Non-fungible token (NFT)

Queen of Pop Becomes a Metaverse Material Girl — Madonna Buys Bored Ape for $564K

27/03/2022 by Idelto Editor

The ‘Queen of Pop,’ Madonna has revealed she has “entered the metaverse” after she acquired the non-fungible token (NFT) collectible Bored Ape #4988. According to onchain data, Madonna’s Bored Ape #4988 was purchased for 180 ether or $564K at the time of settlement.

Madonna Says She ‘Finally Entered the Metaverse’

Madonna is the latest celebrity to join the Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC) NFT collectors. The singer-songwriter and actress revealed the purchase on March 25, 2022, via the pop star’s Instagram page.

“I finally entered the Metaverse… My very own Ape! What should I name her? Thanks [Moonpay]. We all need protection from Evil Eye,” Madonna told her Instagram followers.

During the last two days, Madonna’s Bored Ape reveal on Instagram received around 86,668 likes. Furthermore, a number of fans gave Madonna advice on what to name the newly acquired BAYC.

“This is cute, I like it,” one individual wrote to Madonna. “Btw, isn’t Evil Eye just a superstition? Noone is evil by nature. I would name her Pinky,” the person added. Another individual on Instagram was a bit more sarcastic and said:

Name her: ‘Nobody Will Care About This In 10 years.’ A Cabbage Patch Beanie Baby FOMO for the 21st century. Destined for the digital trash heap.

Moonpay Acquires Expensive NFTs for Celebrities, Madonna Owns 17 NFTs from 8 Collections

It seems Moonpay has been involved in purchasing expensive NFTs for celebrities in recent times. The American rapper, singer, and songwriter Wiz Khalifa leveraged Moonpay to acquire Bored Ape #1506 around the same time frame as Madonna’s purchase.

Besides Bored Ape #4988, the metaverse ‘Material Girl’ owns a bunch more NFT collectibles as well. Statistics indicate that Madonna currently holds 17 NFTs from eight different collections.

While Madonna’s wallet only has $30 worth of ethereum, the wallet does hold $21,285 worth of apecoin (APE). In addition to Madonna and Wiz Khalifa, BAYC NFTs are also owned by Eminem, Paris Hilton, Gwyneth Paltrow, Shaq, and Justin Bieber.

At the time of writing, the Bored Ape Yacht Club NFT collection has the most expensive floor price with a current floor value of 103.69 ether. The collection has an estimated market capitalization of around $1 billion and during the last 24 hours, the BAYC collection has seen $7.2 million in volume or 2,311 ether.

What do you think about the Queen of Pop becoming a metaverse material girl with the purchase of Bored Ape #4988 for $564K in ether? Let us know what you think about this subject in the comments section below.

Japanese Software Giant Line Plans to Launch NFT Market Next Month

24/03/2022 by Idelto Editor

The Japanese social media and messenger software firm Line Corporation has announced the company is introducing a non-fungible token (NFT) marketplace on April 13. Line detailed on Wednesday that the market will be called “LINE NFT” and it will showcase “more than 100 types of NFTs.”

Japan’s Line Corporation to Launch LINE NFT Marketplace

In March 2021, Line Corporation completed a merger with Softbank Group, Yahoo Japan, and Z Holdings. The merged company aims to encompass the digital world from all aspects and last week, reports revealed Z Holdings was launching a global NFT marketplace that will operate in 180 countries. 13 days later, Line announced the company is also launching an NFT marketplace called “LINE NFT.” Line’s press release notes that the market will showcase more than 100 types of NFTs.

LINE NFT will launch on April 13, and LINE app users will be able to use the marketplace via the app, the company details. The LINE NFT launch will see participation from Nissy (Takahiro Nishijima), Yoshimoto Kogyo, and Square Enix. Moreover, the launch will see a Yoshimoto Kogyo Holdings limited edition NFT video dubbed: “Yoshimoto NFT Theater.” While LINE NFT will only operate in Japan, reports say that Z Holdings’ NFT marketplace called “DOSI” will launch worldwide on April 19.

Line NFTs to Be Stored via the LINE BITMAX Wallet

Line’s entry into the blockchain space is nothing new as the company launched “LINE Blockchain Lab” in 2018. Furthermore, a slew of well-known Japanese brands and companies have been entering the NFT industry, including the Japanese entertainment conglomerates Square Enix and Konami Holdings Corporation. This year, the Japanese online retail giant Rakuten plans to launch an NFT marketplace, and the firm also said Rakuten’s peer-to-peer NFT service will be ready in 2023.

