Bitcoin faces a fundamental threat to its existence due to mining centralization. The concentration of mining power in a few pools could lead to regulatory pressure that compromises the core value of censorship resistance. To address this issue, Ocean recently launched DATUM (Decentralized Alternative Templates for Universal Mining) to empower miners to select transactions for inclusion in blocks while still sharing rewards with other pool users.

DATUM, similar to Stratum V2 by Demand Pool, enables miners to choose transactions without relying on pool operators. This decentralization makes it harder for regulators to control transaction selection, enhancing Bitcoin’s censorship resistance. While DATUM doesn’t completely solve mining centralization, it represents a positive step towards a more decentralized mining ecosystem.

Despite potential regulatory challenges, DATUM offers miners the autonomy to construct their blocks, reducing concerns about pools censoring transactions. By incentivizing miners with lower fees for using this feature, Ocean encourages greater decentralization in the mining process. The ability for miners to choose transactions aligns with Bitcoin’s principles of censorship resistance and strengthens its long-term viability.

In conclusion, DATUM marks a significant advancement in combating mining centralization and safeguarding Bitcoin’s core values. As the cryptocurrency landscape evolves, initiatives like DATUM play a crucial role in preserving the decentralized nature of Bitcoin mining.