The BRC-20 token ecosystem has surged into the spotlight following Binance’s recent listing of ORDI, triggering a wave of momentum across Bitcoin-based meme tokens. Within just two hours of the announcement, ORDI’s price skyrocketed past 12 USDT, marking a 60% gain in 24 hours. This rally didn’t stop there—other top BRC-20 assets like sats, rats, and FRAM also saw double-digit gains, drawing renewed attention from crypto investors and traders.
While ORDI remains the poster child of the BRC-20 movement, it's far from the only project worth watching. Built on Bitcoin’s Ordinals protocol, BRC-20 tokens leverage the blockchain’s immutability and security to mint fungible tokens directly on Bitcoin—offering a fresh take on digital ownership and decentralized finance.
Using market data from OKX Ordinals, we’ve analyzed the top 10 BRC-20 tokens by 7-day trading volume, diving into their concepts, supply mechanics, and market performance. Whether you're exploring early-stage opportunities or assessing diversification options beyond Ethereum-based ERC-20s, this guide breaks down what makes each token unique—and what to watch for in this volatile but evolving space.
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Understanding the BRC-20 Landscape
BRC-20 is an experimental token standard that enables the creation of fungible tokens on the Bitcoin blockchain via Ordinals inscription. Unlike traditional smart contract platforms like Ethereum, BRC-20 relies on JSON-like data inscriptions within individual satoshis (sats), making it both innovative and technically constrained.
Despite its limitations—such as lack of native smart contracts and reliance on off-chain order books for trading—the ecosystem has gained traction due to:
- Bitcoin-native utility: True integration with Bitcoin’s security model.
- Cultural resonance: Strong meme-driven narratives attract communities quickly.
- Speculative potential: Low market caps offer high-risk, high-reward dynamics.
However, the ecosystem remains highly speculative. Most tokens have no intrinsic utility, and liquidity is heavily concentrated among the top few assets. As of now, only four BRC-20 tokens exceed $10 million in market capitalization, with many others trading at micro-cap levels.
Let’s explore the leading contenders beyond ORDI.
sats – The Gas Token of Bitcoin L2s?
Concept: Named after Bitcoin’s smallest unit (1 satoshi = 0.00000001 BTC), sats aims to become foundational within upcoming Bitcoin Layer 2 solutions. It was fully minted over six months (March to September) and is positioned as a potential gas token for Unisat’s proposed brc20-swap L2 network.
- Total Supply: 2.1 quadrillion (21,000,000 cards × 100,000,000 per card)
- Price: ~0.00039 sats (~$0.00000015)
- Market Cap: ~$319.4 million
With the largest supply and one of the highest valuations in the BRC-20 space, sats benefits from strong community backing and strategic positioning as infrastructure evolves.
rats – The Meme-Fueled Challenger
Concept: Inspired by the animal-themed “zoo” trend in crypto, rats positions itself as a lighter alternative to sats. Its launch gained visibility when Binance CEO CZ tweeted a rat emoji, sparking speculation about implicit endorsement.
- Total Supply: 1 trillion (1,000,000 cards × 1,000,000 per card)
- Price: ~0.037 sats (~$0.000014)
- Market Cap: ~$14.4 million
Though smaller in scale than sats, rats maintains solid trading volume and cultural relevance—a testament to meme power in early-stage crypto adoption.
BTCs – Bitcoin’s Native Representation
Concept: A play on “Bitcoin inscription,” BTCs represents an attempt to create a symbolic mirror of BTC itself within the BRC-20 framework—similar to how ETHs function on Ethereum.
- Total Supply: 21 million (21,000 cards × 1,000 per card)
- Price: ~1,559 sats (~$0.61)
- Market Cap: ~$12.8 million
Its fixed supply mirrors Bitcoin’s cap, adding psychological appeal for purists who value scarcity.
cats – Another Animal Meme with Mass Appeal
Concept: Part of the broader “zoo” narrative alongside rats and foxs, cats taps into internet culture with high supply and low per-unit cost.
