A split has emerged within the Bitcoin community lately, and an alternative client has now taken center stage. Bitcoin Knots, a Bitcoin client equipped with advanced anti-spam tools that let node operators decide which transactions get relayed, now makes up 19% of the entire network.
Not following the debate? This article offers a clear breakdown of what’s happening.
According to Coin Dance stats on Sept. 9 at 9:30 a.m., Bitcoin Core, the leading client, runs 18758 nodes, giving it an 80.77% share of the network, while Bitcoin Knots operates 4,417 nodes. Knots nodes now make up 19.02% of those running on the Bitcoin network. In addition, there is one Libbitcoin node, 23 BTCD nodes, and 14 Bitcore nodes.
Coin Dance Bitcoin node data on Sept. 9, 2025.
The three most widely used clients at present are Bitcoin Core’s /Satoshi:29.0.0/, /Satoshi:28.1.0/, and the Knots version /Satoshi:28.1.0/Knots:20250305/. This development coincides with the release of Bitcoin Core v29.1, announced by developer Gloria Zhao.
On X, the launch of Bitcoin Core v29.1 has drawn backlash, with a wave of Knots supporters voicing strong opposition in the thread. “Sorry, we’re ‘not technical enough.’ Running Knots,” BTC supporter Justin Belcher commented under Zhao’s post. Tom Dobridge added:
“Given the lack of candor, deflection, obfuscation, and downright insults hurled at anyone objecting to op return expansion, it is safe to say the credibility of core dev is in tatters.”
Zhao’s X post on Sept. 8 failed to gain traction, drawing 20,000 impressions but only 162 likes and 22 reposts by 9:30 a.m. Eastern time on Sept. 9. By comparison, the Bitcoin Core Project’s X post published on Aug. 29 logged nearly 94,000 impressions, with a modest 248 likes and 73 reposts.
According to Grok, Zhao’s post accumulated 72 replies, 67 of which were critical—ranging from outright disapproval of the release to endorsements of Bitcoin Knots or refusals to upgrade.
For the Bitcoin Core Project’s post, Grok reported 139 replies, with 129 taking a negative stance toward the announcement (e.g., explicitly criticizing the release, promoting alternatives like Bitcoin Knots, or expressing refusal to upgrade). The social media stirrings and Knots’ momentum signal a broader test of consensus-building beyond Core’s code releases.
Node choice is doubling as a policy vote on transaction relay and spam controls, sharpening incentives for clearer communication from maintainers. With social feedback trending critical, the next few releases may heighten the debate. The OP_RETURN data size limit in Bitcoin Core is set to be removed in Bitcoin Core version 30, scheduled for release on Oct. 30, 2025.
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