Ethereum inscription: An emerging way of creating digital art

Ethereum inscription ( Ethscriptions ) is an innovative way to create and share digital artworks on the Ethereum network. It leverages the calldata of transactions, making it more cost-effective and decentralized compared to traditional NFTs. This method does not rely on data stored in specific contracts, avoiding the issue of single control.

Ethereum inscriptions draw inspiration from Bitcoin inscriptions, but have improved in operational convenience. Users do not need to run full nodes to synchronize data, allowing for quicker onboarding. Additionally, the public's familiarity with Ethereum wallets is higher than that of Bitcoin wallets.

inscription Working Principle

• Any successful Ethereum transaction, where the input data ( is interpreted as UTF-8) as a valid and unique data URI, will create an inscription. Supports all valid MIME types.
• The uniqueness of the URI means that there are no identical contents in previous blocks or in earlier transactions within the same block.
• Any Ethereum transaction that includes a valid inscription transaction hash as input data is a valid inscription transfer, as long as the sender is the owner of the inscription.

How to Create an Inscription

1. Upload images and mint with one click through the official website, with a size limit of 96KB.

2. Manual operation steps:

   • Convert the image ( to a Base64 encoded data URI with a maximum size of about 90KB ).
   • Convert data URI to hexadecimal
   • Send a 0 ETH transaction to the target address, filling in the converted data in the "Hex data" field.
   • After the transaction is successful, the inscription will appear on the official website's "My Ethscriptions" page ( provided that the content has not been inscribed by others ).

Transfer Inscription

• Confirm the inscription ID to be transferred ( and create the transaction hash )
• Send 0 ETH transaction to the recipient, fill in the inscription ID in the "hexadecimal" field.

Track Inscription

Currently, you can view the recently minted inscriptions on the official website or use the indexer to check. The official indexer has not been open-sourced, and users can obtain historical data from BigQuery and real-time data through the Alchemy API.

Some users have built inscription panels on Dune, which can be queried for relevant information through the search box.

Founding Team

The Ethereum inscription protocol was developed by Tom Lehman, whose online name is Middlemarch(. Tom is the co-founder and CEO of Genius, a company that has received $15 million in funding from A16Z.

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Latest Updates

On June 20, the founder announced three important updates:

1. Inscription number: displays the creation order, #0 is the genesis inscription uploaded by the founder.

2. Rewrite the indexer: Ensure stable and consistent numbering, the new indexer indexes blocks more carefully and quickly.

3. Double-check: The content on the creation page will automatically check if it has already been inscribed, avoiding invalid inscriptions.

![Ethereum inscription: Continuation of Bitcoin ordinals or regression of history?])https://img-cdn.gateio.im/webp-social/moments-0ffd865826faca75b316ab7a572a2002.webp00&userId=983cb29f-1c52-4091-a69a-810373d1b0d1&cache=v2(

Ether inscription gameplay

1. Inscription Collection: Such as EthereumPunk, quickly sold out and actively traded in the secondary market.

2. Token inscription: Similar to BRC20, such as $eths. Minting is done through data in a specific format, but there is no standardized token standard yet.

3. Historical inscription: Two important pieces of information related to Satoshi Nakamoto have been inscribed on Ethereum.

![Ethereum inscription: Continuation of Bitcoin ordinals or a regression in history?])https://img-cdn.gateio.im/webp-social/moments-1c3e12f40cce70703bad4082f1fb5bfc.webp00\u0026userId=983cb29f-1c52-4091-a69a-810373d1b0d1\u0026cache=v2(

Summary

Ethereum inscriptions, as an emerging concept, have sparked discussions on innovation and regression. Regardless, they provide new choices and perspectives for the blockchain ecosystem, enriching the entire system. Despite the controversies, their existence itself has its rationale, offering users the opportunity to participate at a low cost and new ways to experience.