A Bitcoin inscription is extra data written onto a single satoshi, the smallest unit of bitcoin. That data can turn a satoshi into a tiny carrier for a “digital artifact” on the Bitcoin blockchain. Because the record lives on-chain, it inherits Bitcoin’s permanence and security.
On Bitcoin, inscriptions are attached to transaction data. The modern approach relies on upgrades like SegWit and Taproot, which made it possible to place arbitrary data in the witness part of a transaction. The Ordinals method wraps that data in a script “envelope” so it is stored but not executed, and in practice up to roughly 4 MB can be included per transaction.
Before this approach took off, people used small fields like OP_RETURN to tuck limited metadata into transactions. That technique showed the idea in miniature, but the payloads are constrained, so it suits tags or short notes rather than bulky files. (
Ordinals is a way to number satoshis in the order they are mined. With that numbering in place, you can point to a specific satoshi and inscribe it with data. The result is a Bitcoin-native digital artifact that behaves like an NFT without leaving the base chain. Ordinals entered the scene in 2023 and popularized the inscription idea on Bitcoin.
BRC-20 is an experimental token format that uses inscriptions to represent fungible tokens on Bitcoin. Instead of a smart contract platform, it leans on Ordinals and simple JSON inscriptions to describe minting and transfers. In short, inscriptions are the raw metadata, Ordinals is the numbering system, and BRC-20 is one way to use both for fungible tokens.
An inscription can hold many kinds of content: text, images, audio, video, or snippets of code. Because the data sits directly on the base chain, the artifact’s history and authenticity are easy to verify later.
Why people care and what it costs
Inscriptions broaden Bitcoin’s use beyond payments by enabling on-chain art, collectibles, and other unique items with clear provenance. At the same time, they compete for block space with everyday transactions, which can push fees higher during busy periods. The topic is debated in the community, with some preferring Bitcoin to stay minimal and others welcoming new use cases.
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