[ANN] Chainstate.io – skip Bitcoin Core initial sync with pruned snapshot (€10)

[bitnoon87]

The problem: Initial Bitcoin Core sync takes 1-3 weeks on most hardware. A lot of us just want a running Bitcoin Core, not waiting.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
💡 The solution: chainstate.io sells daily-updated pruned Bitcoin Core snapshots. Pay once, download a .tar of blocks/ + chainstate/, extract into your data directory, and start Bitcoin Core. It picks up from there – no full sync needed.         
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
Details:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
- €10 one-time payment – no account required
- Compatible with Bitcoin Core v28–30.2 (Windows, Linux, macOS)                                                                                                                                                                                   
- Snapshot updated daily; sync date shown on site             
- 24-hour download link delivered instantly after payment                                                                                                                                                                                         
                                                         
A pruned node still fully validates the blockchain – it just doesn't store old blocks on disk (~550 MB blocks + ~12 GB chainstate total). Ideal if you don't need to query historical block data.                                                 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
The snapshot is binary data files only – no code, nothing executable.                                                                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
https://chainstate.io

[LoyceV]

This data is available for free from various sources, including Github. BUT: you should not do this, and especially not if you don't know/trust the source!

This guy knows a thing or two about Bitcoin Core:

But the chainstate database/etc. aren't intended as external interfaces and I would be totally unsurprised if there was a way for malicious data in them to result in code execution.

[bitnoon87]

This data is available for free from various sources, including Github. BUT: you should not do this, and especially not if you don't know/trust the source!

This guy knows a thing or two about Bitcoin Core:

But the chainstate database/etc. aren't intended as external interfaces and I would be totally unsurprised if there was a way for malicious data in them to result in code execution.

The blocks and chainstate directories contain only binary data that cannot be executed.

This data is available for free from various sources, including Github.

Please share these sources. (btw, Github wasn't designed as a file hosting service for 14GB files, download speed will be slow).

[LoyceV]

The blocks and chainstate directories contain only binary data that cannot be executed.

You're missing the point of what gmaxwell wrote.

Please share these sources.

I won't, because doing this is not recommended. If you can't download and verify 770 GB, just use Electrum instead of Bitcoin Core.

[bitnoon87]

You're missing the point of what gmaxwell wrote.

It's just his thoughts. Other experts in databases have other opinion. Binary backups of a database is a common practice.

I won't, because doing this is not recommended. If you can't download and verify 770 GB, just use Electrum instead of Bitcoin Core.

When you use Electrum servers, you rely on external electrum server "I would be totally unsurprised..." you get the idea 

[LoyceV]

It's just his thoughts.

You're just ignoring valid arguments against this to earn €10.

Other experts in databases have other opinion.

Experts in databases should know not to buy random databases from random strangers.

Binary backups of a database is a common practice.

Now tell me where it's common practice to buy someone else's backup. Adding the word "binary" is meaningless.

When you use Electrum servers, you rely on external electrum server

There are many Electrum servers you rely on, not just one.

[bitnoon87]

You're just ignoring valid arguments against this to earn €10.

The argument here is that a database file is just a .txt file and can't do anything on your computer.

[ABCbits]

This data is available for free from various sources, including Github. BUT: you should not do this, and especially not if you don't know/trust the source!

Other people or group also provide that for free. For example, https://github.com/btcpayserver/btcpayserver-docker/tree/master/contrib/FastSync.

P.S. While BTCPay have good reputation, i don't vouch for their pruned blockchain files.

You're missing the point of what gmaxwell wrote.

It's just his thoughts. Other experts in databases have other opinion. Binary backups of a database is a common practice.

You missed his point. Some people concerned about possible arbitrary code execution vulnerability.

[bitnoon87]

Other people or group also provide that for free. For example, https://github.com/btcpayserver/btcpayserver-docker/tree/master/contrib/FastSync.

P.S. While BTCPay have good reputation, i don't vouch for their pruned blockchain files.

