The concept of a „gentleman`s agreement” is often used in business dealings to describe an informal agreement between two parties based on mutual trust and respect. In the case of the DCE (Digital Currency Exchange) industry, a gentleman`s agreement was formed in 2013 when major companies agreed on a set of principles and guidelines to govern the industry.

This agreement, also known as the „New York Agreement,” was formed by a group of leading Bitcoin companies, including Coinbase, Bitmain, and BitPay. The agreement was formed in response to concerns over the scalability of Bitcoin, as well as the need for a more organized and regulated industry.

The DCE gentleman`s agreement included several key principles and guidelines, including:

1. The adoption of the Segregated Witness (SegWit) protocol, which allows for more efficient use of block space and is seen as a crucial step towards addressing Bitcoin`s scalability issues.

2. The adoption of a hard fork, which would increase the block size limit to 2MB.

3. The commitment to work towards the development of a robust and regulated DCE industry, including the establishment of clear guidelines for security, consumer protection, and anti-money laundering.

While the DCE gentleman`s agreement was initially seen as a positive step towards greater unity and cooperation within the Bitcoin industry, it has since been criticized by some as being too centralized and lacking in transparency. There is also concern that the agreement could lead to a fragmentation of the Bitcoin community, as some users may choose to continue using the original Bitcoin blockchain rather than the new fork.

Despite these concerns, the DCE gentleman`s agreement remains an important landmark in the development of the Bitcoin industry. It represents a commitment to cooperation and collaboration that is essential for the growth and success of the industry in the years to come. As the DCE industry continues to evolve and mature, we can expect to see more such agreements and partnerships formed in pursuit of a safer, more efficient, and more transparent industry.