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​Snapchat filters, on Bitcoin (sort of)

File this under: weird, wild n' wonderful.

You know how we've been writing about Bitcoin 'inscriptions,' (aka Bitcoin NFTs) and how they let people add custom code to the Bitcoin blockchain?

(Whether that code makes up a video, photo, game...)

Well, someone just uploaded what can only be described as 'live snapchat-style webcam filters.'

Basically, you:

  • Go here.

  • Click on one of the iPad looking things.

  • It activates your webcam and applies a filter.

  • You click 'wave,' it freezes the frame, you screenshot it and share.

The project has no roadmap, no future plans - it's just a fun art installation, living on Bitcoin, that anyone can access and play with (like we did ☝️👋)

Their message? "You are the art."

(Aaaaaw!)

These 'filters' are being called 'portals' and each one of them has a different color/style.

Only a few of them are publicly accessible through the project's website (chainspace.app), but they can all be accessed and played around with, if you know where to look on Ordinals.com.

(We couldn't find any others there though, that site is a mess! It's easier to go to OpenSea and follow the link in each work's description).

In total, 780 different 'portal' filters have been created.

And as of yesterday, 620 of them were made available for purchase to Chainspace Discord members, while the remaining 120 went to folks affiliated with the Chainspace team.

The weirdest part is, they were sold as Ethereum NFTs.

The deal being: if the buyers want the inscribed Bitcoin, they have to trade their ETH NFT in, and make the swap.

Ok...that's all well and good, but:

If anyone with an internet connection is free to access and play with each filter listed on OpenSea - why would anyone buy the actual NFT?

...what are they unlocking?

Simple answer: nothing.

But they're cool, and part of blockchain history, so they're desirable.

(We wouldn't say no to one).