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1. Learn the terms
2. WHY THEY MATTER
3. PROJECT TYPES
4. See The Future
5. OPEN A WALLET
6. BUY ETH
7. MINT A PIXEL PRIZE
8. HODL
2, why they matter
1
Terms
1
STEP 2
Why nfts matter
10 min
3
Projects
4
Future Use
5
Wallet
6
Buy ETH
7
Mint
8
HODL

Why they matter

10 min

The utility is too good.

We, for the first time as the human race, have a technologically sound way to attach a unique identity to any digital asset. Blockchain technology gives digital assets indisputable origins, properties, and other pieces of metadata (a fancy term for information stored inside a digital asset) — all collected in a single smart contract behind every NFT.

Example
You used to create GIF icons on Iconator.com. It was early evidence of your passion for graphic design. When Iconator.com shut down for good, where did those icons go? Are they floating somewhere in the ether? Do they exist at all anymore? If they do, they're definitely not tied to you. Any digital asset minted as a non-fungible token leaves a permanent footprint on the web. (Yes — even in 10,000 years. Blockchain technology uses thousands of computers to verify each transaction, rendering it virtually impossible to destroy. All you need is a single computer to find it.)

They transform ownership economy.

Did you know that if you upload a photo of yourself to Instagram, Meta has the rights to “host, use, distribute, modify, run, copy, publicly perform or display, translate, and create derivative works” of your content? NFTs could put an end to those days.

Not only do digital assets have the capability of having their own identity, but they can be owned by individual wallets. We can transparently track this ownership through time. From a copyright perspective, it just makes sense. An original creator will always be indisputable—along with every owner since.

Ownership of an NFT can be transferred or sold to another person by the current owner. NFTs have the ability for royalties to be built into their smart contracts. If royalties are in place, creators receive a percentage of every secondary sale. This is a huge win for creators everywhere.

Example
If a videographer, a director, and an editor collaborate on a commercial, their names and roles in the making of the commercial can be forever recorded on the blockchain by incorporating the credits into the smart contract. On top of that, the smart contract could be built to ensure that each individual receives a 5% royalty paid to their digital wallet anytime that commercial sells to another party. This is a novel and accessible way to store information inside digital assets, and fairly reward creators for their work.

They are birthing a new revolution.

NFTs are currently revolutionizing sectors of our culture such as art, sports and video games. Thousands of artists are eating multiple meals a day for the first time in their lives. Fans can own some of their favorite moments in sports history. People are playing games to earn money that they can exchange for wearables or trade for cold, hard cash. These industries haven’t even begun to see the impact NFT technology will bring them as it continues to rapidly progress.

London Trade Art says it best when they say that “blockchain not only democratizes individual ability to buy NFTs, it also democratizes access to new markets for all artists, regardless of location.”

In the near future, NFTs will change the future of employment, healthcare, and education, due to their ability to track records and assets. In our virtual future, digital objects have real value and physical objects can own a digital identity. There is no going back.

Example
Going back about a decade, record labels existed to protect copyrights of artists signed under them. They had lawyers to prove that a particular artist created a song. With blockchain technology, there are no lawyers needed. Musicians can mint their work directly to the blockchain via sites like sound.xyz, completely cutting out the middlemen previously preventing them from making the most amount of money possible. The blockchain is a source of truth that cannot be argued with, protecting copyrights of artists, technologists, thinkers, writers, and innovators around the world.

NFT knowledge will keep you relevant.

It’s going to get very difficult to remain relevant without engaging with NFTs and, subsequently, Web3. History can prove it: When websites first emerged, brands that didn’t adhere to this new wave of technology didn’t make it (we miss you, Blockbuster). When Web2 was born and social media became mainstream, brands who didn’t adopt a social media strategy or use it at all, are currently facing a slow death. It will be the same with Web3.

Example
Remember that family-owned used-car shop that used to be the neighborhood favorite? The one where the owner laughed when asked if he’d be getting a website back in 2000? What happened? The car shop went out of business because they failed to see the value in having and maintaining a digital presence. That shop had no idea how quickly it would fall off the map.

They create loyalty among your community.

NFTs are inherently community-fostering. People love collecting — they always have, and they always will. People bond with other people over things that they collect — whether it’s records by a certain artist, classic cars, or Beanie Babies.

NFTs are similar in this way. They indicate which “club” you’re in, and, as it extends to brands, who you support and who you’re a fan of. There are countless Discords that have been established for the holders of certain NFTs to join and chat with one another, and holders are usually rewarded over time just for holding the token in their wallet!

Example
BAYC (Bored Ape Yacht Club) holders get access to lavish events and a monthly coffee subscription. A Bored Ape is a status symbol as much as it is an all-access pass. Most recently, they launched their own metaverse, “Otherside”, where BAYC holders can buy digital land in a custom universe. NFTs have unlocked an entirely new type of community loyalty. Because NFTs are digital ownership, project communities will begin to feel like they own a part of the project or brand (and in some ways actually do). And when you’re a partial owner of something, your loyalty to it increases.

They can make you money.

I don’t really need to explain this one, but let me just say this: Digital goods will be the preferred good in the future. They’ve got easy-to-track data and no delivery/product needed. So, it goes without saying that investing in this space is likely a good idea for your wallet (digital or not).

We’re spending more and more time online as a species and it’s not going to stop. More time online will accelerate the preference to sell digitally. Not to mention — the popularity of digital goods is rising. Whether it’s profile pics or wearables, people love to express identity online.

Example
Aside from buying and selling NFTs on digital marketplaces, you can also make money through play-to-earn games, like Axie Infinity and The Sandbox. These games are played online and allow players to earn rewards with real-world value by completing tasks, or progressing through various game levels. The rewards come in the form of crypto tokens, virtual land, skins, and other NFTs (that you can later trade for more money)!
CONGRATS
You get why they matter
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