The Ripple Effects of BRC-20 Tokens on the Bitcoin Network

If you’re new to this subject, start by reading our BRC-20 guide, where we look at the creation of BRC-20 tokens, the challenges, and the repercussions.

The Bitcoin network is facing unprecedented congestion, with 451,000 unconfirmed transactions in limbo due to a rapid surge in the minting and transferring of Ordinal inscriptions and BRC-20 tokens. The market cap of BRC-20 tokens has skyrocketed to $972 million, a 5000% increase in just a week, as users eagerly participate in the expanding digital asset ecosystem. 

However, this enthusiasm has increased transaction fees and delays, prompting Binance to pause Bitcoin withdrawals temporarily. In response, Interlay Labs has proposed a new BRC-21 token system, which aims to address some of the challenges and limitations of the current BRC-20 standard by enabling the creation and exchange of tokens across different networks, including the Lightning Network. 

This article explores the impact of BRC-20 tokens on the Bitcoin network and the potential of the proposed BRC-21 token system to alleviate the current congestion and further enhance the Bitcoin economy.

The BRC-20 Frenzy

The Bitcoin network is experiencing a major traffic jam due to an overwhelming number of unconfirmed transactions, with 451,000 transfers currently stuck in limbo, waiting for confirmation. This backlog can be attributed to the surge in the minting and transferring of Ordinal inscriptions and BRC20 tokens, which have flooded the network. 

BRC-20 tokens are a new type of asset created and stored on the Bitcoin network, which allows users to mint and trade tokens on the Bitcoin network by inscribing data onto satoshis, the smallest unit of Bitcoin. The BRC-20 token standard was created early in March by an anonymous on-chain analyst, Domo, to make it possible for fungible tokens to be issued and transferred on the Bitcoin blockchain.

The Top BRC-20 tokens

The Bitcoin blockchain now hosts over 14,200 BRC20 tokens and a staggering 5 million Ordinal inscriptions, further exacerbating the congestion. Binance temporarily paused Bitcoin withdrawals on May 7, 2023, as the blockchain became overwhelmed with pending transactions and sky-high fees. The surge in Ordinal inscriptions and BRC20 tokens contribute to network congestion and delays in transaction processing.

The market cap of BRC-20 tokens has exploded over the past month and currently sits at $972 million, a 5000% rise in the past week. The BRC-20 token frenzy has also dwarfed the blockchain’s original number of Bitcoin transactions. The top four BRC-20 tokens, ORDI, PEPE, MEME, and BANK, account for 80% of the total market capitalization. However, BRC-20 tokens have little functionality compared to similar tokens on the Ethereum network, and they offer no profits, no dividends, and a lot of risks.

The Surge in Bitcoin Fees

The surge in BRC-20 token activity has caused an increase in Bitcoin transaction fees, generating additional revenue for miners. Along with the rise in BRC-20 transactions, transaction fees have surged due to the new token activity. The adoption of the BRC-20 standard is driving fees up. On May 8, the total fees paid on the Bitcoin blockchain reached $12 million.

This unprecedented surge in BRC-20 tokens and Ordinal inscriptions demonstrates the growing demand for the Bitcoin economy as more users seek opportunities to participate in the expanding digital asset ecosystem.

The rapid increase in market cap and an overwhelming number of transactions on the network highlights the enthusiasm and eagerness of investors and users to explore the potential of these assets. Despite the current congestion and associated challenges, the rising demand for BRC-20 tokens and Bitcoin-based transactions signals a robust interest in the broader Bitcoin economy and its promising future.

The future of BRC-20

Alexei Zamyatin, the founder of Interlay Labs, has suggested a new BRC-21 token system for creating and exchanging tokens on the Bitcoin network and using Lightning transfers.

The idea explains how to create and swap BRC-20 tokens to and from Bitcoin, which were first made on other networks like Ethereum, Cosmos, Polkadot, or Interlay. So, BRC-21 is a token system meant to let tokens on different networks be created and swapped with the Bitcoin Blockchain.

Interlay Labs says the new system will let stablecoins be used on the Lightning Network or similar payment methods, which is the main goal. BRC-21 tokens can also represent other cryptocurrencies like ETH, DOT, and SOL on Bitcoin. The system will also address the complex creation, swapping, and liquidation needs of decentralized stablecoins.

Interlay believes that protocols like MakerDAO, Liquity, or RAI can't be used directly on Bitcoin because it lacks programmability. They think that a decentralized way to create and redeem cross-chain assets with Bitcoin has a better chance of being widely adopted. The process of using BRC-21 will be similar to BRC-20 tokens, with a few small changes.

Final Thoughts

The meteoric rise of BRC-20 tokens and Ordinal inscriptions on the Bitcoin network has led to significant congestion, skyrocketing transaction fees, and processing delays, which reflect the growing interest in the digital asset ecosystem. Despite these challenges, the enthusiasm surrounding the expanding Bitcoin economy is evident. 

Interlay Labs' proposed BRC-21 token system aims to address the limitations of the current BRC-20 standard by enabling the creation and exchange of tokens across various networks, including the Lightning Network. By fostering cross-chain interoperability and addressing the needs of decentralized stablecoins, the BRC-21 system could potentially alleviate congestion, enhance the Bitcoin economy, and usher in a new era of scalability and versatility for the ever-evolving Bitcoin ecosystem.