BIP-177 aims to flip the script on Bitcoin units, replacing confusing decimals with everyday language to drive mainstream adoption.The protocol proposal aims to redefine Bitcoin’s unit by treating the base unit (formerly called “satoshi”) as 1 bitcoin, eliminating decimals.
Apps should let users switch between the traditional BTC format (where 1 BTC = 100,000,000 base units) and the new whole-number format (where 1 bitcoin = 1 base unit). Using the ₿ symbol to represent base-unit bitcoins is optional—allowed, but not required.
So How Does BIP 177 Change The Way We See Bitcoin?
Sats? Nah. Let’s just call it what it is — a Bitcoin.That’s the idea behind BIP-177, a recent proposal that wants to give Bitcoin a decimal detox. In short: forget 0.00000123 BTC — just say “123 Bitcoins” and keep it moving. Because let’s be honest, no one likes doing mental gymnastics over decimal points that look like secret codes.
Satoshi Versus Bitcoin as Unit in BTC
The current convention defines one bitcoin as 100,000,000 base units. This representation requires dealing with eight simulated decimal places, which can be confusing and foster the misconception that bitcoin is inherently decimal-based. In reality, Bitcoin’s ledger represents values as integral base units. The decimal point is merely a human-imposed abstraction.
What’s the Big Idea?
BIP-177 proposes treating one satoshi (aka the smallest unit of Bitcoin) as one Bitcoin. Not one-whole-Bitcoin, just one base unit. Kind of like saying a penny is a dollar in a parallel universe where nobody ever says “0.01.” The logic? Bitcoin already stores value in sats. All those decimal points? Just a UI illusion humans made up.
So Why Now?
Well, Bitcoin’s price has soared — and so have the headaches. At $100K per BTC, a single satoshi is worth $0.001. If Bitcoin hits $1M, that same sat could be worth a full cent. Not so “micro” anymore, huh? This is basically Bitcoin’s version of a stock split, but without the corporate drama. Just a cleaner, easier way to count your coins.
Jack Dorsey Advocates BIP 177 on X
Twitter (sorry, X) founder Jack Dorsey – the OG co-founder of Twitter, now X is fully on board.
On May 16, he posted:
“Sats is definitely the wrong term and is stopping everyday people from acquiring and spending bitcoin.”
He even boosted a post from Bitkit Wallet’s devs, who’ve already made the switch:
“Zero confused users. It just looks and feels right
Why It Matters?
Crypto folks love to say “mass adoption.” Well, maybe it’s time we stopped making newcomers squint at numbers like 0.00000345 BTC and pretending it’s user-friendly. BIP-177 wants to simplify things, clean up the display, and make it feel less like math class and more like money.So next time someone says “I just sent you 50 Bitcoin,” don’t panic — they’re probably just talking about sats. Maybe.
Bitcoin Maxis React
Reddit users have gone berserk over BIP-177. Users have a divided vision for this new proposal. Some people believe that this is a way to market use of Bitcoin in a better way because the decimals make a holder feel that they do not hold any value. Many Bitcoin holders do feel overwhelmed, however people who have understood the Bitcoin dynamics understand that the decimals have value.
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Source: Bitcoin/r Reddit
