Bitmap in a Canister (BIC) has launched on the ICP mainnet, introducing a system of one million on-chain districts that can be claimed through the DOM protocol. The deployment runs on canister sqbmn-myaaa-aaaau-agthq-cai and establishes a fixed supply of digital land tied to Bitmap blocks numbered from 0 to 999,999.
At the centre of the system is a simple mechanic. Each Bitmap block represents a district. Users burn DOM to inscribe a block, and ownership is recorded directly on-chain within the ICP canister. Each district can only be claimed once, with ownership assigned permanently to the first participant. The registry operates without administrative control, meaning no central party can alter or reverse assignments after inscription.
Bitmap itself originated as a protocol on Bitcoin Ordinals, allowing users to inscribe block numbers and claim them as digital land. The ICP version removes Ordinals and Bitcoin transaction fees from the process, shifting activity fully on-chain within Internet Computer infrastructure. According to the team, this allows inscriptions to settle without waiting for block confirmations on external chains.
District structure is determined algorithmically. Each block produces between 50 and 549 parcels, with higher density in earlier blocks and lower density in rarer regions. The layout of each district is generated using a hash-based seed linked to its inscription, meaning no two districts share identical configurations. This approach creates variation across the map while keeping generation fully deterministic.
The system also introduces a rarity framework built into the protocol itself. Four Legendary districts correspond to Bitcoin halving blocks at #210,000, #420,000, #630,000 and #840,000. A further tier covers Genesis-era blocks from #0 to #9,999, while early and mid-range blocks fall into additional rarity categories. Round thousand blocks form a smaller special group, while the remaining majority are classified as common districts. Each category is defined by its position in the block range rather than external market behaviour.
The current launch phase, referred to as Epoch 1, sets the inscription cost at 1 DOM per district. A planned emissions adjustment is expected to reduce inscription costs to 0.5 DOM after approximately 147 days. The pricing structure is designed to influence early distribution, with higher-value blocks expected to be claimed during the initial phase before any reduction in cost occurs.
A live map at domburns.xyz/domburns-bic.html allows users to view the full one million block grid. Claimed districts are visually marked according to owner identity, while unclaimed blocks remain open for inscription. Users can click individual blocks to view district-level details, including voxel-based visualisations generated from each block’s unique hash. Wallet connection through Plug enables direct interaction with unclaimed districts from within the interface.
The roadmap outlines several stages of development beyond the initial release. Version 1 focuses on inscription, transfer functionality and map exploration. Version 1.5 links district ownership to visual territory size within the Blastoff system, where accumulated districts affect representation on a broader map layer.
Version 2 introduces marketplace functionality, allowing users to list and trade districts alongside Certificates of Burn within a unified DOM marketplace. Version 2.5 extends the model further by enabling parcel-level tokenisation, where individual sections within districts can be traded or used for staking purposes.
Later development moves toward a full 3D world map in version 3. In this phase, districts are represented as voxel-based structures in a navigable environment. Activity such as inscriptions and transfers influences visual density, with active districts forming larger structures over time. Rare blocks, including Legendary districts, are intended to appear as fixed landmarks within the evolving digital landscape.
At the time of launch, several high-value regions, including Genesis and halving blocks, remain unclaimed. The system is live, and all one million districts are available for inscription under the current Epoch 1 conditions.
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