Runestone co-founder pitches DOG Mode to expand Bitcoin transaction access
A new alternative Bitcoin client aims to blow open transaction size limits, directly challenging Bitcoin Core and Knots policies on non-monetary data.
Runestone co-founder Leonidas on Friday announced plans for DOG Mode, a proposed open-source Bitcoin client that aims to make Bitcoin’s transaction relay system more permissive without changing the network’s consensus rules or requiring a hard fork.
Under the proposal, DOG Mode would increase the maximum relayed transaction size from 400,000 weight units to 3.9 million and lower Bitcoin Core’s dust threshold to one satoshi, changes Leonidas said would improve access for Ordinals and Runes users.
Since the software only changes which valid transactions a node chooses to relay, it would not require a protocol upgrade or alter Bitcoin’s consensus, meaning transactions could still be confirmed if miners choose to include them.
He argued that reducing the dust limit could eliminate unnecessary “padding” for Ordinals inscriptions and Runes UTXOs, potentially freeing an estimated $25 million worth of locked-up BTC.
Unlike Bitcoin Knots, which Leonidas says introduces larger code changes, or proposals such as BIP-110 that require consensus changes through a fork, DOG Mode is intended to modify only relay policy while remaining fully compatible with Bitcoin’s current consensus rules.
The project is seeking developers, miners, and users to contribute and adopt the client in hopes of encouraging wider acceptance of these transaction types.
Bitcoin leaders push back against BIP-110
The DOG Mode initiative comes as BIP-110, a proposal to restrict Ordinals inscriptions and other non-financial data recorded on the Bitcoin network, struggles to gain meaningful network support.
Saylor said the proposal could inadvertently invalidate legitimate Bitcoin transactions, while Back argued it conflicts with the network’s decentralized philosophy by attempting to impose one group’s preferences on all users. The proposal has become a focal point in the ongoing debate over whether Bitcoin should discourage non-financial use cases such as Ordinals.
Despite the discussion, BIP-110 remains far from activation. The proposal requires support from 55% of participating nodes but attracted only about 1% support in the latest signaling period.