Super Testnet finds a zero-value bug in the Ordinals program

Super Testnet has discovered a bug in the Bitcoin Ordinals program, with zero input and output values, and debugging it will likely affect all inscriptions after it.

Super Testnet, a bitcoin-focused independent freelance software developer, found a bug in the Ordinals program on May 5.

The program’s inscription No. 349272 had zero value in output and input but could be programmed into a number. The bug founder said it could be debugged by upgrading the system, affecting all inscriptions after 3492721.

I released a tool for increasing the off-by-one error in ordinal theory: https://t.co/4HvwwOwdJF

Please follow the installation and usage instructions and let me know if it works for you

Note that if it doesn’t work you’ll lose 10k sats and that’s on you. Let’s break stuff.

— Super Testnet (@super_testnet) May 4, 2023

Super Testnet immediately provided a guide and invited other programmers to conduct similar tests on Ordinals.

English-speaking Bitcoin maximalists have shown readiness to participate in the challenge. However, the Super Testnet warned that anyone willing to participate in the challenge would lose 10,000 sats if it is unsuccessful.

The testing focuses on opposing inscription activities in Bitcoin space on layer 1 and a design elaboration for the Spacechain sidechain. The maximalists suggested that the inscriptions be done on layer 2.

You might also like: Bitcoin community discusses solutions to Ordinals protocol bug

Bitcoin Ordinals hit 3m

The bug was identified barely two days after Bitcoin’s daily transactions unlocked a new all-time high with over 3 million Ordinals inscriptions.

Data from Dune Analytics show that the number of NFTs linked to the Bitcoin blockchain spiked to three million earlier this week. The NFT inscriptions run on the Ordinals Protocol, which allows users to inscribe data to digital art in the Bitcoin blockchain.

The 3 million surge was partly fueled by launching the Bitcoin Request for Comment (BRC-20) token standard, allowing users to issue transferable NTFs directly through the network.

The introduction of BRC-20 led to a massive building of meme tokens and a digital artwork collection on the Bitcoin blockchain. The market capitalization of meme tokens increased to $137 million on May 2.

However, the Dune Analytics data showed that the new inscriptions are text-based. Text-based inscriptions cost less than meme coins and digital art collections because network fees depend on the data amount inscribed.

On Monday, there were 372,000 unique Bitcoin blockchain inscriptions, and 371,000 were text-based. Applications and tokens only had 316 new image-based inscriptions.

Read more: Bitcoin reaches $29k mark after latest FOMC meeting

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