The Rise of Bitcoin NFTs: What you need to Know

Samuel Oba
4 min readMar 6, 2023

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As the world of blockchain continues to evolve, a new force has emerged in the galaxy of NFTs. The Empire of NFTs strikes back, but this time, it’s on the Bitcoin blockchain. The Bitcoin network has joined the fight, unleashing its power with the implementation of the Taproot upgrade, which includes the ability to create NFTs on-chain. This new development has stirred up excitement among the crypto community and has led to a new era of possibilities for Bitcoin.

Just like the Rebel Alliance, Ethereum has been leading the NFT game, but the Empire has now brought its might to the playing field. With the implementation of Taproot, Bitcoin NFTs have become even better, offering unique features that differentiate them from Ethereum NFTs.

One of the most significant differences is the fact that Bitcoin NFTs are strictly on-chain, meaning all data associated with the NFT is stored on the Bitcoin blockchain. Ethereum NFTs, on the other hand, have off-chain metadata, which makes them less secure and prone to loss. With Bitcoin’s Taproot upgrade, this issue is resolved, providing greater security for NFT owners.

So, what exactly does this mean for the world of NFTs? Here’s what you need to know.

Ordinal vs Taproot

Before we dive into the specifics of NFTs on Bitcoin, it’s important to understand the difference between two different types of Bitcoin transactions: Ordinal and Taproot.

Ordinal transactions are the most basic type of Bitcoin transaction. They involve sending Bitcoin from one address to another, and they can be seen by anyone on the Bitcoin blockchain.

Taproot, on the other hand, is a more complex and advanced type of Bitcoin transaction. It allows for more privacy and flexibility in how transactions are structured. With Taproot, multiple parties can agree to a complex transaction without revealing all of the details to the world.

In other words, Taproot transactions can be more sophisticated and nuanced than ordinal transactions. And it’s this flexibility that makes NFTs on Bitcoin possible.

NFTs on Bitcoin

Now that we understand the basics of Bitcoin transactions, let’s talk about how NFTs fit into the picture.NFTs are essentially digital assets that are stored on a blockchain. They can represent anything from artwork to music to video game items. And because they’re stored on a blockchain, they’re uniquely identifiable and cannot be duplicated or altered.

Until recently, NFTs have primarily been associated with the Ethereum blockchain. However, with the activation of Taproot, Bitcoin now has the capability to support NFTs as well.

Bitcoin Taproot is an upgrade to the Bitcoin protocol that would improve the privacy and scalability of Bitcoin transactions. Taproot is the first upgrade to Bitcoin in four years. The upgrade would enable the use of a new type of digital signature called the Taproot, which is more efficient and secure than the current signature system used by Bitcoin. It would also make it possible for multiple parties to engage in transactions without revealing the details of their transaction to the public. Taproot would also make it easier to create more complex and powerful smart contracts on the Bitcoin network.

Ethereum NFTs vs Bitcoin NFTs

To help understand the differences between NFTs on Ethereum and NFTs on Bitcoin, here’s a comparison table:

Possible Tradeoffs and Disadvantages

Of course, there are always tradeoffs and disadvantages to any new technology. Here are a few potential concerns with NFTs on the Bitcoin blockchain:

  • Complexity: Because Taproot is a more complex type of transaction, it may be more difficult for some users to create and manage NFTs on the Bitcoin blockchain.
  • Gas Fees: Like Ethereum, Bitcoin requires users to pay a fee for each transaction they make. These fees, also known as gas fees, can be unpredictable and can vary widely depending on network demand, with more NFT project founders coming to launch their jpegs on Bitcoin would cause higher gas fees on the bitcoin blockchain network.
  • Bitcoin Purist Dilemma: The popularity of the Ordinals project has ignited an intense debate within the Bitcoin community. Bitcoin purists who are against the Ordinals project argue that ordinal inscriptions are spam that bloat block space and crowd out more legitimate financial transactions on the network. Conversely, proponents of Ordinals argue that inscriptions increase demand for block space and drive a healthy fee market compensating miners for securing the network. Supporters also point to libertarian principles of the free market in which the market determines the best use of block space. Some detractors of Ordinals have tried appealing to Bitcoin node operators and miners to censor inscriptions. Ultimately, it is up to nodes and miners to determine which transactions are legitimate and included in the blockchain. They have the ability to censor certain transactions.
  • Ethereum Dominance: Ethereum has been the dominant blockchain for NFTs for some time, and it may take some time for creators and users to shift to the Bitcoin blockchain. Which could be a good or bad thing depending on where you are looking at it from.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the arrival of NFTs on the Bitcoin blockchain is a significant development for the world of digital assets. With the added flexibility and privacy of Taproot, Bitcoin may become a major player in the NFT market. However, there are still potential tradeoffs and disadvantages to consider, and it remains to be seen how the market will respond. As the blockchain industry continues to evolve, it’s exciting to see what new developments will arise in the battle between the Rebel Alliance of Ethereum and the Empire of Bitcoin.

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Samuel Oba

Disecting Web3 developer tools, blockchain innovations, and trends | Digital Nomad | Tech Writer