Controversy Arises as Irys Proposes Arweave Fork and Token Supply Reset

Token Reset Sparks Debate

Sam Williams, the founder of Arweave, has publicly expressed concerns over Irys's recent announcement. Irys, previously known as Bundlr Network, has proposed a plan to fork Arweave. This plan includes resetting the token supply, a decision that Williams deems as both short-sighted and motivated by greed.

Forking Framework Questions

Despite Arweave's established framework for growth, Irys intends to disregard the existing dataset in this fork. They aim to start anew with the token supply. Irys personnel have clarified their stance, indicating their reluctance to support the current data or distribute tokens to Arweave. This move, according to Williams, could potentially jeopardize Irys's own development trajectory.

Potential for Collaboration

Despite his criticisms, Williams remains open to communication and support, prioritizing the broader ecosystem's health. He suggests that if Irys proceeds with building the fork, it should be executed correctly. Williams also highlights that Arweave is ready to offer assistance and engage in constructive dialogue.

Migration Assistance Offer

Addressing the concerns of users amidst these developments, Williams mentions that ar.io, another project within the Arweave ecosystem, is prepared to offer immediate support for those needing to migrate data.

Background of Irys

Irys, formerly known as the Bundlr Network, announced its rebranding in October. The network had successfully completed over one billion transactions, showcasing its capabilities in scalable and permanent on-chain data solutions. This achievement underlines the importance of data permanence in the evolving Web3 storage sector.

While innovation and evolution are inherent to the blockchain sphere, the pursuit of progress should not overshadow the fundamental principles of community collaboration and technological integrity.