A Bold Proposal on Unit Naming
John Carvalho, CEO of Bitcoin software company Synonym, has stirred up the crypto community with a controversial Bitcoin Improvement Proposal (BIP) that seeks to eliminate the term 'satoshis' (or 'sats') and instead refer to the smallest unit of Bitcoin as simply 'bitcoin'. Currently, 1 bitcoin is divisible into 100 million satoshis, a system that Carvalho argues causes unnecessary cognitive overhead and confusion among users, especially newcomers.
In his BIP draft, Carvalho writes: 'By redefining the smallest unit as “one bitcoin,” this BIP aligns user perception with the protocol’s true nature. It reduces cognitive overhead, ensures users understand Bitcoin as counting discrete units, and ultimately improves educational clarity and user experience.' He acknowledges the change would be radical, requiring more than a year for full transition. Interim measures — such as showing both old and new configurations side-by-side — would be used before phasing out the legacy display once the proposal gains sufficient adoption.
Community Backlash and Mockery
The proposal has not been well received by many in the Bitcoin community. Podcast host Stephan Livera took to X (formerly Twitter) to ridicule the idea: 'Hey, I’ve got this great idea! Instead of one pizza with eight slices, let’s just call each slice a pizza. Just make sure when you go to order your pizza, you now order eight pizzas instead of one.' He ended with 'Just my two pizzas,' a playful twist on the common phrase 'just my two sats.'
The timing of Carvalho’s proposal coincides with rising Bitcoin prices, where an increasing number of retail investors cannot afford a full bitcoin and are forced to transact in satoshis. This creates friction when toggling between 'bitcoin' and 'sats' in everyday use. However, most bitcoiners appear to disagree with the change, with some labeling it unnecessary and disruptive to the established cultural norms surrounding the asset.
Bitkit Wallet Already Implements the Change
Notably, Synonym’s own Bitkit wallet already uses this 'integer-only' configuration, meaning Carvalho is not merely theorizing but has already put his idea into practice in his own product. Yet convincing the entire Bitcoin network — exchanges, wallets, service providers, and users — to adopt such a fundamental shift in unit naming is a massive undertaking.
The term 'sat' (short for satoshi) is deeply embedded in Bitcoin culture, named after the pseudonymous creator Satoshi Nakamoto. Changing it involves more than technical adjustments; it touches on community sentiment and historical legacy. Carvalho’s BIP remains in the early discussion phase, with no official vote scheduled.
This naming debate highlights a broader challenge: as Bitcoin transitions from a niche cypherpunk tool to a mainstream asset, how should the ecosystem balance user experience with tradition? With Bitcoin’s price appreciating, the 'fractional ownership' issue will only grow more pronounced, making this discussion relevant for the future of Bitcoin usability.