Udi Wertheimer Offers to Promote Binance in Exchange for SegWit Support

One of the Bitcoin (BTC) space’s best-known and most outspoken developers has pledged to advertise Binance for the rest of the year if the exchange implements specific features.

Wertheimer tackles Binance’s lack of SegWit, Lightning

In a Twitter debate beginning on Oct. 2, Udi Wertheimer has made an unusual decision to influence development of Binance, one of the world’s biggest cryptocurrency exchanges. 

Appealing to Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao (known as “CZ”), Wertheimer said he could potentially change his Twitter profile picture to Binance’s logo for the rest of the year, stating:

“ok hear me out @cz_binance , if you add full segwit support (segwit deposits, and withdrawals to bech32) + allow generating new deposit addresses (to avoid address reuse), i will change my profile pic to @binance logo for the rest of 2019” 

Wertheimer was referring to the fact that Binance is delaying support for Bitcoin addresses which meet the Segregated Witness (SegWit) standard.

Long preferred by some due to its faster and cheaper operation, SegWit has seen slow uptake by businesses such as exchanges. 

In May, Zhao said the technology’s implementation was a “lower priority” for developers. He explained during an Ask Me Anything session:

“SegWit is on the road map, but it's kind of a lower priority because Bitcoin transactions do work right now, especially with Lightning Network, which have taken the load of Bitcoin main network.” 

Zhao hints at 2020 SegWit deal

Wertheimer also demanded Binance stop reusing Bitcoin addresses, something which can decrease users’ security. 

In his turn, Zhao hinted that he would offer the features if Wertheimer agrees to host the Binance logo until the end of Q1 next year. This, Wertheimer retorted, would only happen if ZC also offered support for the Lightning Network, stating:

“let's start with end of 2019 for the segwit and new addresses part, and i'll thrown in q1 2020 when you add lightning deposits.” 

As Cointelegraph reported on Sept. 19, bitcoiner and self-professed “toxic maximalist” Udi Wertheimer has also called out the leaders of altcoin projects like Bancor.