The cryptocurrency world is buzzing again — not with a new blockchain or Layer 2 upgrade, but with a simple, experimental token standard built directly on Bitcoin: BRC20.
On May 6, news spread across social platforms that the BRC20 token ORDI had surged past $10, pushing its market cap over $200 million. What makes this more than just another price pump? The fact that ORDI was initially free to mint, requiring only a small gas fee in Bitcoin (BTC) to claim thousands of tokens. Early adopters who minted 1,000 ORDI units now hold assets worth nearly $10,000 — all with minimal effort.
Unlike complex airdrop farming that demands technical know-how and multiple on-chain interactions, BRC20 offers a simpler path: mint early, pay only gas, and potentially reap massive rewards. In times of low network congestion, that gas cost could be as little as a few dollars.
This ease of access, combined with explosive price movements, has turned BRC20 into one of 2025’s hottest crypto narratives. From KOLs to centralized exchanges, everyone is paying attention.
On May 5, crypto influencer Plan B launched a Twitter poll about BRC20. Element NFT marketplace founder Wang Feng announced plans to support BRC20 trading. The next day, Huobi revealed ORDI had won its latest listing vote — ahead of even BRC20-based PEPE — promising spot trading if industry consensus forms. Meanwhile, OKX confirmed it’s actively analyzing BRC20 and working toward wallet integration.
Clearly, BRC20 is no longer just a niche experiment — it's a rapidly growing ecosystem attracting users, developers, and major platforms.
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What Is BRC20?
BRC20 is an experimental token standard for issuing fungible tokens on the Bitcoin blockchain. Created by Twitter user @domodata on March 8, 2023, it leverages the Ordinal protocol to embed token data directly into Bitcoin’s smallest units — satoshis (sats).
Think of it as Bitcoin’s version of Ethereum’s ERC20 standard. While ERC20 relies on smart contracts to manage token creation and transfers, Bitcoin does not natively support such functionality. Instead, BRC20 uses JSON-formatted inscriptions written onto individual sats via the Ordinal protocol.
Each inscription acts as a record — defining how a token is deployed, minted, and transferred. These inscriptions serve as both the contract and ledger for BRC20 tokens.
Understanding the Ordinal Protocol
At the heart of BRC20 lies the Ordinal theory, introduced in early 2023. It assigns a unique serial number to each of Bitcoin’s 2.1 quadrillion satoshis (1 BTC = 100 million sats). This numbering allows individual sats to be tracked and distinguished.
Once a satoshi is numbered, users can attach digital content — images, text, code — to it. This process is called inscribing, and the attached data is known as an inscription. When applied creatively, these become Bitcoin-native NFTs.
@domodata realized this system could go beyond NFTs. By standardizing inscriptions into structured JSON text, developers could create fungible tokens — thus birthing BRC20.
In essence:
- Bitcoin NFTs: Inscriptions contain images or artwork.
- BRC20 Tokens: Inscriptions contain standardized text data (e.g.,
{"p":"brc-20","op":"mint","tick":"ordi","amt":"1000"}).
These text-based inscriptions enable three core operations:
- Deploy – Launch a new token
- Mint – Create new tokens
- Transfer – Send tokens between wallets
All actions are recorded immutably on-chain through inscriptions.
How to Create a BRC20 Token
Anyone can deploy a BRC20 token — there's no approval process. But once deployed, key parameters like name and supply are fixed.
Here’s how:
- Install the Unisat Wallet (or compatible Ordinals-enabled wallet), ensuring derivation path
m/86'/0'/0'/0/0is selected. - Transfer BTC to your wallet (address starts with
bc1p). - Click Inscribe → Select BRC20 → Choose Deploy.
Enter:
tick: 4-character token name (e.g., "pepe")max: Maximum total supplylim: Max amount per mint
- Submit and pay gas fee.
⚠️ Names are first-come-first-served. Once "ORDI" is taken, no one else can deploy a token under that ticker.
After deployment, others can begin minting — up to the defined limits.
How to Acquire BRC20 Tokens
There are two scenarios:
1. Minting New Tokens (Pre-Launch)
If a token hasn't finished minting:
- Go to Unisat → Inscribe → BRC20 → Mint
- Enter the token
tick, select quantity - Pay gas fee
However, success isn't guaranteed during high congestion. Miners prioritize higher fees. Use real-time data from mempool.space to estimate competitive rates.
