12-3-2025 – A prominent Bitcoin ordinals project has announced plans to generate more than $34 million through the auction of cartoon wizards reminiscent of Microsoft Paint aesthetics.
Taproot Wizards, whose previous “Quantum Cats” collection raised an impressive $13 million despite technical challenges, will offer 2,121 non-fungible tokens (NFTs) featuring their signature “magic internet JPEGs” – a nostalgic nod to the 2013 Bitcoin meme “magic internet money.” These digital wizards, which were inscribed on the Bitcoin blockchain two years ago, will finally become available for purchase later this month.
The sale structure reveals a carefully considered approach to maximising value. Beginning on 25th March, prospective buyers on a whitelist will receive priority access, with each wizard priced at 0.2 BTC (approximately $16,000). Any unclaimed pieces will subsequently be offered via Dutch auction, commencing at an undisclosed starting price higher than the whitelist rate.
Should all 2,121 NFTs sell at the baseline price of 0.2 BTC, the collective would secure roughly $34 million, calculated against Bitcoin’s current valuation of approximately $80,000.
Beyond the colourful façade of cartoon wizardry lies a serious technical objective. The project has explicitly stated its intention to “meme OP_CAT back into existence” – referring to a specific Bitcoin improvement proposal with potentially transformative implications for the network.
OP_CAT originally featured in Bitcoin’s foundational code created by the pseudonymous Satoshi Nakamoto, but was removed due to security concerns regarding potential denial-of-service (DoS) vulnerabilities. Contemporary developers are advocating for its reinstatement to enable Ethereum-style smart contract functionality on the original blockchain, significantly expanding Bitcoin’s utility beyond basic transactions.
This latest initiative builds upon considerable momentum. Despite technical hurdles, the project’s previous “Quantum Cats” collection rapidly sold out, generating 300 BTC. Furthermore, Taproot Wizards secured $30 million in funding last month specifically earmarked for developing applications utilising OP_CAT.
