Introducing The CryptoMona NFT Series – Based on The Mona Lisa

JC Keen
-
0
Introducing The CryptoMona NFT Series – Based on The Mona Lisa

The CryptoMona NFT series, based on Leonardo Davinci’s Mona Lisa has arrived. This NFT series has been minted on the Ravencoin blockchain and was produced in collaboration with a few artists and NFT collectors.

NFTs have value from an art perspective, from a marketing perspective, and in many other ways. But, those in the NFT space know well that NFTs are mostly about having fun.

Why A Mona Lisa NFT?

It was simply having fun playing with NFTs when I stumbled onto the idea of producing this piece. Several months ago I came across a Mona Lisa NFT that I haven’t forgotten. This NFT was of Mona Lisa wearing a facemask. This isn’t a particularly unique idea, but for some reason, this image has stayed with me. At times, I wish I had purchased that particular NFT.

Well, it occurred to me that I hadn’t seen a pixel art Mona Lisa NFT. So, I decided to play with pixels to see what I could come up with. As the image began taking shape, a pixeled Mona Lisa became recognizable. But, there’s something about the eyes of the Mona Lisa that could not be replicated, especially with pixel art. This led me to maintain a piece of Davinci’s art, within my new creation. If you look closely, each CryptoMona has the original Mona Lisa’s eyes, though in some cases there are a few modifications.

CryptoMona 165

Why Create a CryptoMona NFT Series?

After I produced the first digital art piece, my plan was to mint one NFT. But, then I began a conversation with other artists and NFT collectors and the idea of producing an NFT series began emerging.

Cryptoarticles.com readers know that I’ve had the opportunity of pursuing a few NFT projects. One thing that I’ve learned is that someone that is just getting started with digital art may struggle to find success with individual NFT pieces.

On the other hand, using a series to launch NFTs may be a bit easier, in some ways. Certainly, one of the keys to producing a successful NFT series is having the right vision to build from. This vision should be something NFT collectors can get excited about.

The NFT series should also be somewhat sizeable. The series size is important because many NFT fans tend to form communities behind certain art collections. A series of 5 NFTs is hardly a series. On the other hand, an NFT series of thousands of NFTs may risk lacking the collectible aspect NFT buyers seek.

When it comes to producing several NFTs, most artists use generative processes. This is something I wasn’t familiar with, but most NFT artists in the Ravencoin community are more than willing to lend others a hand. One artist that introduce me to the art generative process is @six60six_NFTs. He is the creator of the popular Porky Punx NFT series.

CryptoMona NFT Series Rarity Variations

The CryptoMona NFT series has 8 different traits. These include background, skin, eyes, hair (and hat), lenses, glasses, mouth (and cigarette), jewelry and hat. Each of these traits can have different rarities.

This particular series establishes rarity based on assigned percentages. Common traits occur at least 50% of the time and the rarest traits occur less than 10% of the times. When it comes to eye variations for example, the original Mona Lisa eyes ocurr 50% of the time, blue eyes occur 25% of the time, eye shadow eyes occur 15% of the time and laser eyes occur 10% of the time.

When the generative process takes place, the probabilities of producing an NFT that has two or more of the rarest traits is reduced. An extremely rare CryptoMona NFT may be desirable from a uniqueness perspective, but it may also be that that particular CryptoMona isn’t necessarily artistically pleasing. Or it could also be that a rare CryptoMona becomes too distant from Davinci’s master piece. It could also be that that a simpler CryptoMona, with the right color combinations, becomes a more desirable piece.

The saying beauty lies on the eye of the beholder rings true, even with generative NFT art.

CryptoMona 160
CryptoMona 86

The Future of The CryptoMona Series

It is difficult to begin to imagine what lies ahead for this series. I do know that some people within the Ravencoin community have expressed excitement at the fact that the CryptoMona series idea originated within this community and that these NFTs will be minted using the Ravencoin protocol.

If NFT collectors continue expanding their horizons from cryptocurrencies like Ethereum to other alts, and from marketplaces like Opensea to marketplaces like JustNFTs and RVN.art, then the sky is the limit for this series. In any event, creating these series and collaborating with other artists and NFT collectors has been a lot of fun.

PS, special thanks to everyone that made this possible, especially to @rvnmktman1 for being a sounding board and providing great ideas.

Interviewing Jonah Schulman from Security Token Market

JC Keen
-
0
Interviewing Jonah Schulman from Security Token Market

Security Token Market (STM) is a world leader in the digital security space. Most people in this space recognize that anything that is a security can and likely will be traded using blockchain technology. This means stocks, bonds, real estate, etc. will all eventually trade similarly to how cryptocurrency trades today. This is a huge market, and STM is at the leading edge of this financial revolution.

If you’ve watched their videos or listened to their podcasts, you know STM has some incredibly smart, knowledgeable and energetic individuals in their team. One of them is Jonah Schulman, whom I got to know through some exchanges pertaining the value of NFTs.

Some of Jonah’s tweets are true gems. Without further due, here’s the interview with Jonah, from Security Token Market..

Can you explain to our readers what the Security Token Market is all about?

Absolutely! Security Token Market (STM) has been around since the inception of the security token industry.

Over the past 3 years, through consistency, diligence, and getting into the weeds STM has emerged as the trusted source of security token data and media!

We have two key business verticals: Data & Media. 

Data: When it comes to security token live-trading data we are simply unmatched. We track 170+ security tokens and tokenized stocks from 10+ marketplaces from around the globe via API integration. 

The purpose behind the data is to bring price transparency and integrity for our 30k+ a month users so they can feel confident in their investment decisions as the industry moves forward and blockchain-based assets are adopted!

Media: To bring awareness and increase adoption, we have established multiple media properties. I personally spearhead the What’s Drippin’ newsletter which has amassed over 1.7k subscribers in just 6 months. We also have a Podcast, The Security Token Show that has over 37k downloads.

On top of that, we have several other media properties discussing everything there is to know about security tokens, with many more going live soon!

How did you get involved with the security token market?

I got involved by chance really. 

I ended up working for a famous blockchain platform after meeting them at the North American Bitcoin Conference in Miami a few years ago. I joined the team as an advisor and brand evangelist to help spread the word of the platform. I spoke at conferences around the world in front of hundreds of people and it was an incredible experience!

Through that experience, I discovered the amazing technology of blockchain and how it can be leveraged for fundraising via ICOs. Of course, ICOs are not securities offerings but offerings of utility tokens for the issuer’s platform.

This same technology can be used for securities, which is what we call a security token offering (STO) to fundraise for asset-backed securities. Through the connections I made I was offered the opportunity to be the first employee at Security Token Market in October of 2018.

What is it like to work at Security Token Market and be at the forefront of capital markets disruption?

Honestly, it’s a true blessing! I love working for Kyle and Herwig – they created an incredible culture that fosters growth and innovation. 

Being at the forefront of the future of the capital markets has provided tremendous advantages and perks:

  • See investment opportunities before the masses do
  • Become proficient in topics before the majority does
  • Connect with leaders across the world – I have had conversations with people on every continent from the Faroe Islands to Australia – the security token industry is global and it’s been so freakin’ cool to talk to people from all corners of the world

In simple terms, what are security tokens?