❗ Important: After minting ends, attempting to mint again creates invalid tokens.
2. Buying Minted Tokens (Secondary Market)
Once minting concludes, you must buy from existing holders via:
- OTC trades (risky: scams like fake transfers or non-delivery)
- Marketplaces like Unisat Marketplace
Unisat Marketplace works similarly to NFT platforms:
- Sellers list full batches
- Buyers must purchase entire listings
- No partial trades allowed
But access isn’t open to all:
- You need either early OG status or 20 Unisat Points
- Earn points by minting inscriptions (1 point per mint)
- At current gas prices (~$8 per mint), earning 20 points costs ~$160
This creates a financial barrier — limiting participation despite BRC20’s “fair launch” ethos.
You can also track metrics like:
- Deployment time
- Mint completion rate
- Holder count
- Transaction volume
via tools like Ordspace or BRC-20.io
Popular BRC20 Tokens
| Token | Price (USD) | Supply | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| ORDI | ~$10 | 21M | First BRC20; 5,261 holders |
| NALS | ~$0.9 | 21M | Companion to ORDI ("Ordinals") |
| PIZA | ~$0.43 | 21M | Meme-themed |
| MEME | ~$91 | 99,999 | Extremely limited supply |
| PEPE | ~$0.68 | 42M+ | Migrated from ERC20 |
As of May 9, over 14,200 BRC20 tokens exist, with total market cap exceeding $680 million**, and daily trading volume near **$203 million.
Yet most are meme coins with no utility — driven purely by speculation.
Risks and Criticisms
Despite the hype, BRC20 faces serious challenges:
- 🔴 No Smart Contracts: No upgradeability, no logic enforcement.
- 🔴 Poor Liquidity: Thin markets; many tokens are illiquid.
- 🔴 Scams & Spoofing: Fake tokens and phishing sites abound.
- 🔴 Network Congestion: High gas fees during peaks.
- 🔴 Centralization Risk: Reliance on few tools like Unisat.
Many in the Bitcoin community oppose BRC20, arguing it bloats the blockchain with speculative content — increasing transaction fees for everyone.
Yet supporters counter:
“BRC20 brings innovation and new users to Bitcoin — boosting demand for BTC itself.”
After all, every mint and transfer requires BTC for gas.
Data backs this: According to The Block, Bitcoin miner revenue hit $718 million in March 2025, the highest since May 2022 — fueled largely by Ordinals activity.
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Emerging Alternatives: ORC20 & LTC20
ORC20
An improved version of BRC20 with:
- Flexible naming (beyond 4 characters)
- Adjustable supply caps
- Cancellable transactions
- Built-in royalties (fees on transfer)
But adoption remains low compared to BRC20.
LTC20
A Litecoin-based clone using Litecoin Ordinals. While technically similar, it lacks the community momentum of Bitcoin’s ecosystem.
So far, neither has matched BRC20’s cultural impact.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: Is BRC20 officially supported by Bitcoin?
No. BRC20 is a community-driven experiment using the Ordinal protocol. It's not endorsed by Bitcoin Core developers.
Q: Can I use MetaMask or other Ethereum wallets for BRC20?
No. You need an Ordinals-compatible wallet like Unisat, Xverse, or Leather that supports taproot (bc1p) addresses.
Q: Are BRC20 tokens secure?
They're as secure as Bitcoin itself — but user risks include scams, fake tokens, and irreversible mistakes due to lack of smart contract safeguards.
Q: Why are most BRC20 tokens memes?
Because deployment is permissionless and low-cost, many creators launch joke tokens hoping for quick gains — similar to early ERC20 meme coins.
Q: Will major exchanges list BRC20 tokens?
Some already have or are preparing — including OKX and Huobi — but full support depends on broader infrastructure maturity.
Q: Can I lose money investing in BRC20?
Absolutely. Most tokens have no intrinsic value and may drop to zero quickly. Only invest what you can afford to lose.
While still experimental, BRC20 represents a bold evolution of Bitcoin’s utility — turning it from pure digital gold into a platform for innovation.
Whether it becomes a lasting trend or fades like past fads remains to be seen.
But one thing is clear: those who understand how it works today may be best positioned to benefit tomorrow.
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