When the controversial Bitcoin BIP-110 soft fork came under fire, Adam Back, CEO of Blockstream, didn’t hold back. He scoffed at the idea that Satoshi Nakamoto, Bitcoin’s mysterious creator, would back the proposal. Back’s blunt message came during a heated exchange on X, where he also mocked BIP-110 supporters for failing to fund a so-called cypherpunk summer party, highlighting their weak campaign efforts.

The BIP-110 debate heated up as the critical signaling deadline neared on July 18, 2026. The proposal aims to limit the size of arbitrary data miners embed in Bitcoin transactions. This is a direct response to Ordinals-style inscriptions, which some see as clogging the blockchain. Yet, miners have barely rallied behind BIP-110, with just 0.86% of blocks signaling support far from the 55% needed for the fork to proceed.

Back went further, questioning the common belief about Satoshi’s status. He called the idea of Nakamoto’s death “pure speculation” and emphasized that the Bitcoin founder was no fool. “just in general, satoshi wasn’t retarded,” he tweeted, dismissing speculation and reaffirming his stance that the original creator would not have supported BIP-110 in its current form.

The debate isn’t just academic. Mandatory signaling for BIP-110 is set to begin around block 961,632, roughly three weeks after the current chain tip. Back predicts the fork will stall immediately once signaling becomes mandatory, triggering a split in the network. In his view, miners would quickly abandon the less-worked fork, turning it into a “Pompeii chain,” a frozen monument to a failed attempt.

This prediction follows Back’s earlier warnings about potential risks from fork attempts and miner coordination. The ongoing divide over BIP-110 reflects deeper tensions within Bitcoin governance, with questions about who truly represents Satoshi’s vision. Meanwhile, Bitcoin’s price hovered near $63,944, up 1.43% over 24 hours, showing the market remains steady amid the drama.

Back’s commentary also stirred fresh debate about the status of Satoshi’s dormant coins, a topic that keeps resurfacing alongside discussions about Bitcoin’s future. Whether BIP-110 manages to activate or quietly fades depends on miner support once signaling becomes mandatory.