Seven leading Bitcoin mining companies, including Antpool, Block Inc, and F2Pool, have joined the Stratum V2 Working Group to promote the adoption of the Stratum V2 protocol. Announced on May 7, 2026, this move aims to establish Stratum V2 as an open industry standard, enhancing efficiency, privacy, and decentralization in Bitcoin mining. The Stratum V2 protocol, developed by Brains and Spiral, offers significant improvements over its predecessor, including end-to-end encryption and the ability for miners to independently construct block templates. This feature is crucial for reducing centralization in block construction. The inclusion of these major mining operators marks a significant step toward widespread adoption of the protocol.