Bitcoin Ordinals project Taproot Wizards is gearing up for a major auction of its signature Microsoft Paint-style cartoon wizards, marking its second high-profile NFT sale after last year’s successful Quantum Cats collection.
The 2,121 NFTs, known as “magic internet JPEGs,” pay homage to a classic 2013 Bitcoin meme, “magic internet money,” and will be available for purchase later this month.
“There will only ever be 2,121 Taproot Wizards. The main collection consists of 2,085 wizards with inscription numbers around 150,000. The rest are honoraries and aren’t for sale,” the announcement added.
Details of the Taproot Wizards NFT Sale
Scheduled for March 25, 2025, the Taproot Wizards collection will be made available through a two-phase sale process. Initially, a whitelist sale will offer the NFTs at 0.2 BTC each, approximately $16,000, based on current Bitcoin prices.
Subsequently, any remaining NFTs will be sold via a Dutch auction, with starting prices to be announced closer to the date. Notably, holders of the previous Quantum Cats collection, launched by Taproot Wizards in 2024, are eligible for a discounted mint price of 0.1 BTC.
The Taproot Wizards project pays homage to the iconic 2013 Bitcoin Wizard meme, reflecting a nostalgic nod to Bitcoin’s early culture. Each collectible is permanently inscribed on the Bitcoin blockchain using Ordinals, adding to the collection’s exclusivity.
The Wizards were inscribed on the Bitcoin blockchain two years ago but have remained unavailable for public sale until now. The collection follows Taproot Wizards’ previous Quantum Cats NFT sale, which launched in 2024 to support the Bitcoin Improvement Proposal (BIP) OP_CAT. That auction raised 300 BTC (approximately $13 million at the time), despite facing technical difficulties that temporarily disrupted the minting process.
This latest sale is expected to draw strong interest from collectors, given the growing adoption of Bitcoin-based NFTs (Ordinals) and the nostalgic appeal of Taproot Wizards’ artwork. The team’s previous success and the increasing use of Bitcoin’s blockchain for NFT inscriptions signal a maturing market for Ordinals, even amid broader volatility in the NFT sector.
Context: NFT Market Trends and Challenges
The launch of Taproot Wizards comes at a time when the NFT market is facing notable headwinds. Reports indicate that NFT trading volumes plummeted by 50% in February 2025, mirroring a broader decline in cryptocurrency markets. This downturn has been attributed to various factors, including macroeconomic uncertainties and shifting investor sentiment.
Despite these challenges, certain segments within the NFT space continue to show resilience. Collections focused on artificial intelligence and sports have gained momentum, suggesting that innovation and niche markets may offer pathways to sustained engagement and growth.
The introduction of Taproot Wizards is significant for the Bitcoin Ordinals community, as it represents one of the more prominent projects leveraging Bitcoin’s capabilities for NFT creation. By inscribing these digital assets directly onto the Bitcoin blockchain, Taproot Wizards showcases the potential for Bitcoin to support diverse applications beyond its traditional use as a digital currency.
Quick Facts:
- Taproot Wizards plans to release 2,121 NFTs on March 25, 2025, with whitelist prices set at 0.2 BTC each.
- Quantum Cats holders are eligible for a discounted mint price of 0.1 BTC
- The broader NFT market experienced a 50% drop in trading volume in February 2025, reflecting wider cryptocurrency market trends.
- Taproot Wizards aims to invigorate the Bitcoin Ordinals ecosystem by leveraging Bitcoin’s blockchain for NFT inscriptions.
