The highly anticipated Nakamoto upgrade for the Stacks (STX) network seems to have encountered another hurdle in its activation schedule.
The activation period for the hard fork, expected to introduce quicker blocks and Bitcoin finality, commenced on 28 August, marking the start of Epoch 3.0. As detailed in a blog post on 20 September by the Stacks Foundation, core developers pinpointed block number 8646846 for the hard fork to take place on 9 October.
Doubts over Nakamoto Activation
The Bitcoin L2 network confirmed the completion of key milestones, such as the activation of the Nakamoto testnet hard fork on 27 September. In an update towards the end of September, the foundation also disclosed that bugs were discovered, specifically concerning how nodes interacted regarding tenure extensions during the initial testnet activation.
Addressing the issues, the foundation stated,
“Prior to the mainnet hard fork, these bugs must be resolved and tested with a new Nakamoto testnet version and subsequently on the main testnet. The aim is to ensure a stable operation with the latest code for at least one week before the mainnet hard fork.”
Recently, the foundation reported that the hard fork working group had rolled out the Release Candidate 2 software on the testnet.
As the Nakamoto activation deadline approaches with no updates, the Stacks community finds itself in a state of uncertainty.
Various STX holders expressed their discontent on social media platforms. One user shared,
“Despite the delays in the Nakamoto upgrade timeline, holders have been patient and supportive. The consistent delays raise doubts about the feasibility of the Nakamoto upgrade and sBTC integration.”
No revised timeline has been issued yet, prompting questions about the reasons behind the delay.
Technical Challenges for STX
The Nakamoto upgrade holds the promise of revolutionizing the Stacks ecosystem by offering enhanced network functionality and attracting more decentralized applications. Market-wise, this advancement could lead to increased demand and a rise in the price of STX.
STX has been moving within an ascending triangle pattern on the daily chart, with ascending support levels. Many STX holders believe that the upgrade might serve as the catalyst to push the STX price past the $2 mark.
Breaking this psychological barrier has proven difficult since 13 June. Recent attempts to surpass the resistance at $2 saw rejections at $2.08 on 27 September and $1.99 on 4 October.
While concerns over the upgrade delay persist, its potential impact remains significant. A successful implementation could offer a modest lift to the price of STX. Nevertheless, apprehensions about the timeline could sow seeds of negativity, potentially exerting downward pressure on STX.