OP_RETURN: Bitcoin's On-Chain Data Mechanism
OP_RETURN embeds arbitrary data in Bitcoin transactions without touching the UTXO set. The mechanism, relay policy distinctions, and where developers go wrong.
№ 002BitcoinBitcoin UTXO Set Growth and the Cost of Pruned Nodes
The UTXO set grows with every block and pruning cannot touch it. A look at the mechanics, the real numbers, and the long-term cost for node operators.
№ 003BitcoinBitcoin's Dust Limit: How the 546-Sat Threshold Works
Bitcoin's dust limit is derived from relay fees and input byte sizes, not policy preference. The exact arithmetic behind 546, 294, and 330 satoshis, explained.
№ 004BitcoinBitcoin Output Scripts and UTXO Set Growth Explained
P2PKH, P2SH, P2WPKH, and P2TR each leave a different footprint on Bitcoin's UTXO set, the tradeoffs affect every full node running today.
№ 005BitcoinBitcoin Dust: Why High-Fee Networks Create It Faster
Small UTXOs become unspendable dust when fees exceed their value. High-fee networks accelerate this faster than most people realise.
№ 006BitcoinBitcoin's Unspendable Outputs and the Shrinking Float
Millions of BTC are locked in addresses no one controls. The supply effect is real; the estimates are murkier than most analysts admit.
№ 007BitcoinBitcoin Coin Selection: Fees, UTXOs, and Wallet Algorithms
Coin selection algorithms quietly determine your transaction fees and UTXO bloat. This piece breaks down Branch and Bound, dust, and consolidation strategy.
№ 008BitcoinHow Bitcoin's UTXO Model Prevents Double Spending
Bitcoin stops double spending without a bank using unspent transaction outputs. Here's the exact mechanism, with a worked example.
№ 009BitcoinBitcoin Dust Threshold: What Makes a UTXO Unspendable
The Bitcoin dust threshold isn't arbitrary. Here's the exact fee logic that turns a tiny UTXO into an unspendable output — and why it matters.