BIP 113 — Median time-past as endpoint for lock-time calculations

BIP 113 (Median time-past as endpoint for lock-time calculations) is a consensus soft fork that evaluates time-based locktimes against the median timestamp of the previous 11 blocks rather than a block's own timestamp, reducing miners' ability to manipulate time-dependent conditions. It activated in mid-2016 with BIPs 68 and 112. Repository status: Deployed.

Debate relevance: A supporting fact in timelock and miner-manipulation debates; explains why 'block timestamps can be gamed' does not straightforwardly break timelocked contracts. Common misstatements: Claiming block timestamps must be accurate clocks — consensus only bounds them; BIP 113 is precisely a mitigation for their looseness.