Security tokens simply are securities but on the blockchain. They abide by all required regulatory frameworks as traditional securities do, but are recorded and transferred via the blockchain. 

Can you explain how security tokens work?

Definitely!

Let me use an example:

Security tokens, as I defined them, are simply securities like Apple stock but it runs on the blockchain. 

Security tokens are any asset with tangible value, for example, it could represent a share of the Burj Khalifa, exotic supercars, wine, Van Gogh paintings… you name it!

Benefits of running on the blockchain include:

  • 24/7 trading
  • International access
  • Instant-settlement (Traditional markets take 2 business days minimum to settle)
  • Self-custody (ability to hold your securities in your own wallet instead of on Robinhood or TD Ameritrade, just like you do with Bitcoin, Ethereum, or Ravencoin)

What is the difference between an NFT and security tokens?

Security tokens and NFTs both run on blockchain, but security tokens represent the tangible value of an underlying asset; Whereas, NFTs are merely collectible images usually with no physical representation.

Similarities:

  • Ownership recorded via the blockchain
  • Transfers facilitated via the blockchain

Differences:

  • Security tokens are fungible (multiple owners at the same time)
    • For example: Shareholders of Apple stock
  • NFTs are non-fungible (Only one owner can exist)
    • For example: Cryptopunks, baseball cards, etc.

In what instances can an NFT become an illegal security?

This is interesting as it is technically not concrete, but what I can say is that when you get into fractionalizing an NFT is when you start entering risky territory!

An NFT is defined as a Non-fungible token, which means one of one, it is innately unique. When you start fractionalizing ownership of something that is innately unique you could get into some trouble.

Additionally, the language used when offering an NFT is crucial – for example, if the issuer solicits the NFT as “Buy this NFT, it represents ownership in X” or “Buy this NFT you will receive dividends” you start to tread murky water.

Can an NFT be a representation of a security token?

Yes, it can! There are actually examples of this. For example, as I mentioned, an NFT is one of one. Club Necaxa, which is a soccer team in La Liga out of Mexico, offered 1% equity stake in the soccer club represented as a compliant NFT security token. Essentially, Club Necaxa created one token that represents equity ownership in the club, which makes it a non-fungible token. 

Why is the Security Token Market bullish about the security token market?

Because it’s inevitable. 

First, we had the ICO era – it showed us the amazing fundraising capabilities that blockchain technology enabled.

Then we had/have the NFT era – showing how ownership of collectibles and other unique assets is made more efficient via the blockchain.

Both are incredible use-cases, but those are just a fraction of the potential of tokenized assets. 

Every single asset in the world that has real tangible value will also be tokenized.

Every single asset, whether they are private or public will be tokenized on the blockchain, offered to a global investor base, and traded on a public marketplace!

Imagine the Burj Khalifa, exotic supercars, wine, Van Gogh paintings, and more in your portfolio – this is a realistic reality that will be here sooner than later. 

According to Bain & Company, the real estate industry alone is a $317 trillion (TRILLION!) dollar private market that could be tokenized. 

Just wait.

Anything else you’d like to share with our readers?

Firstly, I just want to thank JC Keen & the Ravencoin community for the opportunity to do this interview!

It’s a team effort – as we succeed, Ravencoin will succeed and vice versa!

I also want to add that Security Token Market is doing a security token offering!

This means that for as little as $100 – anyone can become a shareholder in our company and the best part is it will be tradable!

An investment in us is an investment in the future of the capital markets!

As of 10/25/2021 we have had 380 investors around the world pledge over $2M in our campaign.

Reserve your spot to invest now!

Thanks JC for having me!

Disclosures:

• No money or other consideration is being solicited, and if sent in response, will not be accepted; 

• No offer to buy the securities can be accepted and no part of the purchase price can be received until the offering statement is filed and only though the platform of an intermediary (funding portal or broker-dealer); and 

• A person’s indication of interest includes no obligation or commitment of any kind.

Interview With Popular Pixel Artists Using Ravencoin

JC Keen
-
0
Interview With Popular Pixel Artists Using Ravencoin

Pixel NFT artists have found great success using the Ravencoin blockchain. I recently had the opportunity to chat with a few of them, when I came up with the idea of converting 2D pixel art NFTs to 3D pixel art NFTs, using what I call RVN Blocks.

A few of the pixel artists I got to know are @DegenSmokers, @HeartRvn, and @catbitsnft. After learning more about them, I decided to write a short article about them and their art.

Today, I am starting with the artist behind the popular Degen Smokers Club.

Artist Degen Smokers (@DegenSmokers)

What kinds of things can you share about yourself?

I’m 29 from Cleveland, OH lived here my whole life. have a huge hobby in working on and modifying cars, computers, as well as crypto trading and mining.

How/when did you discover you were into art?

I’ve been into art my whole life.  Oddly enough I never had the confidence to every really do it or sell my art before the RVN NFTS Degen Smokers Club got going.

How long have you been doing digital art?

I have always played around with all kinds of different art digital and just on paper.  The digital stuff I’ve really gotten into more though as I started to produce RVN NFTs.

What or who influences your art?

The Cryptopunks and Bored ape yacht club definitely were my biggest influences in the NFT world.  Just seeing a person or team be able to make such a big movement out of digital art really inspired me to try and form a NFT movement and bring attention to RVN NFTs.

My family is also a big influence on my art.  I run most ideas and thoughts through them, to kind of get their thoughts before producing anything.

Without giving away your secret sauce, what can you share about your process for art creation?

What I’d consider to be my secret sauce without giving away too much is to just be simple and playful.  I try my hardest in life and art included to not take it to seriously just enjoy the moment and what I’m doing, when I do it.   I think that’s partially why it was so well received by the community!

Why do you use RVN for minting your NFTs?

I use RVN to mint my NFT’s because I’ve been a long-time follower of RVN I wanted to try and help bring attention to RVN NFTs to help show just how big and amazing RVN is for NFTs as well.  I really aspired to be a part of the RVN community and hopefully one day go down in the RVN NFT hall of fame if you want to call it that lol.

Are there any NFTs that are near and dear to you and why?

I’m a huge supporter and lover of all RVN NFTs I would love to see all RVN artists thriving. I know that’s pretty general but I really had every intention with my NFTs to try and shed light and help make all RVN NFTs known.

In your opinion, what gives value to NFTs?

In my opinion just like any art, I feel the fans and art lovers are who give the real value to NFTs!  Without any supporters, fans, or people who follow the art it really would be nothing without them.

What are some of your goals in this space?

My biggest goal in the RVN NFT space would be to try and show everyone RVN NFTs are just like any other NFT marketplaces and seeing everyone win!  I really would love to be considered in the top greats when people think of RVN NFTs.

What would you say to other artists that may be considering minting NFTs, but don’t know how to start?

I personally was just in the exact same place!  I had no idea where to start or even how to create an NFT.  Luckily the RVN community is so amazing!  They helped me learn how to make them, learn how to set up an asset wallet, etc. I mean pretty much every step of it!  I could never thank the RVN community and fans/supports of the Degen Smokers Club enough.  To sum it up, just give it a go!  

