Bitcoin Core considers dropping encrypted routing support as poor node health exposes users to eclipse attacks

Bitcoin Core developers are considering removing support for encrypted routing after reports that poor node health and sparse peer connectivity make encrypted links easier to exploit for eclipse attacks. The consensus among observers and developers is that encrypted routing, as currently deployed, can obscure peer visibility and amplify an attacker’s ability to isolate nodes. Dropping the feature would reduce an attack surface and improve network observability and resilience at the cost of degrading some privacy and transport-layer confidentiality for users. The key implication for Bitcoin is a trade-off shift toward prioritizing network integrity and node health over encrypted transport features to mitigate systemic eclipse risk.