Bitcoin Miners Found 2 Valid Blocks, Then One Was Left Behind

Key Takeaways

• Antpool won the race at block 966500, while Spiderpool watched its perfectly valid Bitcoin block get tossed.
• Galaxy Research says Bitcoin has seen 3 one-block reorgs in 4 weeks, but small ones are typically part of the game.
• Monero’s 18-block and Bitcoin SV’s 100-block reorgs show how quickly things can get serious when reorgs run deep.

Bitcoin’s One-Block Reorg Pits Spiderpool Against Antpool

At block height 966500, Spiderpool and Antpool discovered two valid blocks that both pointed back to the same parent. Galaxy Research discovered the anomaly via its private node. “Bitcoin experienced a small 1 block reorg this morning. This is common: the third time in four weeks (962,722 on Aug. 16, 963,853 on Aug. 24). Here, Spiderpool had its chain obviated by Antpool,” the Galaxy Research X account wrote.

Galaxy added:

“Our node never saw the Antpool block until it confirmed and the chain extended on top of it.”

When Two Valid Blocks Collide, Only One Survives

Blockchain reorgs like this are not entirely uncommon, and like Galaxy said, this specific occurrence has happened at least three times over the last month. As for what a chain reorganization actually is, imagine a network of kids building a tower of blocks when two builders happen to place different blocks at the top at nearly the same time.