Don’t be too worried or self-conscious about it! just have fun with it. As long as you are having fun you can never lose!

Artist RVN Heart (@HeartRvn)

People want to know about you (and/or your daugther).  What kinds of things can you share?

Location Scandinavia. My daughter (the artist) Eva is 8y.

I’m an entrepreneur for almost 15y now. Love Ravencoin (Bitcoin 3.0) and its community.

I see Eva only 3-5d/month because she is living so far away.

When she got her first phone two of years ago (two broken already…) we started to send hearts via WhatsApp when we missed each other.  So, the heart has been our thing from since. Some colors have our own secret meaning.

She is so excited about this “bird coin”. She is now drawing and painting all the time (just for fun mostly).

How / when did you discover you were into art?

I have always liked painting. I’m little bit ADHD so it makes me calm.

How long have you been doing digital art?

When I bought my first digital camera in the 90’s (and Nikon, of course) = Magic Photoshop skillz, lol. But mostly I’m doing art by painting.

What inspires / motivates you?

My daughter and her future. Yesterday she send me this painting through WhatsApp.

What or who influences your art?

Dali, Naoto Hattori, Banksy

Without giving away your secret sauce, what can you share about your process for art creation?

This is me and my daughter’s common hobby, and every art we share is done with a collaboration.

We might see some new NFT’s soonish after this first auction at Just_NFTs, mostly Eva’s paintings with little adjustments.

I have an idea for the next #A1-#A10 and been doing some sketches, but let see first what she will think about them 😉

Why do you use RVN for minting your NFTs?

I think RVN is the best choice there is. So underrated, don’t know why. Maybe people don’t read white papers anymore.

Love the community, it’s real and open <3

Also minting and transactions are so cheap.

Are there any NFTs that are near and dear to you and why?

@PhaxyVFX

 NFTs are unreal <3 and many many others too!

In your opinion, what gives value to NFTs?

People like art a lot. This technology makes it easy for anyone to share your unique art all around the globe.

Little bit easier to share your artistic talent, than selling only physical paintings.

What are some of your goals in this space?

Hopefully someday I will get my siblings children involved to this crypto/nft space too.

They are the future.

What would you say to other artists that may be considering minting NFTs, but don’t know how to start?

Ravenites have a great, open and helpful community.

Just join Ravencoin/Just_NFTs Discord/Telegram or contact #RVN #NFTartist and we will help you getting started.

Artist Cat Bits (@catbitsnft)

People want to know about you. What kinds of things can you share about yourself?

I’m from the Philippines, and I am 29 years old. My interests revolve around technology, art, and business. Through experimenting and learning, I have honed my skills as a programmer, artist, and entrepreneur.

I came from a business family, so I started my career as an entrepreneur.

How/when did you discover you were into art?

I discovered I was into art when I was a kid. It all began with cartoons, games, and anime posters, which inspired me to join drawing contests in High School. Then, I made comics that I have written and illustrated and distributed them for free.

Back in 2013, I discovered digital art. At first, I wanted to create merchandise out of the pixel art I made. However, it wasn’t successful. Recently, I heard about the Ravencoin project and the wonders of NFTs. At last, I was now able to pursue my passion for pixel art.

How long have you been doing digital art?

Since 2013, so it’s already been eight years. But only this year did I decide to make it a full-time career. Likewise, I use digital art for my business projects, but I never tried releasing real art to the public, only for logos, web designing, and posters.

What inspires / motivates you?

The joy of being free motivates me to make art. Through art, I can share a glimpse of that freedom with people, and when they appreciate what I make, it makes my soul happy.

What or who influences your art?

The influencers in my art are those that are close to me right now. I have two cats, a beautiful girlfriend, a supportive family, fantastic friends, and a super awesome community (RVN).

Without giving away your secret sauce, what can you share about your process for art creation?

There is a vast horizon of concepts, ideas, and knowledge from other artists that everyone can learn.  It’s a long process, but it will take you to your niche. Go back to being your child self,  for then you will discover freedom and create a masterpiece that is true to you. Finally, be confident in what you make. Your art deserves to be seen.

Why do you use RVN for minting your NFTs?

It’s easy to use; even a non-programmer can mint NFTs on Ravencoin. Additionally, I love the idea of community, independence, and decentralization.

Not only that, but also I was familiar with and a big supporter of open-source projects. Everything I use in my work is from open-source platforms.

Are there any NFTs that are near and dear to you and why?

Yes, there are. My first NFT is from artist @MXCCLXXD. He is one of the inspirations that made me release my NFT collection. I am hoping to see more future projects from him.

In your opinion, what gives value to NFTs?

Many artists and designers have different approaches to conceptualizing art. There are numerous things to consider; time, effort, and the idea.  Even when people use generators in their work, they still need to make the layers separately. The generator is just a tool to compile those hand-drawn layers. In the end, it’s the element, identity, and culture behind the NFTs that give it value.

What are some of your goals in this space?

I want to create a safe space for cultural exchange and art narratives that separates it from commodities. Moreover, creating art that communicates a sense of belongingness to its buyers, a principle I learned from the Ravencoin community.

What would you say to other artists considering minting NFTs, but don’t know how to start?

It’s relatively easy. There are articles and videos widely available on the internet for reference. Furthermore, the members of the community are approachable and will help you if you have questions.

Pixel NFT Artist Have a Growing Following

It is clear to anyone paying attention that NFTs are here to stay. It is also evident pixel NFT artists have found much success and have a growing following. There are many other artists I’d love to interview. If you have any particular artists you’d like to learn more about, please mention it in the comments below.

Pixel Art Is Cool, But 3D Pixel NFTs Are Awesome!

JC Keen
-
0
Pixel Art Is Cool, But 3D Pixel NFTs Are Awesome!

3D pixel NFTs are awesome, IMHO. By now, most cryptoarticles.com readers know what NFTs are all about. It is amazing to see how the NFT market continues to expand and evolve. As such, I am always looking for new NFT ideas.

RVN Blocks

Well, a while ago I had the idea of converting pixel NFT art to 3D Pixel NFT art. My idea involved using 3 dimensional blocks to construct anything imaginable. This is like using Lego blocks, except everything is done digitally.

I started by creating single 3D blocks, which I call “RVN Blocks.” I call them “RVN Blocks” because the blockchain I use to create NFTs is the Ravencoin blockchain. From a digital art perspective, RVN Blocks can be thought of as pixels.  And pixels can be thought of as the foundation of digital art, as these can be used to create anything imaginable.

From a technology perspective, these RVN Blocks can also be thought of as a representation of the blocks that form the chain of the Ravencoin blockchain.  As with digital art, these blocks can be used to create anything imaginable.

3D Pixel Emoji NFT

At first I wasn’t sure where I was going with this. I started with something simple to see where it would lead me. I used these RVN Blocks to create a 3D pixel emoji. This was pretty simple, and in my opinion it looked much better than what a comparable 2D pixel emoji would look like. Here’s the link to the first ever 3D Pixel Emoji NFT minted on Ravencoin.

