What happened to the US Constitution on the Bitcoin blockchain?

An anonymous Bitcoin user permanently inscribed the full text of the US Constitution onto the Bitcoin blockchain. The document is now stored on-chain and can be accessed for as long as the Bitcoin network exists.

How much did it cost to inscribe the US Constitution on Bitcoin?

The inscription reportedly cost about $83.41 in Bitcoin transaction fees. The transaction contained roughly 44.4 kilobytes of data, making it significantly larger than a standard Bitcoin payment.

How was the US Constitution stored on Bitcoin?

The user utilised Bitcoin's OP_RETURN field, which allows data to be attached to transactions. A recent change removed the previous size limitation on OP_RETURN, making larger inscriptions like the Constitution possible.

Why is the Constitution inscription important for Bitcoin?

The event demonstrates Bitcoin's growing use beyond simple financial transactions. It also highlights how the network can be used to store permanent records, documents and digital artefacts.

What is OP_RETURN in Bitcoin?

OP_RETURN is a feature that allows users to embed data directly into Bitcoin transactions. While originally intended for small amounts of metadata, recent changes have expanded its capacity for larger inscriptions.

Why is there controversy around storing data on Bitcoin?

Supporters argue that storing data increases Bitcoin's utility and opens new use cases. Critics believe excessive data storage consumes valuable blockspace and moves Bitcoin away from its original purpose as a peer-to-peer monetary network.

How does this relate to Bitcoin Ordinals?

Bitcoin Ordinals introduced a way to inscribe images, text, audio and other digital content directly onto the blockchain. The Constitution inscription follows the broader trend that emerged during the Ordinals boom of 2023.

Does the Constitution inscription affect Bitcoin's price or network security?

The inscription itself is unlikely to have a direct impact on Bitcoin's price or security. However, growing demand for inscriptions can increase network activity and transaction fees during periods of heavy usage.

Image for illustrative purposes only. Not a real photo.

US Constitution etched onto Bitcoin blockchain

Written by Jon CuthbertPublished May. 30 2026

An anonymous Bitcoin user has inscribed the full text of the United States Constitution onto the Bitcoin blockchain, creating a permanent on-chain record of one of America's most important historical documents.

The 44.4-kilobyte transaction was completed late Thursday and cost approximately $83.41 in network fees, making it significantly larger and more expensive than a typical Bitcoin transfer.

The inscription was made possible through Bitcoin's OP_RETURN output field, which allows users to attach data to transactions and recently had its byte-size limitation removed.

The change sparked extensive debate within the Bitcoin community, with supporters arguing it expands the network's utility while critics contend it shifts Bitcoin away from its primary role as a monetary system.

The Constitution inscription follows earlier waves of Bitcoin-based inscriptions, including images, text, audio files and digital collectibles created through the Ordinals protocol, which gained popularity in 2023.

The identity of the user behind the transaction remains unknown, and no public explanation has been provided for why the document was permanently recorded on the blockchain.

The event also revives memories of ConstitutionDAO, which raised more than $45 million in 2021 in an unsuccessful attempt to purchase a rare copy of the US Constitution at auction.

At the time of reporting, Bitcoin price was $73,496.97.