The Bitcoin Blockchain is now running at about 200GB capacity. With that much data to download, it can take days to set up a full node, and many nodes are therefore only lightweight nodes. If the size limit on blocks is increased, as some propose, transaction capacity will be increased and the rising fees might be kept down, but it will also disqualify more users from running full nodes.

A full node comprises a full copy of every block and transaction on the Bitcoin Blockchain, which has been verified to ensure it complies with the Bitcoin Core consensus rules. Many developers argue that the best way to use the system is to run a full node, and some say that without it the whole cryptocurrency system is meaningless. Running a full node not only enables each user to validate transactions themselves, but also to resist censorship and the need to trust third parties.

Jonas Schnelli, who contributed to and helps maintain the Bitcoin Core, favours a solution aimed at keeping Bitcoin decentralised, but using faster and more manageable nodes. Full nodes are critical to the concept, he believes, but he wants to make Bitcoin Core more user-friendly, and hopefully mobile. His plan is to be able to connect portable devices with multiple wallets to a full node operating from a home computer, thereby making the system fully mobile.