According to a report from Bitcoin.com, the Bitcoin Cash network has completed its latest upgrade, implementing the highly anticipated Adaptive Blocksize Limit Algorithm (ABLA). This new feature will make it easier to change the block size limit to meet the network’s throughput demands.
Bitcoin Cash activated ABLA in its latest network upgrade
Bitcoin Cash successfully completed the latest upgrade to its blockchain on Wednesday (15th), introducing the “ac-0353f40e”, which is the Adaptive Blocksize Limit Algorithm. The goal of this implementation is to use a specialized algorithm to automatically adjust the block size limit. This change aims to simplify the process of adjusting the block size limit based on the actual transaction load on the network, eliminating the need for manual consensus, as manual coordination is time-consuming and susceptible to social attacks.
Since 2015, supporters of larger blocks have believed that increasing the block size limit is crucial for network scalability and widespread adoption as a peer-to-peer electronic cash system. They believe that the original vision outlined by Bitcoin creator Satoshi Nakamoto emphasizes low transaction fees and fast confirmations, and larger blocks can facilitate these goals by accommodating more transactions per block. Supporters further argue that the 1MB block size limit of Bitcoin has created a bottleneck, resulting in higher costs and slower transaction speeds, making Bitcoin less practical for everyday use.
By increasing the block size, Bitcoin Cash aims to provide a more efficient and scalable solution, ensuring its accessibility and usability in global transactions. The new algorithm ensures that Bitcoin Cash can adaptively and effectively manage its block size, maintaining network strength and responsiveness to adoption changes without altering the underlying game theory or incentive mechanisms. By automating this process, Bitcoin Cash reduces the “common cost” involved in manual adjustments and protects itself from potential interference in the consensus process.
Technically, ABLA determines the appropriate block size limit based on the exponentially weighted moving average (EWMA) of past block sizes. This calculation involves the “control function” and “elastic buffer function,” which work together to dynamically adjust the block size. The control function adjusts the upper limit of blocks gradually to accommodate size changes, ensuring smooth and predictable variations. At the same time, the elastic buffer function provides additional space for sudden increases in block size, accommodating demand surges without overloading the network.
These adjustments are mathematically defined and parameterized to ensure the block size effectively adapts to real-world conditions while balancing stability and flexibility. The algorithm sets a minimum lower limit for the block size and can react to increases in block utilization, adjusting the upper limit as needed while ensuring a high-efficiency and secure network.
On the well-known Reddit forum, BCH supporters expressed significant satisfaction with the latest upgrade. One user wrote that this change could “effectively resolve the scalability debate, possibly permanently,” and added, “(Bitcoin Cash) has solved the on-chain scalability issue.”
Source: Bitcoin.com
