The post Bitcoin core maintainer Gloria Zhao steps down appeared on BitcoinEthereumNews.com.

Gloria Zhao, a Bitcoin Core developer and fellow at Brink who focuses mainly on mempool validation and transaction relay, has withdrawn from her position and revoked her cryptographic signing key. Following her decision, reports from sources noted that this recognition act is a common practice in the crypto industry, in which a maintainer steps down from their position without affecting BTCs consensus rules, network security, or transaction processing. The report disclosed this finding, citing several recent trends in resignations. Several maintainers opt to minimize their involvement in the Bitcoin blockchain community Maintainers of Bitcoin Core, a small, trusted group of developers with special access to the codebase, function like “janitors” of the project and are responsible for reviewing and approving code updates and digitally signing official releases with cryptographic keys.  Regarding this role, sources noted that Zhao had been involved with Bitcoin Core for more than 6 years, specializing in key areas such as mempool policy, transaction relay, and fee estimation.  During the exercise of her duties, she greatly enhanced network efficiency, but her contributions did not alter Bitcoin’s consensus rules. Seeing her contribution to the crypto industry, many individuals raised concerns about her sudden decision. These concerns prompted reports to reach out to Zhao for clarity on her reasons for leaving, a common occurrence in open-source projects. Nonetheless, she declined to respond to the request.  Meanwhile, in an attempt to address the controversy, a report noted that in the BTC blockchain community, maintainers frequently opt to minimize their involvement due to funding changes, sustainability issues, or personal commitments. Despite this explanation, conflicting viewpoints within the cryptocurrency sector, as illustrated by widely circulated ‘BREAKING’ announcements on X following a post from an individual with the username @JacobKinge, cast doubt on her resignation being tied to controversial figures from Bitcoin’s development…

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Filed under: News - @ February 6, 2026 1:25 am