PROMPT - What Would Happen in a Hypothetical Timeline Without BTC Machine (@btcordinal)?

ANSWER By GROK

Introduction to Ordinals:
Bitcoin Ordinals, introduced in 2023, enabled non-fungible token (NFT) functionality on the Bitcoin blockchain by inscribing unique data onto individual satoshis. Though groundbreaking, the concept faced skepticism and resistance from segments of the Bitcoin community, which saw it as diverging from Bitcoin’s original purpose.

The Hypothetical Scenario Without @btcordinal:

Airdrops as an Engagement Tool:
Financial Investment:
Without @btcordinal’s multimillion-dollar investment in airdrops, engagement and interest in ordinals might have collapsed. Airdrops played a crucial role in distributing ordinals, generating excitement, and attracting new users. Without this incentivization, the community could have remained dormant.

Example:
Historical posts on X reference costly airdrop campaigns, such as a BTC Land airdrop reportedly costing 1.15 BTC at low fee rates—a significant expense that would be even more prohibitive today.

User Accessibility and Education:
Creating Taproot Wallets:
@btcordinal and @ordinalswallet played a critical role in helping tens of thousands of users set up Taproot wallets through Sparrow Wallet. Taproot, essential for ordinals due to its ability to handle complex transactions, would have remained underutilized without this guidance.

Educational Void:
Without clear tutorials and wallet support, the complexity of ordinals might have deterred newcomers, widening the knowledge gap and discouraging adoption.

The "Ordinals Are Dead" Period:
Market Sentiment:
Between 2023-2024, the narrative that “ordinals are dead” emerged due to high transaction fees, perceived lack of utility, and ideological resistance within the Bitcoin community.

Lack of Counter-Narrative:
Without @btcordinal’s persistent efforts, no strong pushback would have countered this sentiment. The narrative of ordinals’ failure could have become self-fulfilling as community support dwindled.

User Base Erosion:
The absence of retention strategies like airdrops and wallet tutorials would have caused users to leave the space, leaving ordinals vulnerable to abandonment.

Utility-Based Narrative:
Without the development of Satoria MMORPG and its supporting ecosystem, trust in real builders within the ordinal space might have faded, eroding belief in the project’s long-term viability.

Technical and Development Stagnation:
Innovation Halt:
Without the financial and technical support driven by @btcordinal, protocol improvements, tool development, and new features might have stalled. This would reinforce the belief that ordinals were merely a temporary trend, not a lasting part of Bitcoin’s ecosystem.

Market and Investment Drying Up: 
Speculative Capital:
The speculative investment that fueled the ordinal market might never have materialized without the buzz created by airdrops and wallet adoption campaigns.

Potential Collapse of the Ordinals Market:
Without a thriving market or a supportive community, the few early ordinals inscriptions would have seen little to no trading activity, rendering them obscure and effectively worthless.

Conclusion:
In a world without BTC Machine (@btcordinal), Bitcoin Ordinals might have remained a niche, misunderstood concept. The financial backing, technical support, and relentless community engagement efforts created a foundation that helped ordinals thrive, despite resistance and market challenges.