Author: angus 2022-12-05 12:21:44
Published on: 2022-12-05T12:21:44+00:00
The addition of full Replace-By-Fee (RBF) as a node policy may inconvenience zero-conf users, but there is always a risk of double-spending with zero-confirmation transactions, which are not settled until they are included in a block. The risk increases non-linearly with the amount of Bitcoin transacted, and a determined attacker is more likely to attempt a sybil or colluding attack. There is a business for providing insurance/risk management for those willing to accept the zero-conf risk, similar to accepting credit cards with chargeback or payment cards with capture risk.Avoiding Bitcoin Core and nodes from adopting a full RBF policy to protect zero-conf transactions is fragile since it is a node policy aligned with miner (and user) economic incentives. Additionally, full RBF is already out in the wild, so it's too late to prevent its adoption. The long-term solution is to use Lightning for fast payments with risk-free instant settlement or accept the zero-conf risk and cover oneself with an insurance premium.
Updated on: 2023-06-16T01:03:31.876619+00:00