Samson Mow - KNOTS vs CORE

Sep 15, 2025

Samson Mow, CEO of Jan3 and a key advocate for nation-state Bitcoin adoption, dives into the fiery debate between Bitcoin's Core and KNOTS implementations. He clarifies the implications of recent changes in development, discusses the controversial OpReturn feature, and highlights community concerns around spam and transparency. Mow also emphasizes the importance of running a node for greater monetary sovereignty and the need for inclusivity in Bitcoin's evolution, offering practical insights for both seasoned and new users.

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ADVICE

Question Incentives, Not Motives

Scrutinize funding sources and developer incentives, but avoid assuming malicious intent without evidence.
Samson advises focusing on behaviors and groupthink rather than unfounded bribery claims.

INSIGHT

Define Spam By Purpose

Spam isn't simply 'paid transactions'—it's activity that misuses Bitcoin's native purpose.
Samson classifies ordinals and embedded images as non-organic uses that can be considered spam.

INSIGHT

Guardrails Preserve Network Civility

Removing standardness rules encourages bad behavior and can degrade network 'civility' over time.
Samson uses traffic analogies to show why guardrails preserve a healthy network.

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