The Universal Protocol

The best protocol is the one we build together — block by block.

An evolution of BRC-20, built on a prunable, efficient, and Satoshi-faithful 'OP_RETURN' foundation for Bitcoin's long-term health.

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Introduction

BRC-20's radical simplicity sparked a revolution. The Universal Protocol honors that spirit by resolving its foundational flaws. We migrate logic from witness data to prunable `OP_RETURN` outputs—a deliberate choice for Bitcoin's long-term health and decentralization.

This is not a replacement, but a profound extension. It maintains backward compatibility while establishing the most robust accountability system for a token protocol on Bitcoin.

Satoshi-Faithful

Prunable. Efficient. Secure.

Fundamental Concepts

Inputs (UTXOs)

Standard Bitcoin UTXOs authorize the transaction and provide network fees.

OP_RETURN Output

The core of the protocol. A compact JSON payload (≤ 80 bytes) defines the operation.

Recipient Output

The first valid output after an OP_RETURN receives the tokens. Explicit and clear.

Account-Based Model

Balances are tied to addresses, not fragile UTXOs. Your tokens are safe from accidental burns.

Operation Specifications

Deploy

Registers a new BRC-20 token and its properties. This must be the first output in the transaction.

Structure

Input(s)	Standard UTXO(s) for fees.
Output 0 (OP_RETURN)	The `deploy` JSON payload.
Output 1 (Dummy)	Structurally required recipient, often the sender's change address.

{
  "p": "brc-20",
  "op": "deploy",
  "tick": "OPQT",
  "max": "21000000",
  "lim": "1000"
}

Atomic Multi-Operation Transactions

Unleash On-Chain Efficiency

A core feature of the Universal Protocol is batching multiple operations into a single, atomic Bitcoin transaction. This leads to massive fee savings and enables powerful, trust-minimized functionalities.

Powerful Primitives

This atomicity is the key to building DeFi on Bitcoin's base layer without complex L2s.

Multi-Transfer

Send different tokens to multiple people in one go. Alice gets OPQT, Bob gets ORDI.

OP_RETURN: transfer OPQT to Alice

Recipient: Alice's Address

OP_RETURN: transfer ORDI to Bob

Recipient: Bob's Address

Change Output

Atomic Deploy & Full-Supply Mint

Launch a new token and secure the entire supply in a treasury address instantly. 100% front-run-proof.

OP_RETURN: deploy 'NEW' token

OP_RETURN: mint entire supply of 'NEW'

Recipient: Treasury Address

Change Output

Two-Party Atomic Swap (PSBT)

Alice and Bob trustlessly trade tokens. The transaction is only valid with both their signatures.

OP_RETURN: Alice sends OPQT

Recipient: Bob's Address

OP_RETURN: Bob sends ORDI

Recipient: Alice's Address

Operation Proposal Improvements (OPIs)

The protocol evolves through a transparent, community-driven governance process inspired by Bitcoin's BIPs. OPIs provide a formal framework for adding new features.

OPI-000: no_return

A standardized one-way bridge to migrate tokens from the Ordinals inscription standard. Burn an Ordinal `transfer` inscription to Satoshi's Genesis address, and the Simplicity Indexer credits the equivalent amount to your Universal balance.

Input #0: UTXO with Ordinal inscription
Output #0: OP_RETURN with 'no_return'
Output #1: Burn to Genesis Address

Suggest an OPI

Have an idea for a new Universal Protocol operation or improvement? Propose it to the community via the official GitHub organization.

Propose on GitHub

Comparative Analysis

Criterion	Universal Protocol (OP_RETURN)	Ordinals Inscription Standard
Data Location	Compact JSON in `OP_RETURN` outputs	Data inscribed in SegWit witness
On-chain Footprint	Prunable; extremely efficient	Larger due to witness data
Transaction Cost	Significantly lower, especially for batch ops	Higher
Multi-Recipient	Native support via sequenced outputs	Complex; requires separate transfers
Logic	Explicit: operation & destination linked	Implicit: logic tied to the satoshi

Security Considerations

Critical Output Ordering

The destination of a transfer depends ENTIRELY on correct output ordering. Wallets and users must rigorously validate this before signing.

Indexer Reliance: System integrity relies on correct and consistent Simplicity-compliant indexers.

Irreversible Operations: All confirmed operations are final. Double-check addresses and amounts.

Best Practices

Protection Against Burns: You CANNOT accidentally destroy tokens. Balances are tied to addresses, not UTXOs. A specific `transfer` is always required.
Leverage Batching: Use multi-operation transactions for airdrops or exchange withdrawals to save massively on fees.
Validate Before Signing: Always use a tool to decode and inspect the raw transaction before signing to verify payloads and ordering.

The Simplicity Indexer

The production-ready reference implementation of the Universal protocol. Designed for developers, exchanges, and infrastructure providers who demand robust, verifiable state.

View on GitHub