<p>The current block size limit is 1MB, but this is likely to be changed in the future.</p>

<p>Transactions are about 500B, so the current limit is 2000 transactions per block, or about 3 per second.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-09-27T00:00:45.773Z
Is this actually a current limitation regardless of the client implementation? Do you have a reference for that assertion?
barrymac
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-09-27T01:41:58.907Z
@barrymac https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/blob/ff4e3e63e776fb320b87d2506d911d5a7fa757a4/src/main.h#L32
theymos
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-09-27T01:43:48.947Z
IMO it's not so certain that the max block size will be increased in the near future. There's likely to be a lot of controversy about it. See http://keepbitcoinfree.org/
theymos
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-09-27T11:03:30.007Z
@theymos We found the same thing from via different paths! +1 for linking to the line of code responsible!
barrymac
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-06-13T12:08:19.503Z
Wow, that's slow. If Bitcoin keeps growing, they'll definitely have to increase the block size
Casebash
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-06-13T12:03:33.267Z
2012-06-13T12:03:33.267Z
Meni Rosenfeld
<p>From the <a href="https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Scalability" rel="nofollow">Scalability on the wiki</a> page</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Today the Bitcoin network is restricted to a sustained rate of 7 tps by some artificial limits. These were put in place to stop people from ballooning the size of the block chain before the network and community was ready for it. Once those limits are lifted, the maximum transaction rate will go up significantly.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>I also found <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4d3LA8KpdMQ" rel="nofollow">this talk</a> by Peter Todd from  <a href="http://keepbitcoinfree.org" rel="nofollow">keepbitcoinfree.org</a> on using off blockchain transactions to avoid hitting the main block chain with the full transaction load which was followed by good Q&amp;A</p>

<p>There's also <a href="http://coinometrics.com/bitcoin/btix" rel="nofollow">some charts comparing to other payment networks</a></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-09-27T00:05:56.057Z
2013-10-19T13:56:44.110Z
2013-10-19T13:56:44.110Z
barrymac
<p>I have heard that the maximum block size means that the Bitcoin network has a maximum throughput. What is this maximum?</p>

<network><scalability><blocksize>
What is the maximum throughput of the Bitcoin network? (2013)
Casebash
# What is the maximum throughput of the Bitcoin network? (2013)

(Asked by: username_0 on 2012-06-13)

I have heard that the maximum block size means that the Bitcoin network has a maximum throughput. What is this maximum?

**Tags:** network, scalability, blocksize


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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2012-06-13. Score: 9

The current block size limit is 1MB, but this is likely to be changed in the future.

Transactions are about 500B, so the current limit is 2000 transactions per block, or about 3 per second.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Wow, that's slow. If Bitcoin keeps growing, they'll definitely have to increase the block size  
> **username_2**: Is this actually a current limitation regardless of the client implementation? Do you have a reference for that assertion?  
> **username_3**: @username_2 https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/blob/ff4e3e63e776fb320b87d2506d911d5a7fa757a4/src/main.h#L32  
> **username_3**: IMO it's not so certain that the max block size will be increased in the near future. There's likely to be a lot of controversy about it. See http://keepbitcoinfree.org/  
> **username_2**: @username_3 We found the same thing from via different paths! +1 for linking to the line of code responsible!  

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### Answer by username_2 on 2013-09-27. Score: 2

From the [Scalability on the wiki](https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Scalability) page

> Today the Bitcoin network is restricted to a sustained rate of 7 tps by some artificial limits. These were put in place to stop people from ballooning the size of the block chain before the network and community was ready for it. Once those limits are lifted, the maximum transaction rate will go up significantly.

I also found [this talk](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4d3LA8KpdMQ) by Peter Todd from [keepbitcoinfree.org](http://keepbitcoinfree.org) on using off blockchain transactions to avoid hitting the main block chain with the full transaction load which was followed by good Q&A

There's also [some charts comparing to other payment networks](http://coinometrics.com/bitcoin/btix)


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