His critique comes at a time when the cryptocurrency world is witnessing a shift in focus, with Taaki himself expressing a newfound interest in the Ethereum ecosystem, particularly in areas like zero-knowledge proofs (ZK), decentralized finance (DeFi), and the mathematical underpinnings of cryptocurrencies.
A Deep Dive into Bitcoin's Developmental Stagnation
Taaki's criticisms are not just surface-level complaints but delve into the heart of what he views as Bitcoin's developmental inertia. He points out the lack of significant updates to the original code laid down by Satoshi Nakamoto back in 2010. According to Taaki, despite the availability of a consensus library, alternative implementations of Bitcoin are met with resistance and attacks rather than acceptance or collaboration. He elaborates on the technical shortcomings, noting that Bitcoin still relies on outdated protocols like TCP when potentially superior alternatives like UDP could be utilized, or at least, the unnecessary checksums could be removed.
Taaki’s comments come after just a couple days ago when he made a long post on X defending Roger Ver, who appeared on the Tucker Carlson show to discuss his case with the U.S. government.
He further criticizes the absence of a major refactoring or cleanup of the codebase, a task he believes should have been completed by now. The attempt to create "libbitcoin," a comprehensive Bitcoin library, has, in his view, been a failure, symbolizing the broader issue of stalled progress in Bitcoin's technical evolution. Taaki's critique extends to the governance structure, or the lack thereof, accusing Bitcoin's shadow leadership of promoting a myth of decentralization while actually controlling and stifling innovation.
> Isn't the barrier to using multiple implementations the lack of a consensus library where they can all be used safely?
— Amir Taaki (@Narodism) December 14, 2024
NO. This has been done but they still attack alt impls.
It's the same code Satoshi wrote in 2010. They didn't change anything. For example Bitcoin messages…
His side of the story paints a picture of a community misled by narratives of freedom and decentralization, when in reality, there's a significant centralization of power that prevents genuine progress. Taaki's frustration is palpable as he recounts his own experiences, explaining how his attempts to reform Bitcoin's development culture led him to look elsewhere, eventually focusing on Ethereum and later initiating projects like DarkFi to demonstrate his ideals through action rather than just rhetoric.
Also, Taaki doesn't shy away from naming individuals, like Peter Todd, whom he accuses of unethical behavior, particularly in the handling of community funds for development projects. He describes an incident where rules for a bounty fund were changed post-hoc, leading to what he perceives as a betrayal of trust and an act of deceit facilitated by those in positions of influence within the Bitcoin community.
Taaki's candid critique sheds light on the internal dynamics and power plays within Bitcoin's development circles, highlighting issues of accountability, transparency, and the true nature of governance in supposedly decentralized systems. His move towards Ethereum and other technologies is not just a personal pivot but a stark commentary on Bitcoin's perceived inability to evolve at a pace that matches the rapid advancements in the broader crypto landscape.