In 2023, two longtime Bitcoin pioneers, Udi Wertheimer and Eric Wall, set out to reignite the wonder of early Bitcoin. Inspired by a beloved 2013 meme—magic internet money—they crafted Microsoft Paint-style wizard avatars and inscribed them on Bitcoin’s blockchain using the Ordinals protocol. The project was christened Taproot Wizards, a nod to the Taproot upgrade that improved Bitcoin’s capabilities. Their playful mission? “Make Bitcoin Magical Again.” (techcrunch.com)
January 2024 saw the launch of Quantum Cats, a collection of 3,333 cat-themed inscriptions debuting at 0.1 BTC each. The project sold out in minutes, raising around $13 million. It wasn’t just art—it was a playful demonstration of blockchain potential, advocating for the return of OP_CAT, a scripting feature that could usher in smarter Bitcoin.
November 2023 brought a $7.5 million seed round, led by Standard Crypto and backed by Geometry, StarkWare, and others (xverse.app, coindesk.com). That momentum kept rolling: in February 2025, Taproot Wizards secured a $30 million Series A, earmarked to build OP_CAT tools and expand their ecosystem (nftgators.com).
Then, on March 25, 2025, they unveiled their flagship collection: 2,121 wizard-themed Ordinals. Available in a two-phase mint—a whitelist at 0.2 BTC and a Dutch auction—many Quantum Cats holders received a special discount. The result? A historic mint that supported their mission and honored early backers (nftandgamefi.com).
The journey isn’t just about NFTs—it’s about unlocking Bitcoin’s potential. The funds raised are powering development of tools like Purrfect Vault and Ord Sender—early examples of OP_CAT in action. Taproot Wizards is pushing for a soft-fork to reintroduce the OP_CAT opcode, paving the way for smart contracts on Bitcoin (nftgators.com).
They've engaged their community with “Wizard School” quests—fun challenges like wizard-costume contests and creative storytelling—turning holders into active participants, not just collectors .
From a meme-born idea to raising $37.5 million in VC backing, alongside tens of millions in NFT sales, Taproot Wizards has woven a narrative that blends art, technology, and community. They’re not positioning Bitcoin as just digital gold—they’re scripting a new chapter full of creativity and possibility.
With OP_CAT on their horizon, open-source tools in development, and their community stirred by playful quests and grand visions, Taproot Wizards is more than a project—it’s a movement. A movement to show Bitcoin can host art, tools, and smart features—all with a dramatic, wizardly flair.
In short: Taproot Wizards and Quantum Cats have drawn on Bitcoin’s history, secured serious funding, dropped iconic Ordinals, and now aim to unlock protocol-level innovation—all while keeping things fun, magical, and community-first.