3D Pixel Emoji NFT – Minted on Ravencoin

3D Pixel Smoker NFT

Next, I decided to try a popular NFT. I considered a Crypto Punk, but decided to help promote Ravencoin artists instead. So, I contacted the artist from the Degen Smokers Club (@DegenSmokers) to get his blessing to create a 3D Pixel version of a Degen Smoker. Imitation is the best form of flattery.

The process was a little more involved than creating the emoji. In addition, the process of deciding how much “depth” to give to certain features was very rewarding. In this 3D Pixel NFT, the smoke has more depth than all other features. This is evident by the shadow created, which can be seen on the red background.

3D Pixel RVN Heart NFT

Later, I chatted with another pixel artist that recently came to the Ravencoin NFT scene, artist @HeartRvn. The original 2D pixel heart NFTs were beautiful and simple. What’s really cool about all of this is that the true artist behind these NFTs is an eight year old girl.

All of this led me to the idea of writing about Ravencoin pixel artists. Keep checking this website for more updates on this.

3D Pixel CatBits NFT

Another artist I’ve chatted with is @catbitsnft, whom also gave me his blessing to make one of his pieces into a 3D pixel piece. This piece took significantly more effort to convert to a 3D pixel NFT, for various reasons.

This particular piece of art is more complex in shape and color scheme. Some of these colors are a bit difficult to distinguish. For example, the smoke is made out of white and light gray blocks. The 3D pixel version has significantly more depth than other 3D pixel art I’ve played with.

3D Pixel Gun NFT

After trying a few more complicated 3D Pixel NFT projects I felt compelled to go back to something simpler. However, I also wanted a more 3D feel to it. So, I ended up creating this 3D Pixel Gun, standing on its own, rather than clamped to a board. This was a bit easier, but still rewarding. One thing I’ve noticed about this particular NFT is that when I stare at this piece I have the urge to “grab” the gun.

The Future of 3D Pixel Art NFTs

Converting a few 2d pixel art NFTs to 3D pixel art NFTs has been fun. It has also been great to get to know some of the Ravencoin pixel artists. Unfortunately, creating 3D pixel art, in the manner in which I’ve created it, is a time consuming process. As such, it is difficult for me to envision pursuing this project beyond a few more 3D pixel art NFTs.

Nevertheless, simply having the 3D conversation with a few artists and sharing some of these thoughts with the NFT community has been rewarding and will hopefully inspire a few more artists to explore 3D NFTs.

See Twitter thread below.

What is Voxel Art?

I looked up the definition of voxel, and all the definitions I came across were too complicated. Here’s one voxel definition that I like: A voxel is a volume element, representing a value on a regular grid in a three dimensional space.

In other words, a voxel is the 3D version of a 2D pixel image. However, I’d have to agree that my 3D images aren’t voxels, because I didn’t always use cube shapes.

How to Create Voxel Art?

When I was looking at creating 3D NFTs, I played with free online software. For the most part, the software I came across was easy and intuitive. However, I was attempting to use an existing image as the basis for my 3D NFTs. In the end, I decided not to use these voxel art options. Instead I used Sketchup.

If you are looking to create voxel art, these are some free popular voxel art editors that are worth checking out.

In addition, here’s a great video on how to make Voxel art using Magical Voxel.

Voxel NFTs on Ravencoin

Some time after I interviewed @degensmokers for this article, he began producing his own 3D NFTs. These are true voxel art images and they have become very popular within the RVN community. Below are a few fun examples from his collection.

Image
Image
Image

Perhaps one of the coolest things @DegenSmokers has been doing is creating voxel NFTs from his previously created 2D pixel DegenSmoker collection.

That’s all for now. Hope you enjoyed reading this article as much as I enjoyed writing it. Cheers and happy creating!

Which Is The Best Tokenization Crypto?

JC Keen
-
0
Which Is The Best Tokenization Crypto?

The best tokenization crypto will eventually enjoy massive adoption and could very well become a top 5 crypto, by market cap. For this reason, investors are beginning to pay more and more attention to tokenization cryptos. The question is which crypto will stand above all the others in the quest for asset tokenization? Which is the best tokenization crypto?

What is Asset Tokenization?

Asset tokenization is the process of creating digital tokens that represent real world assets. These tokens are created on the blockchain and can be transferred peer to peer, similarly to how cryptocurrency transactions take place.

What is the purpose of asset tokenization?

Once an asset has been tokenized it can be transferred peer to peer and/or it can be traded at a marketplace. In addition, asset tokenization can be utilized to provide fractional ownership of an asset.

For example, an investor may chose to tokenize an apartment complex and sell tokens representing fractional ownership of said asset. The investor may or may not issue dividends to distribute income from the apartment complex to token holders.

This provides liquidity to the investor tokenizing the asset and to token holders.

How Big Will The Asset Tokenization Market Be?

The asset tokenization market will be huge! First, let’s re-state the fact that nearly all assets will eventually be tokenized. We are talking about trillions, possibly over a quadrillion dollars! The size of this market is beyond human comprehension. This market includes things like art, real estate, stocks and derivatives.

Total wealth by country in 2019, visualized
https://www.visualcapitalist.com/all-of-the-worlds-wealth-in-one-visualization/

Which Is The Best Crypto for Tokenization

Some of of the possible cryptocurrency contenders include Algorand, Cardano, Etherum, Polygon, Ravencoin, Tezos, etc. However, the best crypto for tokenization is likely to be a truly decentralized (POW) protocol that can handle assets in the simplest possible manner. Having researched this, I believe that the best crypto for tokenization is Ravencoin.

It is very likely users will rely on various blockchains. Some of these may be private, public, decentralized, centralized, etc. Some will rely on POS, others on POW. Some will utilize smart contracts, some won’t need smart contracts.

This begs the question, what key features will users seek when tokenizing assets? Here are three characteristics I believe are necessary for a blockchain protocol to become the best tokenization crypto:

  1. POW & Decentralized over POS & Centralized
  2. Simple over Complex (smart contracts)
  3. Fairly Launched over ICO

Decentralized Vs Centralized Protocols

If I am tokenizing anything of value, I’d want the assurance that no central entity can change the rules and mess with my asset. The only way to ensure this is with a truly decentralized blockchain. And the only way to attain this is with POW mining.

Therefore, the best tokenization crypto must be a crypto that utilizes POW mining. Proof of Stake (POS) cryptos are very popular these days, but the reality is these cryptos are centralized rather than decentralized and therefore they are not as secure. Most importantly, I believe POS cryptos won’t survive in the long run.

Base Layer Vs Smart Contracts

The KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid) concept comes to mind.

Allow me to illustrate this with an analogy; If you want to perform simple arithmetic computations, do you use a calculator or do you create a program every time you need to perform such computations? Indeed, everybody uses a calculator, because a calculator was designed for the specific purpose of performing simple arithmetic computations.

Likewise, if you want to tokenize assets, you could either use a blockchain protocol that was already designed to handle asset tokenization at the base layer, or you could write a smart contract, which requires writing code. The former is a simple solution, the latter is a complex solution.

Crypto enthusiasts are excited about the endless uses for smart contracts. Indeed, smart contracts can provide excellent solutions in a number of ways. Unfortunately, smart contracts are complex and therefore introduce significant vulnerabilities.

