F2Pool accused of censoring OFAC-sanctioned bitcoin transactions

Recent findings suggest that F2Pool, a leading Bitcoin mining pool, may selectively censor transactions sanctioned by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), although these transactions offer competitive network fees. This behavior could be a sign of a worrying trend toward centralization within the Bitcoin network.

Investigations into F2Pool activities reveal that as of Sunday, blocks numbered 810727, 811791, 811920 and 813357 did not contain any OFAC-sanctioned transactions. Developer 0xB10C reported these findings after monitoring transaction selections via miningpool. observe. Evidence indicates that F2Pool deliberately chose to exclude these transactions, which contrasts with other mining pools where similar patterns were identified but were later attributed to false positives.

Concerns about F2Pool's practices stem from increasing regulatory pressure on cryptocurrency entities to comply with know-your-customer (KYC) and anti-money laundering (AML) guidelines . As regulatory scrutiny intensifies, some in the industry fear the decentralized ethos of cryptocurrencies could be at risk if major players such as mining pools begin acting as gatekeepers, deciding which transactions are included on the blockchain .

Mempool space rankings. have confirmed a trend toward centralization, raising questions about the implications for the broader Bitcoin ecosystem. If these trends continue, they could potentially undermine the principles of trust and censorship resistance that underpin bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.