👀Would you rather own 1 $BTC or 100,000,000 bitcoins?
Don’t answer just yet—let’s first look at what BIP-177 is all about!

🔍 Overview of BIP-177｜Proposed by Synonym CEO John Carvalho

BIP-177 proposes redefining Bitcoin’s base unit and how it’s displayed, with the goal of improving user understanding.

Note: This proposal does not alter Bitcoin’s consensus protocol.

Here are the key changes:
✅ Renames the base unit to “bitcoin”, deprecating terms like “satoshi” and “sat”;
✅ Keeps the currency code “$BTC” unchanged, where 1 $BTC = 100,000,000 bitcoins;
✅ Allows the use of “₿” to represent base-unit bitcoins (e.g., 0.345 $BTC = ₿34,500,000);
✅ Supports switching between the traditional decimal format and the new integer-only format.

📌 Example
Before BIP-177: 1 $BTC = 100,000,000 sats / 100,000,000 satoshis
After BIP-177: 1 $BTC = 100,000,000 bitcoins

🔺 Important: This is just a naming and display change for the base unit. Your $BTC doesn’t magically increase. 🤣

🚀 3 Key Benefits of BIP-177｜More Than Just a Visual Change

Although BIP-177 only redefines units and display formats, John Carvalho believes the benefits are significant:

✅ 1. Reduces Cognitive Load
As $BTC’s value rises, everyday payments and on-chain interactions often involve tiny decimals (e.g., 0.00002 $BTC).
By displaying amounts as integers like “2,000 bitcoins,” users find it easier to understand, calculate, and input values.

📌Example:
Before: I have 0.00002 $BTC
After: I have 2,000 bitcoins (Fewer zeros, more intuitive value)

✅ 2. Eliminates “Unit Anxiety”
With 1 $BTC priced around $103,000, many newcomers feel priced out. Owning “just” 0.1 $BTC may feel insufficient.

Under the new system, 1 bitcoin (base unit) is only $0.00103—much more approachable. This eases the psychological barrier and makes Bitcoin feel more accessible.

📌Example:
Before: I only have 0.00002 $BTC
After: I have 2,000 bitcoins (More empowering and beginner-friendly)

✅ 3. Simplifies the User Experience
By retiring “satoshi/sat,” BIP-177 removes the dual-layer denomination confusion ($BTC vs sats).
Unifying everything under the term “bitcoin” makes it clearer, and better reflects Bitcoin’s true integer-based protocol design.

🗣 Community Reactions｜Pros & Cons
📌Critics say:
BIP-177 removes the beloved “satoshi” unit, named after Bitcoin’s creator, and could lead to confusion between “$BTC” and “bitcoin.”

Supporters say:
📌It reinforces Bitcoin’s base-unit consistency, makes the price feel less intimidating, and improves accessibility for newcomers.

Anyway, BIP-177 is currently just a proposal for the Bitcoin communities. Let’s wait and see what happens next!