What's Up with UTXO Set Size Optimization?

What are the latest methods people are looking into for tackling the huge UTXO set size? I think it's not just about the size itself but how it affects the nodes that verify transactions. Any thoughts?

Honestly, nothing seems to work. As the UTXO set grows, it makes it harder for nodes to verify incoming transactions. Sure, LevelDB tweaks and hot UTXO caching are out there, but they don’t address the core issue. You're still dealing with a massive set that needs to be checked on a slow disk... it’s a pain. New ideas like utreexos just shift the responsibility onto users too much.

Wait a sec, that sounds contradictory. You say size isn't the problem, but then you mention how size impacts nodes. Isn't that the same thing? We’ve got tech and incentive strategies floating around. One thing we try to do is educate folks to avoid creating useless UTXOs and consolidate when fees are low. But, yeah, that’s not a perfect solution.

Not sure I agree with O(log N) being a huge deal. I mean, with around 114 million UTXOs, it's only about 34% slower compared to having 1 million. If you're looking for deeper answers, maybe check out Bitcoin delving forum or the StackExchange. They might have stricter rules but also better insights. Oh, and don’t forget Bitcoin Core lets you keep blockchain data in a separate folder, so you can use SSD for chainstate.