Bitcoin’s testnet needs to be reset so it can remain free for developers to use, says software engineer Jameson Lopp.
Bitcoin’s most popular testnet is in dire need of a reboot due to “block storms” and projects being able to charge users for testnet Bitcoin (TBTC), says Jameson Lopp, the co-founder of Bitcoin custody firm Casa.
In a May 4 essay titled “Griefing Bitcoin’s Testnet,” Lopp argued the Bitcoin testnet — TBTC — needs to be reset partially due to ongoing “block storms,” which come about due to a unique consensus mechanism on the testnet.
While the Bitcoin mainnet produces an average of 144 blocks per day, the testnet — which is subject to “slightly different consensus rules” — will occasionally produce over 10,000 blocks in a single day.