diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index c9cb3aa..8efa822 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 ## TODOs
 - [ ] replace mock wallet connection/disconnection 
-- [ ] replace mock Ordinal verification (API)
+- [x] replace mock Ordinal verification (API)
 - [ ] figure out using actual icons for cells
 - [ ] store message cache in indexedDB -- make app local-first (update from/to Waku when available)
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/contexts/AuthContext.tsx b/src/contexts/AuthContext.tsx
index 56a0d81..3be908b 100644
--- a/src/contexts/AuthContext.tsx
+++ b/src/contexts/AuthContext.tsx
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
-
 import React, { createContext, useContext, useState, useEffect } from 'react';
 import { useToast } from '@/components/ui/use-toast';
 import { User } from '@/types';
+import { OrdinalAPI } from '@/lib/identity/ordinal';
 
 interface AuthContextType {
   currentUser: User | null;
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ export function AuthProvider({ children }: { children: React.ReactNode }) {
   const [currentUser, setCurrentUser] = useState<User | null>(null);
   const [isAuthenticating, setIsAuthenticating] = useState(false);
   const { toast } = useToast();
+  const ordinalApi = new OrdinalAPI();
   
   // Check for existing session on mount
   useEffect(() => {
@@ -87,9 +88,8 @@ export function AuthProvider({ children }: { children: React.ReactNode }) {
     });
   };
 
-  // Mock Ordinal verification
   const verifyOrdinal = async () => {
-    if (!currentUser) {
+    if (!currentUser || !currentUser.address) {
       toast({
         title: "Not Connected",
         description: "Please connect your wallet first.",
@@ -100,28 +100,43 @@ export function AuthProvider({ children }: { children: React.ReactNode }) {
     
     setIsAuthenticating(true);
     try {
-      //TODO: replace with actual Ordinal verification
+      toast({ title: "Verifying Ordinal", description: "Checking your wallet for Ordinal Operators..." });
+      
+      const response = await ordinalApi.getOperatorDetails(currentUser.address);
+      const hasOperators = response.has_operators;
+
       const updatedUser = {
         ...currentUser,
-        ordinalOwnership: true,
-        signature: "mockSignature123",
+        ordinalOwnership: hasOperators,
         lastChecked: Date.now(),
       };
       
       setCurrentUser(updatedUser);
       localStorage.setItem('opchan-user', JSON.stringify(updatedUser));
       
-      toast({
-        title: "Ordinal Verified",
-        description: "You can now post and interact with the forum.",
-      });
+      if (hasOperators) {
+        toast({
+          title: "Ordinal Verified",
+          description: "You can now post and interact with the forum.",
+        });
+      } else {
+        toast({
+          title: "Verification Failed",
+          description: "No Ordinal Operators found in the connected wallet.",
+          variant: "destructive",
+        });
+      }
       
-      return true;
+      return hasOperators;
     } catch (error) {
       console.error("Error verifying Ordinal:", error);
+      let errorMessage = "Failed to verify Ordinal ownership. Please try again.";
+      if (error instanceof Error) {
+        errorMessage = error.message;
+      }
       toast({
-        title: "Verification Failed",
-        description: "Failed to verify Ordinal ownership. Please try again.",
+        title: "Verification Error",
+        description: errorMessage,
         variant: "destructive",
       });
       return false;
diff --git a/src/lib/identity/ordinal.ts b/src/lib/identity/ordinal.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f988da4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/lib/identity/ordinal.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+import { OrdinalApiResponse } from './types';
+
+const BASE_URL = 'https://exit-test-567058b69f45.herokuapp.com/api/operators/wallet';
+
+export class OrdinalAPI {
+  /**
+   * Fetches Ordinal operator details for a given Bitcoin address.
+   * @param address - The Bitcoin address to query.
+   * @returns A promise that resolves with the API response.
+   */
+  async getOperatorDetails(address: string): Promise<OrdinalApiResponse> {
+    const url = `${BASE_URL}/${address}/detail/`;
+    
+    try {
+      const response = await fetch(url, {
+        method: 'GET',
+        headers: { 'Accept': 'application/json' },
+      });
+
+      if (!response.ok) {
+        const errorBody = await response.text().catch(() => '');
+        throw new Error(`HTTP error! status: ${response.status}, message: ${errorBody || response.statusText}`);
+      }
+
+      const data: OrdinalApiResponse = await response.json();
+      
+      if (data.error_message) {
+        console.warn(`API returned an error message for address ${address}: ${data.error_message}`);
+      }
+      return data;
+    } catch (error) {
+      console.error(`Failed to fetch ordinal details for address ${address}:`, error);
+      throw error;
+    }
+  }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/lib/identity/types.ts b/src/lib/identity/types.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4b95159
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/lib/identity/types.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+export interface OrdinalDetail {
+  name: string;
+  archetype_name: string;
+  comp: string;
+  background: string;
+  skin: string;
+  helmet: string;
+  jacket: string;
+  image_200_url: string;
+  image_200_jpeg_url: string;
+  image_400_url: string;
+  image_400_jpeg_url: string;
+  image_1024_url: string;
+  image_1024_jpeg_url: string;
+  image_2048_url: string;
+  image_2048_jpeg_url: string;
+  image_pixalated_url: string;
+  mp4_url: string;
+}
+
+export interface OrdinalApiResponse {
+  has_operators: boolean;
+  error_message: string;
+  data: OrdinalDetail[];
+} 
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