See 9 Most Common Smart Contract Vulnerabilities, which include:

  1. Indirect execution of unknown code
  2. Reentrancy
  3. Incorrect calculation of the output token amount
  4. Interface / naming issues
  5. Dependency on the order of execution
  6. Time component
  7. Using the blockhash function
  8. Incorrectly handled exceptions
  9. Incorrect work with ERC20 token

Fairly Launched Vs ICOs

We all know the SEC has signaled its intent to closely regulate the crypto industry. It is evident that cryptos that had ICOs are at risk of being deemed illegal securities.

Imagine that a company like eBay decides to enter the asset tokenization space. Would eBay want to take a chance of utilizing a cryptocurrency that is at risk of being deemed an illegal security?

Also consider that crypto exchanges, such as Binance, Coinbase, Craken, and Gemini, are not allowed to trade securities. These exchanges would be forced to delist many cryptos when the SEC hammers cryptos that had ICOs.

Which Cryptocurrencies Meet These Top 3 Characteristics?

I’ve been researching this for a while and can only find one cryptocurrency that provides the three features discussed above. That is Ravencoin, which by the way has an amazingly engaged community. See ‘Why Ravencoin Will Flourish for Years to Come‘ by Samuel J. Saches from STM.

See also The Battle of The Ages:

In conclusion, I believe the best tokenization crypto is Ravencoin. If you know of other cryptos that meet the criteria discussed above, or if you’d like to share your thoughts on the best crypto for asset tokenization, please comment below.

Interview with NFT Artist Nifty Synth

JC Keen
-
0
Interview with NFT Artist Nifty Synth

Who is this NFT artist Nifty Synth, that has become so popular within the Ravencoin community? Art collectors like to know about about the artists that created the art pieces they collect. The same thing happens with digital art and NFTs. We all want to know things about these gifted individuals. Below are a few questions artist Nifty Sunth answered for cryptoarticles, to help us get to know him and what drives him.

Where are you from and what is your background?

I’m from the UK near London, my working background is in IT & Networking. 

How/when did you discover you were into art?

I’ve always avoided anything more advanced than pixels in the past thinking I wouldn’t be able to make anything good, but it was NFTs that got me into 3D sculpting and I’ve been practicing ever since.

How long have you been doing digital art?

I really only started back in April this year – it’s been a pretty  wild ride since then and I’m hoping I’ve improved a little along the way!

Looking at the first model I ever made in nomad compared to some of the more recent ones is interesting!

Other than 3D, I’ve done some pixel art in the past – and this was something I returned to in order to make some of the more interactive NFTs, like the Synth Pets.

What influences and/or inspires you?

I want to make things that I would want to collect mostly, and a lot of the inspiration comes from nostalgia.

I’m often influenced by films, games, books and other forms of media in what I make.

Without giving away your secret sauce, what can you share about your process for art creation?

For the more interactive stuff I use Javascript/HTML5 to show the content in the browser, this is mainly for gaming type NFT’s. Also use a few common IDE’s.

For 3D interactive models I tend to use Nomad Sculpt and usually some editing in blender to get materials and effects right ready for display.

Historically I’ve used a tool called model-viewer to display 3D content, and it’s a great one to use for general purposes. More advanced NFT’s on RVN have started to use ThreeJS, and that’s a direction I want to go in as well as utilizing other similar tools.

Why do you use RVN for minting your NFTs?

RVN gives the most freedom! A lot of it is down to the more direct IPFS integration than you see with other chains, but there’s really no limit on content types that can be NFT’s on RVN. It’s also quite low cost for minting.

Because of this we’ll see some very advanced smart-NFT’s and chain services on RVN in the months to come.

Are there any NFTs that are near and dear to you and why?

It’s hard to pick but I think you always hold your first few NFTs in a special place, so one of the first ones I got and one that would definitely be a favorite is this one by @mxcclxxd

What’s your take on what gives value to NFTs?

I think that it differs between chains and between collectors, with RVN there’s the initial burn cost first which gives the token a base value upon creation. Whether that’s 5, 100 or 500 RVN.

There’s the relative permanence of an NFT. If you are buying a piece of 1/1 physical art it can be lost, damaged or destroyed by bad luck, and it will deteriorate over time. With an NFT version of that art these problems are eliminated. How many years will the original Mona Lisa painting last at this point…

Also with Collectibles, things like trading cards & action figures can definitely scratch the same itch that grabbing a physical item will – and at times more so. Plus everyone loves a unique profile picture, verifiable on the chain!

Resale has been a thing on other chains for a long time, and it’s starting to come to RVN as well via marketplaces like JustNFTs – so there’s also this factor of possibly being able to profit from resale of an asset in future.

What are some of your goals in this space?

I want to keep exploring new types of NFTs and in future I’ll spend more time on the gaming side of things. Hopefully some online multiplayer stuff on-chain.

I want to try and link up as many of my previous sub-token NFT’s into a metaverse as well.

What would you say to other artists that may be considering minting NFTs, but don’t know how to start?

I’d 100% recommend it, decentralized self-publishing for all!

There’s the agency route or the solo route. If you want to avoid the 500 RVN minting fee for your brand or project – you can check out the non-profit RVNFT.ART who will assist you in minting and getting your creations on chain.

If you want to go at it alone you’ll need 505+ RVN to get started, think about what your main token name should be, and what it’ll be used for, will you be giving those tokens out, should it be divisible, and does it need an IPFS content link.

You can grab raven core wallet to mint, for the quick route you can use MangoFarms – their website has everything you need to get started minting as well as a handy asset wallet.

NFT Artist Nifty Synth’s followers

In preparing for this interview with NFT artist Nifty Synth, I approached a few of the NFT collectors that follow his work closely. Obviously, they all had great things to say about Synth. The tweet below from @Ontheblok_io tells the story.

Well, I hope you’ve enjoyed learning from one of your favorite NFT creators – NFT Artist Nifty Synth. You can support Synth and other NFT artists at JustNFTs.IO. And please consider sharing this article.

NFTs Are a Stepping Stone to Asset Tokenization

JC Keen
-
0
NFTs Are a Stepping Stone to Asset Tokenization

Few understand that NFTs are a stepping stone to asset tokenization. NFT artists and collectors are having a lot of fun in this space. So much so, that I wanted to give all of this a try. And what better way than to create my own art, mint it, and sell it. Below I share about what this was like.

But the thing that I am really interested in is asset tokenization. If you are curious about how NFTs can be a stepping stone to asset tokenization, then I think you are rally going to enjoy this article.

My First Experience Selling NFTs

In the article titled “Rock NFTs Are Crazy – Get a Gold Nugget NFT Instead” I wrote about how I ended up creating a gold nugget NFT. And I mentioned that I intended to sell it.

I wasn’t sure if people would be interested in this NFT at all, but Khalid from JustNFTs was there to guide me through the entire process. He assured me that the Ravencoin community would be very supportive. He was right!

Khalid and I had several interactions throughout the entire process. Although I created only one gold nugget image, we listed 25NFTs for sale by virtue of changing the background, which the JustNFTs team handled entirely. JustNFTs took care of creating the digital assets on the blockchain.

24 gold nugget NFTs sold under the ‘Buy Now’ format, in less than 2 days. Not bad at all! The 25th gold nugget NFT was listed as an auction item. This NFT sold for 525 RVN.

