Educational Post

What Are Bitcoin Runes?

Bitcoin Runes is a protocol that enables the creation of fungible tokens on the Bitcoin blockchain. Unlike BRC-20 and SRC-20 tokens that also operate on the Bitcoin blockchain, Runes are not reliant on the Ordinals protocol and are designed to be simpler and more efficient. They utilize established Bitcoin blockchain models, such as the UTXO model and the OP_RETURN opcode.

How Do Bitcoin Runes Work?

The Bitcoin Runes protocol operates through two fundamental mechanisms of the Bitcoin blockchain: Bitcoin’s UTXO (Unspent Transaction Output) transaction model and the OP_RETURN opcode.

In the UTXO transaction model, each transaction results in outputs that are treated as separate pieces of digital currency. To initiate a transaction, you use these outputs as inputs. The UTXO model allows for the tracking of every unit of cryptocurrency. In the context of Bitcoin Runes, each UTXO can hold different amounts or types of Runes, which simplifies the management of tokens.

The OP_RETURN opcode allows users to attach additional information to Bitcoin transactions. This opcode facilitates the inclusion of up to 80 bytes of extra data in an unspendable transaction. Bitcoin Runes specifically use the OP_RETURN opcode for storing the token data, such as the token’s name, ID, symbol, commands for specific actions, and other essential data. The data is stored in what is referred to as the Runestone within the OP_RETURN opcode of a Bitcoin transaction.