Interest in non-fungible token (NFT) tech has dive-bombed in recent weeks and sales also took a dip in mid-February. However, last week NFT sales picked up the pace and improved by 17% from the week prior. Seven-day statistics indicate that sales are up 50.71% during the last week with $586,510,454 worth of NFT sales settled. While LINE app users will leverage the NFT marketplace, NFTs themselves will be stored via the company’s LINE BITMAX wallet.

What do you think about Japan’s Line Corporation launching an NFT marketplace in mid-April? Let us know what you think about this subject in the comments section below.

Coachella Music and Arts Festival Partners With FTX US to Issue Solana-Based NFTs

03/02/2022 by Idelto Editor

The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival is stepping into non-fungible token (NFT) technology space, according to the festival’s official Twitter account. Coachella partnered with the crypto exchange FTX US, and the NFTs are minted on the Solana blockchain.

Coachella Partners With FTX US to Mint Solana-Based Digital Collectibles

Since 1999, the festival co-founded by Rick Van Santen and Paul Tollett called Coachella has been a popular music and arts event with its highest attendance in 2017, peaking at 250,000 attendees. Music acts that have played at various Coachella festivals include performers like the Chemical Brothers, Rage Against the Machine, Tool, Morrissey, A Perfect Circle, and Jurassic 5. Coachella celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2019 and had to cancel the 2020 event over the Covid-19 pandemic.

Goldenvoice — the firm that operates Coachella — revealed on June 1, that the event will return on April 15–17 this year, featuring artists like Swedish House Mafia, Billie Eilish, Harry Styles, and Ye. On February 1, Coachella’s official Twitter account announced it was launching NFTs minted on the Solana (SOL) blockchain. “We have partnered with FTX US to build an environmentally friendly marketplace on Solana,” Coachella tweeted. The festival organizers have also published a web portal dedicated to the NFTs.

Nft.coachella.com says that participants can “unlock lifetime Coachella passes, art prints, photo books, digital collectibles, and more.” The festival’s website asserts that Coachella collectibles are “a first of its kind opportunity to own lifetime festival passes, unlock unique on-site experiences, physical items, and digital collectibles.” Limited Coachella digital collectibles will drop on Friday, February 4, at 10 a.m. (PT) and NFT drop participants need to have an FTX US account.

The NFT sale proceeds will be given to givedirectly.org, liderescampesinas.org, and findfoodbank.org. Coachella further details that the festival’s NFT art was created by Emek Studios. As far as the unlock-able lifetime Coachella passes are concerned, there are 10 NFT keys that grant you lifetime access to Coachella available. “This includes passes to one festival weekend every April and Coachella produced virtual experiences… forever,” the website details. Coachella’s NFT key description adds:

These keys also include unique experiences for 2022 like front and center views at the Coachella Stage, lifetime Safari camping, or a dinner prepared by a professional chef in the Rose Garden. There’s no telling what else these NFT keys will unlock in the near future.

What do you think about Coachella partnering with FTX US and issuing Solana-based NFTs and lifetime pass NFT keys? Let us know what you think about this subject in the comments section below.

Accounting Firm PWC’s Hong Kong Branch Purchases Land in The Sandbox Metaverse

23/12/2021 by Idelto Editor

On Thursday, Pricewaterhouse Coopers’ (PWC) Hong Kong unit announced that it purchased a land site in The Sandbox metaverse. The PWC Hong Kong branch will be the first internationally recognized professional services brand to enter The Sandbox metaverse.

PWC Hong Kong Enters the Metaverse

While land located next to Snoop Dogg’s Sandbox plot has sold for lots of money and other firms like Atari have purchased Sandbox property, now major accounting firm PWC’s Hong Kong branch has also purchased metaverse land in The Sandbox virtual world.

PWC is a multinational professional services network of firms located in 156 countries. The company is often referred to as one of the Big Four accounting firms alongside EY, KPMG, and Deloitte. PWC’s Hong Kong branch has been into blockchain technology and crypto assets for quite some time and in November 2017, the office revealed it accepted bitcoin payments for consultancy services.

The announcement on December 23 says that the land in The Sandbox was specifically acquired by PWC Hong Kong. William Gee, a partner at PWC Hong Kong, commented about the land purchase and the metaverse in general on Thursday.

