money / 85 posts found
Physical NFTs? One Potential Mainstream Use-Case Explained
Understandably, when most people think of NFTs, they do so under a primarily digital framework. That makes perfect sense. After all, the underlying technology that makes minting an NFT possible in the first place mostly exists as software — blockchain technology. But can NFTs be physical objects? The answer is yes. Despite how the prevailing mainstream conversation around NFTs is continually misdirected toward “expensive monkey JPEGs,” there’s so much more possible with this technology than enabling the sales of digital images. And it all starts with how people have been minting NFTs tied to physical objects. Why mint physical NFTs? […]
NFT Theft: Here’s How the Dark Side of Web3 Gets Away With It
How do NFT thieves get away with heists in the millions (or even billions) of dollars, in plain sight? Crypto transactions happen on the public ledger, so finding the culprit should be simple. Despite this, NFT thieves are nearly impossible to catch. Part of the problem comes with the territory, since successful NFT scammers and thieves live on the cutting edge of the space. But there are deeper reasons for this than simply being familiar with the space — and examining the deeper story could help all of us better shield ourselves from future onslaughts. NFT theft, high art, and […]
NFT Art on Debit Cards? Mastercard and Crypto App hi Have Your Back
The Alpha The crypto and financial app hi has partnered with Mastercard to announce the world’s first NFT-customizable fiat and crypto debit card for hi users, according to a press release. Gold-tier members of hi will be able to decorate their cards with an NFT they can verify they own as long as it meets Mastercard’s design standards. The hi Debit Mastercard comes in six variants that hinge on a hi user’s membership tier. Customers can become a member by staking HI, hi’s native token. Memberships start at a price point of around 10 euros. Why it matters Legacy businesses […]
NFT Stocks: What to Know and Which Companies to Watch
The rise of NFTs has proved a boon for many artists and creators worldwide. But they’ve also become incredibly alluring investment opportunities for those seeking quick — and sometimes sizeable — returns on their investments. But there’s a problem. Unless you have hundreds of thousands of dollars to throw at a Bored Ape, Cryptopunk, Moonbird, and so on, finding good bets at the margins takes a lot of work. To truly get a pulse on what’s going on in the space, you’d need to practically live on Twitter or Discord. Information moves fast in the NFT space, and so does […]
Blue-Chip NFT Holders Are Now Eligible for an IRL Rewards Program
The Alpha: Portfolio tracker AssetDash just launched DashDeals, according to a Wednesday press release. It’s an asset-based rewards program modeled after Web2’s AMEX Rewards. To start, holders of DeGods NFTs, CryptoPunks, Bored Apes, Moonbirds, and other high-end NFT projects will be “immediately eligible” to receive rewards under the DashDeals program. Perks for holders of these NFTs currently include Apple gift cards, Nike gift cards, GameStop gift cards, Discord Nitro subscriptions, and more. Why it matters In the NFT world, the promise of utility is nothing new. Some even argue that forcing utility onto an NFT project can have a detrimental […]
Four Misconceptions About the Ethereum Merge Debunked
It’s happening. The Ethereum Merge is going down in less than two days, as of writing. For those living under a virtual rock, the hotly anticipated Ethereum Merge refers to the upcoming Merge of the Ethereum mainnet with the Beacon Chain. Following this, Ethereum will move to a proof-of-stake (PoS) verification mechanism, which is touted as using at least 99 percent less energy than blockchains operating under a proof-of-work (PoW) consensus mechanism. We’ve already seen hard evidence of low-impact blockchains operating under a PoS model in the real world, thanks to Tezos, so the promise is irresistible. The Web3 community […]
Why Are NFTs Valuable? A Guide to the Merits of Non-Fungibles
If you’re wondering how NFTs — essentially tokenized JPEGs — have sold for millions of dollars in the past few years, here’s the short answer that most people would give you: It’s because they’re art, and art is inherently valuable. Really. Many people think it’s as simple as that. However, we’ve also seen digital collectibles like NBA Top Shot and PFP NFT projects like CryptoPunks and Bored Ape Yacht Club fetch eye-watering prices on the open market. Neither of the aforementioned can be accurately characterized as art and art alone. So the question remains: What exactly makes an NFT valuable? […]
A Guide to Dogechain: The Next Evolution of Dogecoin
What was once just a joking paraphrase of one of the many meme-worthy lines inspired by a 2015 clip of Shia LaBeouf can now be read as an assessment of the sheer potential of NFTs: “Don’t let your memes be dreams” — and we saw it come to fruition when an NFT based on Nyan Cat sold for $600,000. And now it’s happening again as the Dogecoin continues to develop as a platform for decentralized finance, blockchain gaming, and of course, NFTs. At the center of the further legitimization of the OG meme coin is Dogechain — which was recently […]
Rarity Tools Explained: A Guide to Ranking Rare NFTs
Despite troublesome times, the excitement surrounding NFTs perseveres. For example, feelings of nostalgia and pride abound in digital ownership, reflecting how many feel about physical collectibles. For many collectors, minting NFTs is like opening a fresh pack of baseball cards. You never know the outcome, but there’s always the potential to pull out something rare. With the supply of most PFP projects at 10,000, the odds aren’t promising, but the potential to hit big is enough to pull in collectors. Others are more systematic, using NFT rarity tools to “snipe” NFTs off the secondary market by finding market opportunities where […]
NFT Game Developers: Play-to-Earn and ‘Play and Earn’ Are Not the Same
Across all applications of NFTs, one thing has remained consistent: they’re a demonstration of the untold potential of blockchain technology. In the early days of crypto, most early adopters were drawn to the idea of blockchains due to their disruptive potential in the world of finance. But with NFTs, that disruption takes place across a wide variety of industries. NFTs have gradually gained traction among internet-savvy users who have utilized this technology to launch careers in a host of creative industries — namely music and art. However, one sector that seems to be a match made in heaven for blockchain […]