Question 1

What are Bitcoin Ordinals?

Accepted Answer

Bitcoin Ordinals is a protocol that allows data (images, text, HTML, etc.) to be inscribed directly onto individual satoshis on the Bitcoin blockchain. Each piece of inscribed data becomes a permanent, on-chain digital artifact.

Question 2

How are Ordinals different from Ethereum NFTs?

Accepted Answer

Unlike most Ethereum NFTs which store metadata and images on external servers (like IPFS or AWS), Ordinals inscriptions are stored entirely on the Bitcoin blockchain. This means the data is truly permanent and doesn't depend on any external service remaining online.

Question 3

What is an inscription?

Accepted Answer

An inscription is a piece of data (image, text, video, code, etc.) that has been permanently embedded in a Bitcoin transaction and assigned to a specific satoshi. Think of it as a digital artifact etched into Bitcoin.

Question 4

How much does it cost to create an inscription?

Accepted Answer

The cost depends on two factors: the size of your file (more bytes = higher cost) and the current Bitcoin network fee rate. Small optimized images (under 10KB) can cost just a few dollars, while larger files can cost hundreds. Use our compression tools to minimize fees.

Question 5

What wallets support Ordinals?

Accepted Answer

Popular Ordinals-compatible wallets include Xverse, Unisat, Hiro (Leather), and Magic Eden wallet. These wallets can detect, display, and transfer inscriptions.

Question 6

Can inscriptions be deleted or modified?

Accepted Answer

No. Once data is inscribed on Bitcoin, it is permanent and immutable. It becomes part of the blockchain's transaction history and cannot be altered or removed.

Question 7

What is sat rarity?

Accepted Answer

Ordinal Theory defines rarity levels for satoshis based on Bitcoin events: Common, Uncommon (first sat of a block), Rare (first sat of a difficulty adjustment), Epic (first sat of a halving), Legendary (first sat of a cycle), and Mythic (the genesis sat).

Question 8

What is a recursive inscription?

Accepted Answer

A recursive inscription references content from other inscriptions using the /content/<id> path. This allows inscriptions to compose and build on each other, like importing a JavaScript library that already exists on-chain.

Question 9

What is a parent-child inscription?

Accepted Answer

Parent-child is a provenance system where a parent inscription (e.g., a collection) can have child inscriptions linked to it. This proves the children were created by the parent's owner and enables on-chain collections.

Question 10

What file types can be inscribed?

Accepted Answer

Almost any file type: PNG, JPEG, WebP, GIF, SVG, HTML, JavaScript, CSS, JSON, plain text, MP3, MP4, GLB (3D models), and more. The main limit is the ~4MB Bitcoin block size.

Question 11

How do I view an inscription?

Accepted Answer

You can view any inscription by searching for its inscription number or ID on our explorer, or using other Ordinals explorers like ordinals.com, ord.io, or Magic Eden.

Question 12

Are Ordinals bad for Bitcoin?

Accepted Answer

This is debated in the Bitcoin community. Supporters argue Ordinals bring new utility, users, and fee revenue to miners. Critics argue they consume block space better used for financial transactions. Both perspectives have merit — Ordinals represent a new use case that the Bitcoin protocol technically supports.

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