Foundry USA, the mining pool that controls roughly 33% of Bitcoin's total hashrate, has opened a vote on BIP-110 — a proposal that would change how Bitcoin blocks are validated. So far, less than 1% of miners have signaled support. The vote remains open, but the early numbers suggest the proposal has a long way to go.
The vote so far
Miners signal their stance by including a specific code in the blocks they mine. As of this week, that code appears in fewer than one in every hundred blocks. That's a weak showing for a proposal backed by the pool that commands the largest share of the network's computing power.
Foundry hasn't set a deadline for the vote. The low participation could mean miners are waiting to see how others vote, or it could reflect genuine opposition. Either way, the current signaling rate is far from the threshold needed to move forward.
Why Foundry's move matters
Foundry USA isn't just any pool — it's the biggest. When it asks miners to weigh in on a technical change, the industry pays attention. A strong show of support from Foundry's miners could push other pools to follow suit. But a weak response, like the one we're seeing now, sends the opposite signal.
The proposal itself, BIP-110, aims to modify block size validation rules. Its supporters argue it would improve network efficiency. Critics warn it could centralize mining power. The debate has been simmering for months, and Foundry's vote is the first real test of miner sentiment.
Foundry will eventually tally the results. If support stays below 1%, the proposal is effectively dead — at least for now. If it picks up, the conversation moves to the broader Bitcoin development community. But with no deadline in sight, the vote could drag on.
For the moment, the Bitcoin network keeps running as it always has. The question is whether Foundry's miners will eventually show up to the polls — or whether BIP-110 will fade into the list of proposals that never gained traction.
