Bitcoin's SHA-2 to BLAKE2b Switch Set for August 30th
A major change is coming to Bitcoin on August 30th, according to Luke Dashjr, a developer and leading figure in the Bitcoin Knots project. This change involves a switch from SHA-2 to BLAKE2b as the Proof of Work (PoW) algorithm used for mining.
Miners using SHA-2 should halt mining on Saturday, August 29th, to prepare for the mainnet rehearsal of Bitcoin Knots version 29.4.1rc4. This version will be configured to fix the last SHA-2 block before the transition.
The 'canonical blake2b_headline' parameter, which will be used at the start of the new BLAKE2b-based chain, will be shared after the online version of the New York Post's Sunday morning print edition is published. If the process proceeds smoothly, the final version of Bitcoin Knots 29.4.1 will be released on September 1st.
The change may have significant consequences for mining infrastructure, as most current ASIC devices cannot directly mine BLAKE2b. However, those who want to start mining from day one after the changes can prepare in advance on testnet4 with Bitcoin Knots rc3 version.