BRC-20 Tokens: What They Are, How They Work, and Why They Matter

When you think of tokens, you probably think of Ethereum or Solana. But BRC-20 tokens, a token standard built directly on the Bitcoin blockchain using ordinal inscriptions. Also known as Bitcoin inscribed tokens, they let people create and trade tokens without needing a separate smart contract platform—just the Bitcoin network itself. It sounds impossible, but since early 2023, thousands of BRC-20 tokens have been minted on Bitcoin, turning what was once just a store of value into a playground for speculative tokens.

This isn’t DeFi as you know it. BRC-20 tokens don’t run on smart contracts like ERC-20. Instead, they use Bitcoin ordinals, a system that lets users inscribe data—like text, images, or token metadata—onto individual satoshis. Also known as ordinal theory, it treats each satoshi like a unique digital artifact. That means a BRC-20 token is just a text file written into the Bitcoin blockchain, tied to a specific satoshi. No smart contract. No Ethereum-style logic. Just raw data on the most secure blockchain in existence. This makes them cheap to create, hard to censor, and surprisingly popular among crypto experimenters—even if they’re often worthless.

Why does this matter? Because it proves Bitcoin can do more than hold value. It can carry tokens, NFTs, and even simple apps. Projects like ORDI, the first major BRC-20 token, sparked a frenzy. People started minting tokens for memes, games, and random ideas—many with zero utility, but all riding the same blockchain as Bitcoin itself. This created a new kind of crypto economy, one built on scarcity, not code. And while regulators haven’t touched it yet, exchanges like Binance and OKX started listing these tokens, turning them into real trading assets.

But it’s not all hype. BRC-20 tokens have caused real congestion on the Bitcoin network. Transaction fees spiked. Miners started prioritizing inscription transactions over regular payments. And while some see this as a threat to Bitcoin’s purpose, others argue it’s just evolution—proof that the network can adapt without changing its core rules. Whether you love it or hate it, BRC-20 tokens changed how people think about Bitcoin’s potential.

Below, you’ll find real reviews and breakdowns of tokens built on this system. Some are dead. Some are scams. A few might have real staying power. We don’t sugarcoat it. We show you what’s working, what’s fading, and what to watch out for—because in the world of BRC-20, the line between innovation and insanity is razor-thin.