What Are #Bitcoin Ordinals?
The #Ordinals protocol is a system for numbering #satoshis, giving each satoshi a serial number and tracking them across #transactions. Simply put, ordinals allows users to make individual satoshis unique by attaching extra data to them. This process is known as “inscription”.
Satoshis are numbered based on the order in which they were #mined and transferred. The numbering scheme relies on the order satoshis are mined, while the transfer scheme relies on the order of transaction #inputs and #outputs. Hence the name, “ordinals”.
While traditional #NFTs are similar to ordinals in some ways, there are a few key differences. NFTs have typically been made using smart #contracts on blockchains such as #Ethereum, #Solana, and the #BNB Smart Chain, and sometimes, the assets they represent are hosted elsewhere.
Conversely, ordinals are inscribed directly onto individual #satoshis, which are then included in blocks on the #Bitcoin #blockchain. Ordinals reside fully on the blockchain and do not require a sidechain or separate token. In this sense, ordinal inscriptions inherit the #simplicity, #immutability, #security, and #durability of Bitcoin itself.
The #Ordinals protocol is a system for numbering #satoshis, giving each satoshi a serial number and tracking them across #transactions. Simply put, ordinals allows users to make individual satoshis unique by attaching extra data to them. This process is known as “inscription”.
Satoshis are numbered based on the order in which they were #mined and transferred. The numbering scheme relies on the order satoshis are mined, while the transfer scheme relies on the order of transaction #inputs and #outputs. Hence the name, “ordinals”.
While traditional #NFTs are similar to ordinals in some ways, there are a few key differences. NFTs have typically been made using smart #contracts on blockchains such as #Ethereum, #Solana, and the #BNB Smart Chain, and sometimes, the assets they represent are hosted elsewhere.
Conversely, ordinals are inscribed directly onto individual #satoshis, which are then included in blocks on the #Bitcoin #blockchain. Ordinals reside fully on the blockchain and do not require a sidechain or separate token. In this sense, ordinal inscriptions inherit the #simplicity, #immutability, #security, and #durability of Bitcoin itself.