The revenue from each transaction was transferred seamlessly to my Stibits wallet. At a trading price of $0.15/RVN total revenue from all 25 NFTs was $400. Not bad for my first NFT.

In addition, I feel a lot more connected to the Ravencoin community, which rallied in a big way to support what we were doing. So much so, that they actually made me feel like an artist. My connection to the community is much more valuable than the earned profit.

Introducing the Raven Nugget NFT

Before getting into asset tokenization, I need to share about the next batch of Gold Nugget NFTs, because as you will see soon the two subjects are connected.

My idea for the second gold nugget NFT involved creating a digital image from an existing gold nugget. This time I wanted to evolve a little from the cartoonlike gold nugget image to something a little more realistic.

First, I did a google search for images of gold nuggets. It didn’t take long to find the image of an amazing gold nugget that I felt I could recreate digitally. This is UK’s largest discovered gold nugget.

Reunion nugget
BBC.com

One of the things I liked about this gold nugget was the hole in the center. When I was trying to create the NFT I used 3D drafting software to generate a shadow representative of the nugget’s shape. Unfortunately, this is where it quickly became evident my skillset wasn’t sufficient to do this beautiful nugget justice. This nugget was simply to complex for me.

What I needed was a simpler gold nugget, something rounder and smoother And that’s when I found my next subject. I knew this was it, the moment I saw it. Can you see why?

goldnuggetsales.com

If you look closely on the left you may see a familiar shape. I call this the Raven nugget for that reason. The raven in the ravencoin logo faces in the opposite direction.

The actual creation process involved inverting the image with Paint. Then I used the spray tool to cover the entire image with my own chosen colors. This is why the NFT has a much smoother look than the original nugget image.

Next, I imported this touched up image into Sketchup (3D modeling software) to add the nugget’s shadow. This require me exploding the image. This also required retracing the edge of the image to create the profile line.

This time I decided to add my own backgrounds for the 25 NFTs. I used Canva and played with different backgrounds. In some instances, the backgrounds didn’t look good with the nugget’s shade. I ended up creating some NFTs without shade and some with shade. Below is the final product, but with out the background.

Raven Nugget NFT – by JC Keen

Wouldn’t it be great to own the Raven Nugget NFT and also own the Raven Nugget? Keep reading…

NFTs as a Means to Asset Tokenization

Next, let’s talk about the exciting space of asset tokenization. The image of the raven nugget came from goldnuggetsales.com, an online seller of gold nuggets. They have some beautiful nuggets and they are beautifully displayed. Each picture is really a work of art.

Can you see how each one of these images can be an NFT and how each NFT can represent ownership on the corresponding gold nugget? That’s asset tokenization. The nugget is the asset and the NFT is the token.

So, I thought wouldn’t it be fun to buy the raven nugget, tokenize it, and then auction it at JustNFTs, along with the Raven Nugget NFT?

Just before getting started on this article, I purchased the Raven nugget. Stay tuned for more on when this nugget will be offered at auction.

Let’s get back to the nugget vendor. Can you see how this nugget vendor could leverage the use of NFTs for marketing, tracking ownership, etc? In fact, vendors of unique assets could very well use asset tokenization for this purpose.

Joint Venture Buys Bering Sea Clinker Gold Nugget To Produce NFT

Assia Properties Inc (ASPZ), in joint venture with MS Token, intends to produce an NFT based on a gold nugget called the Bering Sea Clinker. And it plans to auction the NFT along with the nugget.

By the way, MS Token, is the same company that owns the Millennium Sapphire. This is the world class jewel that was tokenized using the Ravencoin blockchain.

Ladies and gentlemen, we are going to beat this joint venture to the punch with the raven nugget and its NFT.

The Fowl Punks NFT Series – Exclusively On Ravencoin

Guest
-
0
The Fowl Punks NFT Series – Exclusively On Ravencoin

What is Fowl Punks?

Fowl Punks are non-generative NFTs, unlike similar NFT projects on other blockchains.  That means each NFT is hand made, not randomly created. This allows for a lot more fun and personalization! 

Also unique to Ravencoin is the ability for NFTs to carry unique names rather than randomly assigned letters and numbers. Couple that with the feature of Ravencoin assets being able to have an Interplanetary File System (IPFS) hash tied to the token, and you have a fully featured NFT that is truly unique and truly yours!

It’s time to put the FUN in Non-fungible Tokens! Fowl Punks is an NFT series exclusively on the Ravencoin Network.

Meet the Fowl Punks Series 1: “Ravencoin All-Stars”?

The first series, “Ravencoin All-Stars” consists of 21 unique 24 x 24 pixel Fowl Punks based on members of the Ravencoin “Kawmunity.”

Image

You can find these birds up for auction here: JustNFTs.IO The auction ends Tuesday September 7th at 12 PM EST.

Fowl Punk #001 is Tron Blackbird

The first Fowl Punk needs no introduction. He’s the Father of Ravencoin, an entrepreneur with tons of seed money. When he’s not dodging deadly disks in dev meetings, he’s promoting $RVN as the key to a freebird way of life.

Image

Say hello to Fowl Punk #002, Bruce Pheasanton

The birdbrains behind the operation of Ravencoin is all about that tokenization. He’s the CEO of BirdDog Capital and a registered cypherpunk storkbroker.

Image

Here’s Fowl Punk #003, 3 Eyed RVNFT_Art

Our next Fowl Punk has a real eye for art. In fact he has 3 of them! He’s the OG for Ravencoin NFTs

Image

Fowl Punk #004 is of course, Leon Tweeter

When he’s not talking about Ravencoin, he’s tweeting about talking about Ravencoin. And when he’s not tweeting about taking about Ravencoin, he’s thinking about tweeting about talking about Ravencoin.

Image

Fowl Punk #005 is Blockchain Tiger Shrike

Fowl Punk Five has been flying all over the world promoting Ravencoin, and boy are his wings tired! No one has done more for the promotion of Bitcoin 3.0 than him. You guessed it.

Image

Yes, Fowl Punk #006 is Aaron Burr Day

Next we have a rare bird that can only be found in the state of New Hampshire. He flew the coop from a life of politics in favor of the building on the flockchain. He also may or may not have killed Alexander Hamerkop.

Image

Meet Fowl Punk #007, Bluejayroz

It’s always good to be in the nodes. And no birdie knows nodes like this birdie knows nodes.

Image

Check out Fowl Punk #008 Mango Finch

This industrious little bird just keeps building on Ravencoin. He’s done more for assets than a Beverly Hills plastic surgeon.

Image

Give it up for Fowl Punk #009, Reckless Bluejay

This dope flyer once spit bars about Ravencoin. Now he stacks them.

Image

He’s trying to steer Ravencoin into the future. You should really check out his roadmap… err I mean sea charts.

Salute Fowl Punk #010, Captain Hans

Image

Fowl Punk #011 is none other than Cardinal Path

For this Fowl Punk the direction of Ravencoin isn’t north, south, east or west, it’s UP!

Image

Don’t blink or you’ll miss Fowl Punk #012 Keen Eagle Eye

He’s got one eye on your financial future and the other… ok well he’s got one eye on your financial future.

