Taproot Wizards: Making Bitcoin Magical Again

Innocuously removed in 2010, the Bitcoin script OP_CAT concatenates elements on Bitcoin’s stack exchange together. While full of potential, Bitcoin’s anonymous founder removed OP_CAT (along with a few other script codes) over concerns certain ones could be abused to attack the network. Some 14 years later, support for bringing OP_CAT (aka BIP420) back has ripened as it’s become clear CAT could unlock untold expressivity and security for Bitcoin.

Today, cyber•Fund is happy to announce its investment in Taproot Wizards, a startup making Bitcoin magical again with OP_CAT-powered applications. 

Taproot Wizards’ flagship product is CatVM, a two-way peg that lets bitcoin scale outside Bitcoin’s native programming and network parameters without compromising the sovereign custody that defines bitcoin. With CatVM, users can go 'There and Back Again’ without fearing seizure or censorship while developers can easily access Bitcoin’s liveness, scale, and distinct currency in a native yet expressive environment for the first time ever. 

The Wizards were founded by Udi Wertheimer and Eric Wall, two Bitcoin OGs with knacks for being ahead of the technical curve and catalyzing major sea change. Udi and Eric’s penchant for leading social movements has culminated in serious support for implementing CAT along with launching the top Ordinals collection - the aptly named Quantum Cats.

Beyond its founders, Taproot Wizards is composed of many of Bitcoin’s best and brightest, including engineering artificers Rijndael and Psifour, chief of sorcerers Tyler Whittle, and artistic revolutionary Far. 

With this group, we are confident Bitcoin will enter its greatest era, moving beyond its impressively simple number-go-up technology and becoming more expressive, more accessible, and more sustainable. In a word, we believe with the Wizards Bitcoin’s ability to enhance human freedom will markedly improve. 

If you’d like to get started with the Wizards, check out their excellent (and entertaining) explainers on concatenation, BIP420, and CAT’s MEV implications for Bitcoin. You can also get started with Taproot specific quests on Spellverse or their discord. Or more simply join the revolution by purchasing a one-of-one Quantum Cat from Magic Eden!

As Bitcoin enters its next phase of institutional and sovereign adoption we are thrilled to support such a magical group as they help steward Bitcoin forward and ensure the networks and currencies founding principles are upheld.