- Total Supply: 2.1 billion (210,000 cards × 10,000 per card)
- Price: ~1.72 sats (~$0.0067)
- Market Cap: ~$1.4 million
Despite lower valuation, cats maintains consistent engagement, reflecting enduring interest in lighthearted, community-driven projects.
GROK – Riding Elon Musk Hype Waves
Concept: Tied to Elon Musk’s AI chatbot Grok, this token leverages celebrity-driven momentum—a common pattern in meme coin success stories.
- Total Supply: 21,0042 (49,881 cards × varying amounts)
- Price: ~179 sats (~$6.98 cents)
- Market Cap: ~$1.47 million
Its quirky supply structure reflects organic minting behavior rather than rigid design—common in early BRC-20 projects.
SHIB – The Dog Meme Comes to Bitcoin
Concept: A direct homage to Shiba Inu (SHIB) on Ethereum, this BRC-20 version brings the iconic dog meme to Bitcoin’s blockchain.
- Total Supply: 1 quadrillion (100,000 cards × 1 billion per card)
- Price: ~0.00017 sats (~$6.63e-8)
- Market Cap: ~$6.63 million
Though purely symbolic, its connection to a well-known brand gives it visibility amid crowded markets.
FRAM – The Most Valuable Meme Token
Concept: A pure meme play with no roadmap or utility, FRAM once topped OKX trading volumes despite extreme centralization—one wallet holds all supply.
- Total Supply: 8 billion (entirely inscribed in one card)
- Price: ~92.91 sats (~$3.6 cents)
- Market Cap: ~$289.9 million (highly concentrated ownership)
While its valuation is outsized relative to peers, the risk of manipulation is significant due to lack of distribution.
IBTC – Betting on Institutional Adoption
Concept: Named after BlackRock’s proposed spot BTC ETF (iBTC), this token speculates on mainstream financial adoption of Bitcoin.
- Total Supply: 21 million (210,000 cards × 100 per card)
- Price: ~249 sats (~$9.7 cents)
- Market Cap: ~$2 million
It captures sentiment around regulatory progress and institutional entry—an intriguing thematic bet.
foxs & lion – Smaller Zoo Members
Both follow animal-themed memes:
- foxs: $584K market cap
- lion: $331K market cap
These represent niche plays with minimal liquidity but active communities.
Key Market Observations
The BRC-20 space reveals several critical trends:
- Meme dominance: Nearly all top tokens are driven by culture, not utility.
- Extreme concentration: Top three tokens account for most trading volume.
- High volatility: Prices swing rapidly based on social sentiment.
- Liquidity risks: Thin order books mean slippage and manipulation risks.
Investors should approach with caution: while early movers may reap rewards, most projects lack fundamentals or long-term development plans.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: What makes BRC-20 different from ERC-20?
A: BRC-20 runs on Bitcoin via Ordinals inscriptions without smart contracts, whereas ERC-20 operates on Ethereum with full programmability and ecosystem support.
Q: Are BRC-20 tokens safe to invest in?
A: They carry high risk due to lack of utility, unregulated issuance, and extreme price volatility. Only allocate funds you can afford to lose.
Q: How do I buy BRC-20 tokens?
A: Use compatible Bitcoin wallets like Unisat or Xverse and trade via decentralized marketplaces that support ordinal inscriptions.
Q: Can BRC-20 tokens be used for DeFi or staking?
A: Currently, most have no DeFi integrations. Future L2 developments may enable such use cases.
Q: Is there any governance or roadmap behind these tokens?
A: Most are meme-driven with no official team or development plan. Always research before investing.
Q: Why do some BRC-20 tokens have such strange supplies?
A: Because they’re inscribed manually via Ordinals, supply depends on user behavior—not standardized rules like ERC-20.
The BRC-20 ecosystem remains in its infancy—experimental, speculative, and largely unregulated. Yet it reflects a growing desire to expand Bitcoin beyond payments into tokenized assets and digital culture.
For forward-thinking investors, monitoring these emerging trends could uncover early signals of broader adoption. But always balance curiosity with caution.
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