Overview
This article provides a practical primer on several emerging token standards that extend Bitcoin and other legacy chains with tokenization capabilities. The focus is on BRC20, SRC20 (Stamps), and ORC20, with additional notes on LTC20 for Litecoin and DRC20 for Dogecoin. These standards differ in how they embed issuance data, enforce minting rules, and interface with wallets and marketplaces. While they promise new opportunities for token issuance and NFTs, they are experimental and carry technical and market risks.
Core Features
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BRC20 (Ordinals-based): Uses the Ordinals protocol to inscribe JSON metadata onto individual satoshis, enabling fungible token issuance and transfer using inscription data. It allows minting, buying, selling, and deploying tokens via platforms like UniSats and Ordinals wallets.
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SRC20 (Stamps): Built around the Stamps approach and a Counterparty-like model but without burning BTC; it stores token-related data in regular BTC transactions. SRC20 aims to provide a full ecosystem for token discovery, tracking, and dispensers with tools such as Stamprsc and Xchain.
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ORC20: Designed to address several limitations found in BRC20 — offering flexible naming, upgradable supply controls, and better handling of double-spend risks via UTXO-aware design. ORC20 aims to be more robust for token lifecycles and marketplace compatibility.
How They Work
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Data embedding: BRC20 relies on Ordinals to inscribe metadata on satoshis; SRC20 leverages Stamps to place token instructions in transactions; ORC20 uses a more flexible inscription or metadata model designed to interact with UTXOs safely.
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Minting & supply rules: BRC20 tokens often have immutable supply rules and short name spaces, while ORC20 introduces mechanisms to update supplies and names more flexibly. SRC20 focuses on replicating Counterparty-like behavior without requiring burning BTC.
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Tooling & marketplaces: Each standard has its own emerging toolset—explorers, wallets, marketplaces, and DEX-like services. Examples include UniSats, Ordspace, Ordiscan, Stampsrc, Stampchain, and various native wallets.
Tools & Ecosystem
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Wallets: UniSats Wallet, Ordinals Wallet, Electrum LTC (for LTC20), Hiro Wallet (SRC20 support planned), and DPal Wallet (DRC20).
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Explorers & marketplaces: Ordiscan and Ordinals explorers for Bitcoin inscriptions; Magic Eden on Bitcoin for Ordinals NFTs; Discord communities and niche marketplaces for LTC20 and DRC20 trades.
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Specialized services: Oshi Finance, Inscribe Finance, BitX (BRC20 DEX concepts), and community trackers such as Stampsrc GitHub and Stampchain.
Risks & Considerations
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Experimental status: These token standards are nascent and evolving; tooling and marketplaces can be fragmented or immature.
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Liquidity & marketplaces: ORC20 and newer standards may lack dedicated, trustworthy marketplaces. LTC20 and DRC20 ecosystems are especially nascent and may rely on community channels like Discord.
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Technical limitations: BRC20’s short naming space, immutable supply constraints, and potential double-spend concerns are notable. ORC20 attempts to address many of these but may introduce its own trade-offs.
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Regulatory and economic risk: Token issuance on legacy chains can attract regulatory scrutiny; tokens can also have zero or unbounded supply and carry speculative risk.
Why Consider These Standards
These token standards open new experimentation avenues on established blockchains, enabling creators to issue tokens and NFTs without deploying smart contracts on EVM chains. They can offer lower fees (notably DRC20 on Dogecoin) and creative use cases for inscriptions, collectibles, and primitive DeFi. However, adoption depends on tooling maturity, marketplace trust, and community coordination.
Conclusion
If you’re exploring token issuance outside the usual EVM ecosystems, learning the differences between BRC20, SRC20, and ORC20 is essential. Focus on tooling, marketplace availability, and the immutability or flexibility of token rules before minting. Approach these standards cautiously—research wallets, explorers, and community channels, avoid FOMO, and consider testing on small scales until the ecosystem matures.
Further Reading
- Check Ordinals and Ordiscan for inscription exploration
- Follow dedicated community hubs (Stampchain, Stampsrc) for SRC20 updates
- Monitor UniSats and major Ordinals marketplaces for practical trading guidance


