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All about Bitcoin Ordinals, fees, hash rates and more

Here's a look at the impact of Ordinals on the Bitcoin network as it records a fall in fees.

Unraveling Bitcoin's metrics mysteries: A tale of Ordinals inscriptions, fee fluctuations, and hash rate high
  • The decline in Ordinals inscriptions has impacted the fees on the Bitcoin network.
  • The hash rate and Miner revenue have recently increased despite the drop in fees.

Bitcoin [BTC] made a notable entrance into the NFT scene, demonstrating its significance beyond being just another participant.

The surge in NFT popularity not only influenced transactions but also had a positive impact on fees. Nevertheless, recent data indicates a decline in both inscriptions and fees. However, while the fees went down, the network hash rate hit a new high.

Bitcoin leads NFT sales volume

Recent data from Coin98 Analytics showed that Bitcoin emerged as the top network in terms of NFT volume during Q4 2023.

The statistics indicate a substantial sales volume of 1.27 billion at the close of Q4 2023. This surpasses Ethereum, which has traditionally been the leading network in terms of both NFT projects and volume. 

Additionally, insights from Crypto Slam demonstrate that Bitcoin has continued to dominate in the last 30 days.

As of this writing, it boasts the highest NFT sales volume, with over $861 million. This surge in NFT sales is attributed to the popularity of Ordinals Inscriptions. However, it’s noteworthy that the trend in daily inscriptions is on a declining trajectory.

Daily Bitcoin Ordinal inscription declines

An examination of the Bitcoin Ordinal inscriptions trend on Dune Analytics showed a significant trend shift on 31st December 2023. On that day, the number of inscriptions was over 300,000.

However, following this peak, there has been a consistent decline, with daily inscriptions failing to surpass 200,000. As of this writing, there were around 146,000 daily inscriptions.

Bitcoin Ordinals daily inscriptions
Source: Dune Analytics

Furthermore,  with the reduction in daily inscriptions, there was a decline in daily inscription fees.

The Dune chart showed a continuous decrease in fees since the onset of the year, with the current fee around 15 BTC. This decrease in inscription fees has, in turn, impacted the overall network fees.

Bitcoin Ordinals fees
Source: Dune Analytics

Network fees drop by over 50%

Recent data from IntoTheBlock showed a remarkable drop of over 50% in Bitcoin network fees within the past week. The accompanying post attributes this decline to a corresponding fall in inscriptions.

An examination of the fee trend on Crypto Fees reveals a notable decrease in fee volume. As of 31st December, the fee stood at over $15.2 million, but a sharp decline is evident after that. 

As of this writing, the fee was around $0.7 million. The prospect of a reversal in this trend looms with the potential resurgence in daily inscriptions. The dynamics of network fees may change once the daily inscriptions regain momentum.

Bitcoin hash rate hits a new high

In a recent update from IntoTheBlock, it was reported that the Bitcoin hash rate achieved a new record high.

Analyzing the hash rate trend on Blockchain.com showed that on 11th January, it reached nearly 630 trillion. This marked a substantial jump from the previous day’s level of around 480 trillion.

As of this writing, the hash rate was over 611 trillion.

Bitcoin hash rate
Source: Blockchain.com

 Read Bitcoin (BTC) Price Prediction 2024-25


Additionally, examining miner revenue demonstrates a significant correlation with the hash rate increase. When the hash rate hit its all-time high, the miner revenue rose to over $55 million.

As of this writing, the miner’s revenue was close to $54 million. This underscored the notable impact of the hash rate on miner earnings in the Bitcoin network.

 

Disclaimer: AMBCrypto's content is meant to be informational in nature and should not be interpreted as investment advice. Trading, buying or selling cryptocurrencies should be considered a high-risk investment and every reader is advised to do their own research before making any decisions.

Adewale Olarinde

Journalist

Adewale Olarinde is a crypto journalist and data-driven storyteller with a Master’s degree in International Relations. He covers digital assets, markets, and policy with a focus on clarity and context. Outside of work, he’s a lifelong Manchester United supporter and a big music lover.

AMBCrypto was founded in 2018 with a mission to simplify and bring the latest blockchain and cryptocurrency news to our readers. We have quickly grown into the digital news source for an emerging generation of cryptocurrency enthusiasts, reaching more than a million readers on a monthly basis, across the globe.