I've checked your link:

But if you want, browse on this listing

Listing doesn't exist. 404 error.

You missed his point. Some people concerned about possible arbitrary code execution vulnerability.

I understand their concerns and think how to make such snapshots more trustable. Perhaps you could share your ideas?
You just use this data ("blocks/", "chainstate/") as read-only input to your verified and trusted Bitcoin Core which you installed from official website and which should reject data if something is wrong or malicious there.

[ABCbits]

Other people or group also provide that for free. For example, https://github.com/btcpayserver/btcpayserver-docker/tree/master/contrib/FastSync.

P.S. While BTCPay have good reputation, i don't vouch for their pruned blockchain files.

I've checked your link:

But if you want, browse on this listing

Listing doesn't exist. 404 error.

Link on their code works, where size of mainnet is about 12.4GB.

Code:

if ! [[ "$UTXO_DOWNLOAD_LINK" ]]; then
    [[ $NBITCOIN_NETWORK == "mainnet" ]] && UTXO_DOWNLOAD_LINK="https://snapshots.btcpay.tech/utxo-snapshot-bitcoin-mainnet-867690.tar"
    [[ $NBITCOIN_NETWORK == "testnet" ]] && UTXO_DOWNLOAD_LINK="https://eu2.contabostorage.com/1f50a74c9dc14888a8664415dad3d020:utxosets/utxo-snapshot-bitcoin-testnet-1445586.tar"
fi

You missed his point. Some people concerned about possible arbitrary code execution vulnerability.

I understand their concerns and think how to make such snapshots more trustable. Perhaps you could share your ideas?

People who have such concern probably should consider UTXO snapshot/assume UTXO feature. AFAIK there's less issue since Bitcoin Core perform some verification.

When you use AssumeUTXO, the node starts syncing from the snapshot to the chain tip, then the node downloads and verifies the old blockchain history in the background until it eventually verifies its initial UTXO state at the loaded snapshot, allowing it to ultimately obtain the same trustless security as a node that doesn’t use AssumeUTXO.

1. Does it matter where I get the snapshot dat file from? No; Bitcoin Core will only load a snapshot with an aggregate UTXO set hash that matches one that's hard coded into Core.
3. Can I use this to sync a pruned node? Yes.

You just use this data ("blocks/", "chainstate/") as read-only input to your verified and trusted Bitcoin Core which you installed from official website and which should reject data if something is wrong or malicious there.

I know Bitcoin Core do some check on startup, but AFAIK it's focused to check corruption and doesn't check all files (since it would take too long time).

[bitnoon87]

Link on their code works, where size of mainnet is about 12.4GB.

Yes, my bad. I checked another link last time.

Now I checked load-utxo-set.sh file, downloaded "utxo-snapshot-bitcoin-mainnet-867690.tar" and found inside just "chainstate" and "blocks" folders which were created at 10 Oct 2024 (520 days old). So, you need to sync 520 days (on chainstate.io you can get fresh snapshot only for €10 ).
Also, in load-utxo-set.sh file they don't do any extra verification, they just removed your blocks and chainstate folders and replace them with folders from .tar archive (the same what chainstate.io suggest to do).

People who have such concern probably should consider UTXO snapshot/assume UTXO feature. AFAIK there's less issue since Bitcoin Core perform some verification.

Nice finding. After chekcing their code, I discovered that bitcoin has hard-coded block hashes here https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/blob/8e789322c5aef90c7eb3b71c2876e85f7208cf8c/src/kernel/chainparams.cpp#L160-L181, the most recent is 4 Feb 2026 (55 days old), but this version of bitcoin core client is not released yet. It will be in v31.0.
In current latest bitcoin core version (v30.2) they have hardcoded block from 14 Aug 2025 (230 days old).

Wait for the command to finish (this will take tens of minutes to several hours depending upon the speed of your machine)

I'm gonna check this.

Thanks ABCbits!