Image

Fowl Punk #013 KinkyJGo

Wow… well I don’t know what to say about this super kawtastic freak. Hide yo chicks, hide yo wives from…

Image

Fowl Punk #014 is GreenKral

For this Fowl Punk the success of Ravencoin is well, elementary! (As long as he continues to develop at break-turkeyneck speed.

Image

Here’s Fowl Punk #015 Bill Boat Shoes

You can find this Fowl Punk sitting by the dock of the bay, but he’s not wasting time. He’s helping build the future of Ravencoin.

Image

Say hi to Fowl Punk #016 Hyperpeep

Our next Fowl Punk is really excited about Ravencoin. Like super excited! And he can’t stop pumping it up.

Image

You should hire Fowl Punk #017 Jenko Flamingo

If you’re looking for a nest to call home. This Fowl Punk is here to help. She’s also willing to tokenize that nest for you on the Ravencoin Flockchain.

Image

Fowl Punk #018 is Grimy Raven Rick

The year is 2022. This bird is fighting for survival in a world of dead cryptos walking. It’s a dirty job but somebody’s gotta promote Ravencoin.

Image

Fowl Punk #019 is BulBulish Kent

If your bullish on Ravencoin you’re gonna need a wallet! This Fowl Punk has got you covered.

Image

Fowl Punk #020 BitBird

You just know when 2.0 happens, this Fowl Punk’s hashrate is all going to Ravencoin! Here’s

Image

Here is Fowl Punk #021 Son Of A Chick

The final Series 1 Fowl Punk scours the land for GPUs to point at Ravencoin. His price prediction for RVN is not too shabby either!

Image

This article was submitted by @FowlPunks. That bird is one creative and witty fowl. Just check out this tweet:

For more about NFTs check out “The Future of NFTs” and “Rock NFTs are Crazy – Get a Gold Nugget NFT Instead“

Rock NFTs Are Crazy – Get a Gold Nugget NFT Instead

JC Keen
-
0
Rock NFTs Are Crazy – Get a Gold Nugget NFT Instead

A gold nugget NFT should be more valuable than a rock NFT, right? Think about that sentence for a second. Imagine you traveled back in time and asked this question to someone living in 2015. Indeed, the world is changing fast.

Now imagine following that question up with oh, and by the way, someone just paid $1.7 Million for a cartoon picture of a rock!

NFT Fever

Has the entire world gone mad? I thought the NFT fever hit a high when SNL aired the “What the hell’s an NFT” skit. Which by the way, is definitely worth watching if you haven’t already.

Well, it looks like the NFT fever is still climbing. I just watched a video by @crypto_bitlord7, where he talks about someone suggesting to him an NFT of a pair of scissors. It is a $40,000 NFT, but for some reason he thinks he needs this pair of scissors. He doesn’t understand why, but he feels he has to have this pair of scissors. And then someone else suggests some other NFT and the process repeats. At the end he says he needs to talk to someone (presumably a shrink) because it is all getting out of control.

He is not the only one that needs to talk to someone. Can we go back to the “art collector” that paid $1.7 Million for a digital picture of a rock? And let’s consider that Visa recently announced that it bought a CryptoPunk for $150,000. In addition, there are a number of Fortune 500 companies now beginning to consider the marketing implications of jumping on the NFT craze.

Can you begin to see what is going on here? There’s something behind NFTs, marketing, and more that we don’t quite understand. Yet, some people seem to have an understanding of what’s going on and many are definitely profiting from it.

What Gives NFTs Value?

The NFT market is certainly interesting and rapidly evolving. The tweets below from @Jonahschulman_ touch on some of the value elements of this fascinating space. “I’m interested more in where the value comes from. It’s truly amazing to see people pay millions of dollars for jpegs. It tells me that brands and social consensus is the strongest value add something can have. Fundamentals are more irrelevant”

Well said Jonah! When it comes to NFT value, fundamentals seem irrelevant. Value comes from something else, like branding, social consensus, bragging rights, etc.

Now let’s consider the tweet from @RealNatashaChe, where she is proposing to create an NFT of a real diamond and then destroy the original diamond. If I understand her correctly, she believes the NFT will retain its original value, even after the diamond is destroyed.

This is crazy, but she is onto something. Consider again that value comes from things like branding, social consensus, bragging rights, etc. If you follow this Twitter thread, you’ll notice she has created a story and her story is grabbing people’s attention, including mine. User @alphacheatcodes twitted the following response:

It’s a great experiment, but… Value is driven by @RealNatashaChe and the novelty of the experiment rather than the diamond, destroyed or not. But curious to see how much this will moon

My prediction is that the NFT she creates will be more valuable than the diamond she destroyed.

The Gold Nugget NFT

This is NFT stuff is a huge paradigm shift for me. After all, I am more of a hard asset type of guy. In fact, for the longest time, I’ve been more of a gold bug than anything else. My transition to crypto has been rather slow. I do own a nice bag of Ravencoin, a miniscule amount of IOTA, and I am the proud owner of an NFT that was gifted to me.

Given my gold bug nature I asked myself, if a picture of a rock can sell for $1.7 Million, how much can a picture of a gold nugget sell for?

So, I decided to create a gold nugget NFT. Creating this NFT wasn’t as easy as I thought. I found myself playing with a 3D software and later exporting the image to be further modified in various picture editing programs and finally painstakingly touching up the image to try to make it somewhat representative of a gold nugget, while at the same time trying to maintain a cartoonish look.

See, many of the popular NFTs are not necessarily smooth high resolution images. Rather, some of these popular NFTs remind me of images from the early video games like Atari.

After several revisions I got to where my skill level could get me. And I have to say, I really like my gold nugget NFT. The process of creating this image made me appreciate the artistic side of NFTs, which I had previously disregarded.

Interestingly, as much as I like my gold nugget NFT, creating it and keeping it to myself doesn’t really create any value. As we discussed above, value comes from things like branding, social consensus, bragging rights, etc.

So, for this gold nugget NFT to gain any value whatsoever, what I need to do is to part with it. And for this reason, my next step is to try to sell this gold nugget NFT at JustNFTs.IO. This is one of the few marketplaces that fully support the Ravencoin blockchain and its community.

In conversations with Khalid, from JustNFTs, we talked about how blog posts can also be minted as an NFT. And in fact, that’s how the idea of this blog post originated. Yes, in the very near future you’ll be able to own the NFT that represents this very blog post. That’s something else!

Is is starting to make sense now? The gold nugget NFT will have the story of its creation documented in a blog post. And the blog post itself will be an NFT. Is this a way to create branding, social consensus, or possibly bragging rights? If so, then perhaps the NFTs that come from this exercise will have more value than a cartoonish picture of a rock that has no story behind it.

NFTs Are A Stepping Stone to Asset Tokenization

But, NFTs are about a lot more than just images and blog posts. I’ve been saying for a while that NFTs are really a stepping stone to asset tokenization.

Anything that has value can be tokenized. In other words, anything that has value can be represented by an NFT.

And, if you think about NFTs from this perspective, then now we are talking about a humongous market. Consider that tokens (or NFTs) can be used to represent collectible items, automobiles, stocks, real estate, intellectual property, etc.

