Source: Cointelegraph Original: "{title}"

Views from: Dr. Michael Tabone, Senior Economist at Cointelegraph

Bitcoin (BTC) has long been hailed as an indestructible, untouchable digital fortress, a bulwark against forces of change. However, the security foundation of Bitcoin is facing its first real test—quantum computing, a challenge that should be addressed promptly. If not dealt with in a timely manner, Bitcoin's cryptographic defenses could crumble, forcing the network to adapt or face extinction.

While the number of Bitcoin nodes is increasing, the incentive mechanism is still lacking.

The network of Bitcoin full nodes has been growing over time, which is a sign of increased adoption and more robust infrastructure, but the core issue remains. The voluntary act of running a node still lacks economic incentives. Miners are rewarded for securing the network, while operators of full nodes do not receive any compensation for their role in maintaining Bitcoin's decentralization.

Meanwhile, a significant portion of these nodes is operated by exchanges, custodians, and large mining pools. These are centralized entities with financial incentives aimed at maintaining control. If Bitcoin's node network continues to expand without proper incentives, the risk is that the validation process will increasingly rely on a few well-funded players rather than being completed by a truly distributed user base (see Figure 1).

Although running a Bitcoin node has never been easier, with plug-and-play solutions like Umbrel, Start9, RaspiBlitz, Cubit, and Ronin Dojo allowing anyone to set up a full node on low-cost hardware with minimal technical barriers. These tools have lowered the entry threshold, making node operation easier than ever before.

However, adoption rates remain stagnant. Despite the straightforward installation process, most Bitcoin users still do not run their own nodes. The reason is simple: there is no economic incentive to do so.

Unlike miners, who secure the network through block subsidies and transaction fees, full node operators receive no compensation. Although they validate transactions, enforce consensus rules, and contribute to Bitcoin's decentralization, their efforts go unrewarded. Therefore, operating a node remains an idealistic commitment rather than an economically viable activity.

If Bitcoin must fork, we must seize this opportunity to strengthen decentralization.

Opponents of this proposal argue that Bitcoin's monetary policy should remain unchanged. Others warn that introducing incentives for full nodes could lead to Sybil attacks, where malicious actors create thousands of fake nodes to exploit rewards. These concerns are valid, but they overlook the larger reality.

Bitcoin is heading towards a forced consensus change. The honest debate is not whether Bitcoin should change, but whether we can use this moment to strengthen Bitcoin's power. If a proper incentive mechanism for full Bitcoin nodes can be implemented, it could drive a surge in node adoption, enhance the network's censorship resistance, and solidify its decentralization. This would reduce reliance on large mining pools and exchanges for validation, thereby distributing control more evenly among individual participants. Bitcoin supporters will have to continue working to keep Bitcoin free from corporate influence in a post-quantum world, where security and decentralization will be more important than ever.

Poorly designed incentive mechanisms can pose risks, particularly Sybil attacks, where malicious actors exploit rewards by establishing fake nodes. These challenges can be addressed with appropriate Sybil defense mechanisms. Completely ignoring these issues would be more dangerous than facing them head-on.

The future of Bitcoin depends on this moment.

Bitcoin's greatest strength lies in its ability to remain decentralized and censorship-resistant. But this strength is not automatically generated; it requires an infrastructure that encourages broad participation.

A quantum-resistant hard fork will be a once-in-a-lifetime event. If we fail to seize this opportunity to fix Bitcoin's broken incentive structure, there may never be another chance. The future of Bitcoin depends on whether we can correctly grasp this moment.

This discussion should continue, but you should first get involved by running a node yourself.

Views from: Dr. Michael Tabone, Senior Economist at Cointelegraph

Related: The Fallacy of Scalability—Why Layer 2 Cannot Save Cryptocurrency

This article is for general informational purposes only and should not be considered legal or investment advice. The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the text are solely those of the author and do not represent or reflect the views and positions of Cointelegraph.

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