Research Summary
The report provides an in-depth interview with Domo, the creator of the BRC-20 token standard. It discusses the impact of BRC-20 on the Bitcoin network, the reasons behind its creation, and its rapid growth. The report also touches on the controversies and criticisms surrounding BRC-20, Domo’s thoughts on the future of Bitcoin, and his recent initiatives.
Key Takeaways
The Impact of BRC-20 on the Bitcoin Network
- Significant Influence: The BRC-20 token standard has significantly influenced the Bitcoin network. It has led to the highest number of transactions per day, the second-highest average fee percentage in total block reward, and the third-highest transaction fee. BRC-20 tokens now account for over 34 million transactions on the Bitcoin network and have generated over 1,900 BTC in fees.
- Rapid Growth: BRC-20 Tokens became the fastest sub-asset class to reach a combined market cap of $1 billion from $0 in just over two months. As of the report’s publication, the market cap of BRC-20 tokens had exceeded $1.5 billion.
Reasons Behind the Creation of BRC-20
- Bitcoin’s Potential: Domo chose Bitcoin for the creation of BRC-20 due to its permanence, prestige, and the simplicity of the Ordinals protocol. He saw the potential for innovation and experimentation within the Bitcoin network.
- Addressing Limitations: Domo created BRC-20 to address the limitations of the Bitcoin script, which he found to be very limiting and poorly documented. The Ordinals Protocol opened up new possibilities by creating a Bitcoin data availability layer, demonstrating social consensus as a core mechanism in protocol design, and giving function to previously useless Bitcoin operations.
Controversies and Criticisms Surrounding BRC-20
- Resistance to Change: Domo noted that a segment of the Bitcoin community has become increasingly resistant to change and innovation, leading to pushback against BRC-20. He also observed that some community members were more concerned about growing their own brand without contributing to the development of the network.
- Perceived Inferiority: Another narrative is that BRC-20 is deeply inferior to its competitors. However, Domo pointed out that at the time of the report, BRC-20 had no live competitors.
Domo’s Thoughts on the Future of Bitcoin
- Bitcoin Season 2: Domo expressed excitement about the next chapter of Bitcoin, recently dubbed “Bitcoin Season 2”. He believes that metaprotocols will drive this era of innovation and that the potential of these protocols is only beginning to be explored.
- Layer 1 Foundation: Domo recently unveiled the “Layer 1 Foundation”, which aims to become the hub for metaprotocol discourse and development. The foundation invites contributions from standard curators and budding contributors alike.
Actionable Insights
- Explore the Potential of BRC-20: Given the significant impact of BRC-20 on the Bitcoin network and its rapid growth, it may be worthwhile to explore the potential of this token standard further.
- Consider the Implications of Resistance to Change: The resistance to change and innovation within the Bitcoin community, as observed by Domo, could have implications for the future development of the network. It may be beneficial to consider these implications when planning future initiatives.
- Investigate the Role of Metaprotocols: Domo’s belief in the potential of metaprotocols to drive innovation in the Bitcoin network suggests that these protocols could play a significant role in the future of Bitcoin. Investigating the potential of these protocols could provide valuable insights.
