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Guides to Bitcoin’s OP_RETURN messages
Plain-language explainers written from the archive: what OP_RETURN is, what changed in Bitcoin Core 30, how to read the incident boards, how to etch a message of your own, and how to use the data as a developer or an agent. Every number in them is read live from the site.
INCIDENT BOARDColdcard Exploit Bulletin Board Explained: Reading On-Chain Messages After the RNG IncidentAfter the 2026 Coldcard firmware RNG incident, attacker consolidation addresses became a public OP_RETURN board. Learn how to read the archived messages, without exploit recipes.7 minPROTOCOL POLICYBitcoin Core 30 OP_RETURN Changes Explained: datacarriersize, Policy vs ConsensusBitcoin Core 30.0 raised the default -datacarriersize to 100,000 and allows multiple OP_RETURN outputs. Here is the precise policy change, and what it means for on-chain messages.8 minFUNDAMENTALSWhat Is an OP_RETURN Message in Bitcoin? Can It Be Deleted?OP_RETURN (opcode 0x6a) embeds data in a provably unspendable Bitcoin output. Once confirmed, it cannot be deleted. See how The Permanent Record archives live messages.6 minHOW-TOHow to Etch an OP_RETURN Message on Bitcoin (Bitcoin Core, Electrum, Sparrow)Step-by-step companion to the Field Manual. Build an OP_RETURN output safely with Bitcoin Core or Electrum, pay the right fee, understand permanence, and find your message in the archive.7 minCOMPARISONOP_RETURN vs Ordinals vs Runes: What The Permanent Record Actually IndexesOrdinals live in witness space, Runes use OP_RETURN runestones, and text boards are something else again. See how opreturn.xyz separates protocols, tickers and human messages.6 minINCIDENT BOARDSHow to Read the Bitget and Liquid Network OP_RETURN Negotiation BoardsWhen stolen or disputed BTC sits at known addresses, OP_RETURN becomes a negotiation channel. How The Permanent Record groups the Liquid and Bitget boards, and what an empty board means.7 minAI & AGENTSPrompt Injection on Bitcoin: When OP_RETURN Tries to Hijack AI AgentsPeople are etching prompt-injection strings into Bitcoin OP_RETURN outputs. See how The Permanent Record classifies them, and why immutable prompts matter for agents that read the chain.6 minDEVELOPERSOP_RETURN Feed API for Developers and Agents (OpenAPI, llms.txt, Agent Cards)Public REST API for Bitcoin OP_RETURN collections, messages, protocols, tickers and block census, plus OpenAPI and agent discovery files for LLM tooling.6 minCONSUMER PROTECTIONMt. Gox 1Feex and Dormant-Wallet OP_RETURN Notices ExplainedEarly high-balance addresses, including the famous Mt. Gox 1Feex wallet, have been targeted with OP_RETURN legal notices and phishing. What the archive shows and how to stay safe.7 minCULTUREGenesis Address Tributes: The On-Chain Archive of Messages to SatoshiPeople still send tributes, and OP_RETURN messages, to Bitcoin's Genesis address. Explore The Permanent Record's Genesis & Satoshi Tribute collection.6 min