GIF·MP4 diffusion on Bitcoin... "Permanent storage" controversy heats up

Bitcoin (BTC) was originally created as a network for transfers, but until recently, video files like “GIF” and “MP4” still remain stored on-chain. The “permanence” of once-recorded data on blocks, making deletion difficult, is becoming a new point of controversy within the Bitcoin ecosystem.

According to CoinTelegraph on the 13th, for over a decade, developers, artists, and prank-uploading users have been hiding animations and video clips within Bitcoin transaction data. This data is downloaded and verified by tens of thousands of archival nodes worldwide and is effectively stored indefinitely.

From “Rare Pepe” to Ordinals… On-chain media piled up on Bitcoin

Early examples include the use of the Counterparty protocol’s “Rare Pepe.” The project around 2016’s “UFOPEPE” is widely regarded as the first GIF on Bitcoin. However, at that time, what was stored on-chain was not a complete image but only ownership and partial connection information, with actual files relying on external storage.

Subsequently, the Ordinals protocol created by Casey Rodarmor popularized a method of engraving more data directly within the Bitcoin chain. In December 2022, an animated GIF was included in a Bitcoin block; by 2025, a skateboard video was also embedded. Bitcoin Core (Bitcoin’s main client) does not render these as images or videos by default, but the on-chain data itself remains preserved on the blockchain as-is.

“Permanent storage” sparks technical experiments and controversies

Furthermore, methods like Bitcoin Stamps, which choose to embed PNG, GIF, SVG, HTML files directly into Bitcoin outputs, further reduce the possibility of deletion. Recently, experiments have emerged that can form images solely from raw transaction data without server or standard metadata. While technically interesting, these also contribute to network congestion and the controversy over “junk data.”

Industry opinions vary on whether Bitcoin should remain a “payment network” or expand into a public archive for data storage. However, as these cases demonstrate, media storage experiments on Bitcoin (BTC) have gone beyond mere pranks and are evolving into a trend that could change how the network is utilized.

Summary by TokenPost.ai

🔎 Market Insights Bitcoin is showing a trend of expanding beyond a simple payment network into a data storage layer With the emergence of protocols like Ordinals and Stamps, on-chain media storage demand is increasing, changing network utilization Meanwhile, structural issues such as intensified block space competition, rising fees, and increased node operation burdens are also expanding

💡 Strategic Highlights Increased on-chain data utilization → Focus on the possibility of “asset-like” scarcity of Bitcoin block space A trend of reinterpreting NFT and digital archive-like functions within the BTC ecosystem Conflicts among developers (censorship vs. freedom) may pose risks for future protocol policy changes

📘 Terminology Explanation Ordinals: An on-chain recording protocol that engraves data onto Bitcoin satoshis Inscriptions: The act of directly recording images, text, and other data onto the blockchain Bitcoin Stamps: A method of storing data in hard-to-trimmed areas to reinforce “permanent preservation”

💡 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q. Bitcoin was originally for payments, why are images or videos stored?
Bitcoin is fundamentally a transfer network, but its structure allows various forms of information to be embedded in transaction data. Experiments have been ongoing to include files like GIFs or videos within transaction data. Once recorded, data is difficult to delete, so it is effectively stored permanently.

Q. What is the difference between Ordinals and Bitcoin Stamps?
Ordinals record images or data directly inside Bitcoin transactions as “inscriptions.” In contrast, Bitcoin Stamps embed data into more difficult-to-trim areas to enhance long-term preservation. In short, both are on-chain storage, but Stamps aim for stronger permanence.

Q. Does this data storage pose problems for the Bitcoin network?
Adding non-financial data like images or videos can increase blockchain size and raise node operation costs. Some developers believe this should be restricted as junk data; others argue that as long as fees are paid, it should be freely used. The debate continues.

TP AI Note:
This article summary uses language models based on TokenPost.ai. The main content of the body may omit details or differ from facts.