Bitcoin Ordinals are swiftly gaining popularity across the crypto and NFT realms. As a result, creators are frantically trying to figure out how to inscribe Bitcoin Ordinals. The only problem is that inscribing an Ordinal wasn’t easy—until now.
Below I break down the exact steps to inscribe Bitcoin Ordinals (NFTs) without using a node. All you need is a wallet and some BTC. If you’re still unsure of what a Bitcoin Ordinal is, make sure to check out this beginner’s guide first. Let’s get into it!
How to Inscribe Bitcoin Ordinals “NFTs”
Step 1: Download the Xverse Wallet Extension for Chrome
To inscribe a Bitcoin Ordinal, you need a compatible wallet. I recommend the Xverse wallet as it’s easy to use and can be set up in less than a minute.
Download the Xverse Wallet Chrome extension to get started.
Step 2: Set Up Your Xverse Wallet
Once you’ve installed the Xverse wallet extension, you’ll need to create a new wallet. To do this, open the Xverse extension and tap “Create Wallet”.
After accepting the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, you’ll need to back up your wallet. Although you can skip this step and do it later, I highly recommend doing it upon setup to ensure your wallet remains secure.
Simply tap, “Backup Now”, then reveal your recovery phrase so you can write it down. Be sure to store your phrase in a safe place. Do not store it on your computer or other devices as it is easily accessible to hackers there.
Next, you’ll need to enter your seedphrase to confirm you saved it properly. After confirming your seedphrase is correct, create a secure password.
That’s it! Your wallet is ready to go!
Step 3: Use Gamma.io to Upload Your Bitcoin Odinals
Now you can begin creating (inscribing) your own Bitcoin Ordinal NFT without needing to use a node. For this, you’re going to use a platform that takes care of all the boring technical stuff for you.
Go to Gamma.io to begin creating your Ordinals. From here, the process is super easy! There are two inscription types you can create using Gamma: Image or Text.
To inscribe an image, such as a piece of art you created, photography, and any other still image, simply tap the “Image” icon and upload your file.
To inscribe text such as a message or saying, choose the “Text” icon and write whatever you want to be inscribed. Double-check that it’s correct, once you submit the Ordinal, it can’t be changed.
Step 4: Choose Your Transaction Fee
After choosing what you want to inscribe, you need to pay a transaction fee. There is no way to avoid this fee as it’s required by the Bitcoin blockchain. Additionally, Gamma charges a small service fee to inscribe an Ordinal for you.
There are three transaction fees to choose from—the higher the fee, the quicker your Ordinal will be inscribed.
- Normal fee – This is the cheapest fee, but it’s also the slowest.
- Higher fee – This fee is nearly double the cost of the “Normal” fee, but is also much quicker.
- Custom fee – If you’re in a hurry to inscribe your Ordinal, the Custom fee option allows you to edit the speed by increasing sats/vByte (satoshis per unit of data).
It can take more than 30 minutes for your Ordinal to be inscribed and appear in your wallet, so be patient.
You’ll need some BTC to pay for the transaction. Fortunately, you can purchase BTC directly in your Xverse wallet using a fiat onramp service or deposit into Xverse from an exchange like Coinbase.
To buy BTC directly in your Xverse wallet, follow these steps below:
- Sign in to your Xverse wallet.
- Tap the “Buy” button.
- Choose “BTC”.
- Select one of the third-party services to purchase your BTC.
Please note that you will be taken to the third-party website to complete your order. That said, this is one of the quickest methods you can use to purchase BTC.
Note, the final price you need to pay will appear once you move to the Pay Step.
Step 5: Copy and Paste the Ordinals Address from Your Wallet
Before the total transaction fee will appear, you need to copy your Xverse wallet’s Ordinal address and paste it into the recipient spot on Gamma.
To find your Ordinals address in your Xverse wallet, follow these steps:
- In your Xverse wallet, choose the NFT tab.
- Tap the “Receive” button.
- Copy your “Ordinals” address.
Now that you’ve got your address, paste it into the recipient spot on Gamma. Next, agree to the terms and send the exact BTC amount to the requested address.
IMPORTANT: Only use your “Ordinals address” to receive Ordinals, and your “Bitcoin address” to send and receive BTC payments. Skipping this step will result in the loss of your Ordinals or BTC.
Congratulations! Once you send the BTC, your Ordinal will be inscribed and sent to your Xverse wallet. To view your Ordinals in your Xverse wallet, tap the NFT tab—all your Ordinals will appear here.
How Much Does it Cost to Inscribe a Bitcoin Ordinal?
The cost to inscribe a Bitcoin Ordinal ranges from $30 to over $200 per transaction. The transaction fee is solely based on how busy the Bitcoin network is at the time of the inscription. This doesn’t include service fees charged by platforms which costs an additional $10 to $30.
Why Use Xverse Wallet for Bitcoin Ordinals?
Interacting with the Ordinals protocol requires a special type of Bitcoin wallet. Not only does it need to have a taproot wallet address (the most recent and advanced bitcoin address format), but it also requires a wallet with “coin control” to avoid spending your Bitcoin NFT satoshis on transaction fees.
The Xverse wallet is great for Bitcoin Ordinals because it has both the taproot wallet address and coin control. This allows you to process BTC transactions, inscribe Ordinals, and store them all in the same wallet.
Moreover, if you’ve been using a wallet such as Sparrow, Xverse says you’ll soon be able to transfer your Ordinal NFTs from Sparrow to Xverse.
Is Xverse Wallet Safe?
The Xverse wallet is a self-custody wallet that gives users complete control over their assets and keys, making it one of the safest wallets available. Below are some additional security measures implemented by Xverse.
- Self-custodial. Your private keys are encrypted on your device via your password and are never shared with anyone, including Xverse.
Our code has been audited by Least Authority, a top software auditing firm trusted by technology companies worldwide. - Independently audited. The Xverse wallet has been audited by Least Authority, a top auditing firm that has audited other major companies including MetaMask, Kukai Wallet, and Ethereum 2.0.
- Privacy. Xverse doesn’t track your account address, balances, or any other personally identifiable information.
- Biometric authentication. Xverse supports native biometric logins on all devices to access your wallet and sign transactions.
Furthermore, Xverse offers users the option to create a multi-sig account so that more than one address is required to approve a transaction. If utilized, this makes it near impossible for your Xverse wallet to be hacked.
Can You Transfer Bitcoin Ordinals Using Xverse Wallet?
You can’t transfer Bitcoin Ordinals using the Xverse wallet. Currently, you can only use Xverse to inscribe and receive Ordinal NFTs. However, Xverse mentioned Ordinal transfers are coming soon, so stay tuned! Notably, if you try to send an Ordinal NFT using a non-compatible wallet, you will lose your Ordinal.