“The metaverse offers new possibilities for organisations to create value through innovative business models, as well as introducing new ways to engage with their customers and communities,” Gee remarked. The PWC Hong Kong executive added:

We will leverage our expertise to advise clients who wish to embrace the metaverse on the full range of challenges presented by this emerging global digital phenomenon.

‘The Metaverse Is Open for Business’ — The Sandbox Team Believes PWC Can Help ‘Brands That May Be Less Familiar With Web3’

The Sandbox virtual blockchain game, that features land and other types of non-fungible token (NFT) assets, has been popular during the last year. The Sandbox’s native digital asset SAND is up 11% during the last 30 days and 11,714% over the course of the last year. The blockchain-based metaverse game also secured an investment of $93 million during the first week of November in a financing round led by Softbank’s Vision Fund 2.

Regarding the PWC land acquisition, The Sandbox says “professional services firms such as PWC Hong Kong can play a valuable role in the growth of the open metaverse.” Specifically, the announcement explains that PWC can help “brands that may be less familiar with Web3.” Sebastien Borget, COO of The Sandbox believes the Big Four accounting firm is at the forefront of this innovation.

“The metaverse is open for business,” Borget elaborated in a statement concerning PWC Hong Kong’s land acquisition in the metaverse. “We welcome PWC Hong Kong to experience how The Sandbox fosters new immersive experiences and ways for brands to connect with customers. It’s an exciting time – and PWC is at the forefront of this emerging frontier.”

What do you think about the accounting firm PWC Hong Kong acquiring land in The Sandbox metaverse? Let us know what you think about this subject in the comments section below.

Rap Star Snoop Dogg Teams up With the Harlem Globetrotters in an NFT Sitcom

21/10/2021 by Idelto Editor

On October 20, the iconic rap star Snoop Dogg announced he’s participating in a non-fungible token (NFT) sitcom with the popular basketball team the Harlem Globetrotters. According to the announcement, the NFT drop is part of a campaign featuring a limited edition Snoop Dogg and Globetrotters NFT collection.

NFT Whale Snoop Dogg Partners With the Harlem Globetrotters

It’s well known that the musician and American rapper Snoop Dogg is a fan of cryptocurrencies and non-fungible token (NFT) assets. In recent times, the crypto community discovered that Snoop was a crypto whale with a large collection of NFTs in his portfolio.

This was after the hip-hop star said bitcoin was “here to stay” and lauded the innovations behind non-fungible token technology. Snoop also partnered with Crypto.com when it launched its NFT marketplace and recently the rapper partnered with the NFT blockchain virtual world The Sandbox.

On Wednesday evening (EDT), the rapper revealed that he partnered with the iconic Harlem Globetrotters, the basketball innovators who popularized concepts like the jump shot, slam dunk, and the team’s players also invented the half-court hook shot. The American exhibition basketball team originated from the South Side of Chicago in 1926.

A number of famous players who later joined the NBA were members of the Globetrotters such as Wilt “The Stilt” Chamberlain, Nat “Sweetwater” Clifton, and Connie “The Hawk” Hawkins. The NFT release with Snoop and the Globetrotters will be a limited edition NFT sitcom featuring the team and the rapper. The NFT will be available exclusively through the web portal the vast.app.

“Marking the NFT drop as part of the Globetrotters’ New Tech, New Trainer, New Tour campaign, the NFT sitcom, “Da Dogg Gone Gym” features a 1970’s era Snoop Dogg as a Globetrotter trainer along with Bay Area dancer and viral sensation Junebug,” the announcement notes. The sitcom NFT description also states:

Complete with canned applause and laugh tracks, the sitcom serves up the same lighthearted appeal and basketball cred that define both the Harlem Globetrotters and Snoop Dogg.

Globetrotter Players Say It’s a Dream Come True to Work With the Iconic Hip-Hop Legend

Sunni Hickman, the Globetrotters’ VP of marketing and sales detailed that it’s been a “dream come true for our Globetrotter players to work with the iconic Snoop Dogg.” Hickman added, “[Snoop’s] passion for basketball and baller culture is second to none; to have him as part of our team has been super dope.”

According to the announcement, Snoop’s collaboration with the Globetrotters was sparked by the gaming and promotional network behind the vast.app, Amusement Park Entertainment, and creative strategy firm Brand Positioning Doctors. In the midst of the NFT drop, the Harlem Globetrotters are openly pursuing an NBA franchise.

What do you think about Snoop partnering with the Harlem Globetrotters in an NFT sitcom? Let us know what you think about this subject in the comments section below.