What are Bitcoin Ordinals?

Crypto

As you may know, the digital asset market is dominated by Ethereum NFTs. While this has led to several investment opportunities and unique experiences, it also limits your choices. But what if you could buy NFTs on the Bitcoin blockchain too? With Bitcoin ordinals, this is now a possibility. So what are Bitcoin ordinals and how do they work?

What are Bitcoin ordinals or Bitcoin NFTS? 

Bitcoin ordinals are a new type of non-fungible token (NFT) created on the Bitcoin blockchain. Founded by Casey Rodarmor, the ordinals protocol allows users to attach digital content such as art, text or video to a unique satoshi, which is the smallest divisible unit of 1 Bitcoin. It is equivalent to 100 millionth of a bitcoin. This makes the content immutable and permanent, with no need for third-party verification.

Bitcoin ordinals are similar to other NFTs because they represent unique digital assets verifiable on the blockchain. However, they differ from other NFTs in that they are inscribed on the Bitcoin blockchain, rather than Ethereum or another blockchain.

How Do Bitcoin Ordinals Work?

Bitcoin ordinals work by assigning a unique identity to each satoshi on the Bitcoin network. In essence, this allows satoshis to be tracked and transferred across the blockchain. There are 100 million satoshis in each BTC token. 

By inscribing digital content onto sats, Bitcoin ordinals become immutable digital collectables that can be transacted on the Bitcoin network using a crypto wallet. This can be used to represent unique digital assets such as artwork, music, video, or even text. Because these digital assets are stored on the Bitcoin blockchain, they can be easily verified, unique and tamper-proof.

Bitcoin Ordinals Use Cases And Applications

While their primary use can be found in the art world, there are many other Bitcoin ordinals applications in finance and business.

Examples Of How Bitcoin Ordinals Are Changing The Crypto Art Market

Bitcoin ordinals have gained popularity in the crypto art market, where artists are creating unique digital works that can be inscribed on the blockchain. This allows collectors to own a piece of art that is truly one-of-a-kind and verified on the Bitcoin network. Some popular examples include “Bitcoin Punks” and “Planetary Ordinals.”

Read more: What Are Blockchain Layers

Other Potential Use Cases For Bitcoin Ordinals Beyond Art And Collectables

Bitcoin ordinals have the potential to be used in a wide variety of applications beyond the art and collectables market. They could be used for identity verification, supply chain tracking, and even in medicine. Any use cases where a permanent, immutable record is needed can greatly benefit from the use of BTC ordinals. 

The Future Of Bitcoin Ordinals And Their Role In Decentralized Finance (Defi)

Future Of Bitcoin Ordinals

As the use cases for Bitcoin ordinals expand, they could play an important role in the decentralized finance (DeFi) ecosystem. By allowing for permanent and transparent records of financial transactions, Bitcoin ordinals could help make DeFi more secure and trustworthy. 

It also expands the DeFi ecosystem beyond Ethereum’s dominance. As an investor, this increases competition and decentralisation, giving you better options to choose from. 

The Benefits And Risks Of Investing In Bitcoin Ordinals As A Collectible Or Investment

Investing in Bitcoin ordinals can offer several benefits. These include the potential for high returns and ownership of a unique and verified digital asset. However, there are also risks involved, including the potential for volatile pricing and the losing access to the asset if it is not stored properly.

How To Create And Sell Bitcoin Ordinals?

Creating and selling Bitcoin ordinals requires a basic understanding of the Bitcoin network and how to use a Bitcoin wallet. Users can either create their own content or purchase content from other creators, attach it to a satoshi, and then sell it on a marketplace or through a personal website.

A Step-By-Step Guide To Creating And Minting Bitcoin Ordinals

  • To create a Bitcoin ordinal, users must first download a Bitcoin wallet and sync it to the network. Currently, the Ordinals wallet, Xverse and Hiro wallet support BTC ordinals functionality.
  • Once synced, you can choose to purchase ordinals from a marketplace or create your own
  • To make a new ordinal, you can use no-code tools like the “Ordinals Bot”. This allows you to inscribe a Bitcoin NFT without complicated steps like running your own node. 

Best Practices For Storing And Managing Bitcoin Ordinals As A Collector Or Creator

Storing and managing Bitcoin ordinals requires careful attention to security and proper backup procedures. Unfortunately, Bitcoin ordinals are a very recent project. There is limited support for the feature on most wallets. While your options are limited, be sure to use multi-factor authentication and never share your private keys with anyone. 

ORDI Now Available on ZebPay

You can now trade ORDI token, the official Bitcoin ordinals token using ZebPay. You can add this brand-new token to your portfolio and take advantage of a first-of-a-kind innovation aiming to amplify the Bitcoin blockchain’s use cases.

Conclusion

Bitcoin ordinals represent a new and exciting development in the world of NFTs and blockchain technology. They offer a range of potential use cases, from crypto art to finance and beyond. Ordinals can be used to represent unique digital assets that are verifiable, tamper-proof, and permanent. While there are risks involved in investing in Bitcoin ordinals, they offer ownership of a truly one-of-a-kind asset.

You can learn more about crypto trading and investing on ZebPay blogs. Trade confidently with ZebPay Australia.

FAQs on Bitcoin Ordinals

How do Bitcoin ordinals differ from other NFTs?

Bitcoin ordinals differ from other NFTs in that they are inscribed on the Bitcoin blockchain, rather than Ethereum or another blockchain. This is significant because the base Bitcoin blockchain does not include support for digital assets.

What are some use cases for Bitcoin ordinals?

Bitcoin ordinals have many potential use cases, including in the art world, supply chain tracking, and identity verification. They could also be used in decentralized finance (DeFi) to make financial transactions more secure and trustworthy.

What are some risks involved in investing in Bitcoin ordinals?

Investing in Bitcoin ordinals can offer high returns and a unique digital asset, but there are also risks involved. These include volatile prices and the risk of code vulnerabilities. You may also lose access to your assets if they are not stored properly.

How can I store and manage my Bitcoin ordinals safely?

Storing and managing Bitcoin ordinals requires careful attention to security and proper backup procedures. You should follow the standard steps towards safety online. These include enabling MFA, not opening suspicious links and never sharing your private keys.

Disclaimer: Crypto products and NFTs are unregulated and can be highly risky. There may be no regulatory recourse for any loss from such transactions. Each investor must do his/her own research or seek independent advice if necessary before initiating any transactions in crypto products and NFTs. The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the article belong solely to the author, and not to ZebPay or the author’s employer or other groups or individuals. ZebPay shall not be held liable for any acts or omissions, or losses incurred by the investors. ZebPay has not received any compensation in cash or kind for the above article and the article is provided “as is”, with no guarantee of completeness, accuracy, timeliness or of the results obtained from the use of this information.

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