177 - Redefine Bitcoin's Base Unit
BIP: 177 source Title: Redefine Bitcoin's Base Unit Author: John Carvalho Comments-URI: https://github.com/bitcoin/bips/wiki/Comments:BIP-0177 Status: Draft Type: Informational Created: 2025-04-23 License: CC0-1.0 Table of ContentsIntroductionAbstractMotivationSpecificationRationaleAddressing Alternative ApproachesHandling the Terms “satoshi” and “sat”Backward CompatibilitySecurity ConsiderationsReference ImplementationTest VectorsImplementation TimelineConclusionCopyright Introduction Abstract This BIP proposes redefining the commonly recognized "bitcoin" unit so that the base unit becomes the primary reference unit. Under this proposal, one bitcoin is defined as that indivisible base unit, eliminating the convention of synthetic decimal places. By making the base unit the standard measure, this BIP aims to simplify user comprehension, reduce confusion, and align on-chain values directly with their displayed representation. Motivation The current convention defines...