Do you want to own 1 BTC or 100,000,000 bitcoins?
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#Bitcoin Don't rush to answer, let's first take a look at what 'BIP-177' is!
1. Overview of BIP-177 Proposal | Initiated by Synonym CEO John Carvalho
BIP-177 proposes to redefine the basic unit and display of Bitcoin, aimed at enhancing user cognitive experience. This proposal does not involve modifications to the consensus protocol, the key changes are as follows:
✅ Rename the basic unit to 'bitcoin', discarding terms like 'satoshi' and 'sat';
✅ The currency code 'BTC' remains unchanged, 1 BTC = 100,000,000 bitcoins;
✅ Allow the use of the symbol '₿' to represent the basic unit, for example: 0.345 BTC = ₿ 34,500,000;
✅ Support switching between old and new display formats, allowing users to freely choose between traditional decimal and integer formats.
Before BIP-177 Proposal Passed: 1 BTC = 100,000,000 sats / 100,000,000 satoshis
After BIP-177 Proposal Passed: 1 BTC = 100,000,000 bitcoins;
2. Three Major Advantages of BIP-177 | Not Just a Change in Display Format
Although BIP-177 is merely a redefinition of the Bitcoin unit and display format, initiator John Carvalho believes that the benefits of this change are significant:
✅ Reduce Cognitive Load
As the price of Bitcoin rises, everyday payments and on-chain interactions often present as complex decimals (e.g., 0.00002 BTC). If displayed directly as an integer '2000 bitcoins', users find it easier to understand, calculate, and input.
✅ Eliminate Unit Anxiety
Currently, 1 BTC ≈ 103,000 USD, making many newcomers hesitant, and 0.1 BTC is often misunderstood as 'an incomplete coin'. With the new format, 1 bitcoin (basic unit) is only worth 0.00103 USD, making it more affordable and helping to eliminate the psychological barriers of 'not being able to afford it' and ceiling anxiety, encouraging broader participation.
For example
Before BIP-177 Proposal Passed: I only have 0.00002 BTC.
After BIP-177 Proposal Passed: I have 2000 bitcoins. (Users find it easier to engage)
✅ Simplify User Experience
BIP-177 proposes to discard secondary units like 'satoshi/sat', avoiding the burden of switching units that comes with BTC and sat coexisting. Directly unifying to 'bitcoin' (integer counting unit) better aligns with the essence of the protocol, unifying global users’ consensus on 'BTC' and 'bitcoin'.