Indeed, what we are seeing today with NFTs is the beginning of something huge. Which by the way, is the reason why I am so bullish about Ravencoin. Ravencoin is one of the few blockchains that will benefit from this market. And let’s not forget that this huge market is still in its infancy, as most people haven’t even begun to realize that NFTs (or tokens) will impact every single industry.

Moving Forward With NFTs and Asset Tokenization

If you want to capitalize on asset tokenization, I encourage you to research Ravencoin, tZero, and to follow the content produced by the Security Token Show. Also check out the article titled, The Promising Future of NFTs. We are so early in the NFT and asset tokenization space that anything could happen, but chances are that what is going to happen will be very big!

New VR Live Auctions | NFT’s Sell In A Virtual World!

JC Keen
-
0
New VR Live Auctions | NFT’s Sell In A Virtual World!

Interest in NFTs is soaring to the point that NFT art is now displayed and sold at VR live auctions.  Social distancing, resulting from COVID restrictions, has led to accelerated adoption of video conferencing and virtual meetings.      

The increased interest in NFT art, combined with the use of virtual reality platforms, has led to NFT art selling at VR live auctions.  One such example are the virtual auctions taking place on the virtual Ravencoin Campus. 

What Is A VR Live Auction? 

A virtual reality live auction is an online event where users can participate in a live auction taking place in a virtual reality world.  Within a virtual world, such as the Ravencoin Campus, users’ avatars gather at predetermined times and locations to participate in organized events, such as live auctions. 

How Do VR Live Auctions Work?

VR live auctions are conducted by an auctioneer, similar to traditional auctions.  However, in VR live auctions, the auctioneer is represented by an auctioneer avatar. 

In this virtual world, users can preview NFT art, which is displayed in one of the virtual auditoriums.  Then bidders have the opportunity to place their bids live, on a chat board, where all other participants and the auctioneer can see their bids.  As in a traditional auction, the auctioneer prompts and engages the audience to try to obtain the highest bid. 

Once the highest bid has been called, the bidder’s avatar and an auctioneer agent’s avatar walk to a virtual private room to finalize the transaction.  The transaction takes place with the transfer of the NFT and cryptocurrency via blockchain technology.

Auction Video – Skip to 9:00

Braveland RVN Auction

How do I Join a VR Live Auction?

Joining the VR live auctions requires downloading the virtual reality world and software from Braveland.io. The download takes more than a few minutes.

To participate as a seller, it may be best to contact the Ravencoin Foundation directly.

UPDATE: See tweet below from @Humble_Miner

Why the Ravencoin Campus?

Ravencoin is a cryptocurrency designed specifically for the purpose of tokenizing assets.  This includes the use of Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) for tokenizing artwork.  The Ravencoin blockchain has immense support from a very active community of cryptocurrency enthusiasts and investors that see much potential in Ravencoin. 

Blockchaintiger, one of Ravencoin’s supporters, donated a virtual space to the Ravencoin foundation to encourage remote collaboration between developers, investors, users, etc.  See interview with Blockchaintiger below. This virtual space was originally named Braveland.  It has been recently renamed the Ravencoin Campus.

The Ravencoin Campus is a virtual island that features multiple virtual spaces, including meeting rooms, a soccer field, a beach, etc.  In this virtual world, users can hop on a speed boat and cruise around the island, they can network and meet likeminded individuals, or attend one of the many meetings.

This virtual world was created using Virbela, a virtual online platform.  Virbela claims to be the first virtual world platform built specifically to solve the challenges of remote collaboration.  This technology allows users to meet, host events, hold classes, and service entire remote workforces all in an immersive 3D world.

How Did VR Live Auctions for NFTs Start?

Khalid Saleh, another Ravencoin supporter, saw the vision for an NFT gallery the first time he visited the Ravencoin Campus.  Khalid, CEO of Zaytech Corp and Co-Founder of Stibits, was already working on a platform to offer NFTs through Stibits, a blockchain based wallet.

It didn’t take long for Khalid, Blockchaintiger, and members of the Ravencoin Foundation to get together and create VR live auctions. 

What’s next?

With an ever expanding NFT market and growing use of virtual spaces for collaboration, no one can tell what the future holds.  One thing is for sure, participating in a virtual reality live auction is something worth experiencing.

For Ravencoin supporters NFTs are one way to get the word out about asset tokenization.  It isn’t hard to imagine other forms of assets being auctioned in a virtual environment.  Think of anything of value, either physical or digital, if it is an asset it can be tokenized, and it certainly can be auctioned and/or traded in a virtual world. 

Imagine holding an auction to buy or sell a house?  What could be easier than doing so through a VR live auction and doing the entire transaction with a transfer of the token representing the home and cryptocurrency?  The same could apply to cars, boats, land, commercial real estate, etc.  NFTs are the beginning of something big. 

Interview with Blockchaintiger

Was it your idea to create the Campus?

Yes

What Platform Did You Use and Why?

I found Virbela of the Silicon Valley in 2020.  It is the subsidiary of EXP (Nasdaq-listed company) and provides a virtual place service.

I found out 30,000 EXP agents were working in the EXP virtual place, which Virbela made. They have worked like that since 2008.

I saw EXP had been growing up very strongly after the Coronavirus happened.  That was a “Crisis is Opportunity” thing to me.  Now, 50,000 agents are working in the virtual place of EXP.

When I found it in 2020, I instantly imagined the next one: A virtual place for Ravencoin.  All Ravenites get together to have RVN meetups and co-working in the place.

This idea made me so excited.

What Is the Correct Name to Use Braveland or Ravencoin Campus?

The correct name is the Ravencoin Campus, though it started as Braveland.

I like the word “Brave” because I think the crypto revolution needs “Brave Heart.”  So, that’s why I used “Brave Land” for launching.

After launching, I instantly contributed Braveland to the Ravencoin Foundation, because I believed it is a public place for all Ravenites. I planned it before launching.

Are Volunteers Managing It?

Yes! Some Ravenites asked me to use the Ravencoin campus. I am not an official administrator at all. There are three official administrators who Tron appointed from the Ravencoin Discord. They are long-term Raven supporters.  I appreciate their contribution.

We all are working in such a way for building the Ravencoin blocks!  They will manage the Ravencoin Campus.

There will be an announcement about it from the Ravencoin Foundation.

What Was your Vision When Starting It?

The vision was to give back “freedom and passion of meeting, networking and building” to Ravenites.  We need each other to build the Ravencoin blockchain.  And I want to say to you. “You are not alone.” We are here together to talk, help, and build together.

What Are Some Big Potential Uses Not Yet explored?

It is all up to Ravenites.  I think that decentralization and freedom is the key of success.  I am sure they will find something unique, which I can’t imagine.  I trust the power of the Ravencoin decentralized community.

I will always support Ravencoin as a ravenite because Ravencoin is the very blockchain that we have tried to find for a long time.

Anything Else You’d Like to Share?

Special thanks to Bruce Fenton, Tron Black, and NEOs have always supported the Ravencoin blockchain.  I respect them so much!  I call some Ravenites NEOs, who invisibly support Ravencoin.

123Page 2 of 3