The new major release of the Bitcoin Core client, released for public release on Feb. 15, includes support for Segregated Witness (SegWit)

The description of Bitcoin Core 0.16.0 on Github promises "new features, various bugfixes and performance enhancements" whose support for SegWit is

The application of SegWit technology, which for the end user will mean a reduction in waiting times for transaction processing, has exploded since its launch in August 2017.

Leading suppliers of Bitcoin wallet and payment processors have been slow to implement it, provoking the anger of consumers who considered that they were paying – and waiting – beyond expectations, while on the technological front, that was not necessary.

SegWit is joined by a growing interest in so-called "Layer 2" solutions, mainly the Lightning Network.

Last week, Microsoft put all its weight behind this last option, along with the Lightning network. the time decrying other methods of scaling "up the chain" such as larger blocks like "degrading decentralization"

"Bitcoin Core 0.16.0 introduces full support for segwit in the wallet" Bitcoin Core Github's description confirms.

Other new features revolve around technical flexibility, while minor adjustments include features such as the reference to "bits" instead of "μBTC".

When asked to name the most notable feature of Bitcoin Core version 0.16.0 and how this will affect users, Jimmy Song, Bitcoin core developer and venture partner at Blockchain Capital, said Cointelegraph: