Latest news with #NFT.NYC
Business Insider
7 days ago
- Business
- Business Insider
ArDrive Saves All NFT.NYC Artwork on World's First Permanent Cloud
Arweave based app ensures all creations are securely and immutably stored on permanent cloud ArDrive, the storage app of the world's first permanent cloud network built on the Arweave blockchain, has partnered with to permanently and immutably store creators' artwork, forever. Alongside OneHub, which helps creators connect with their fans to monetize their NFTs, the leading annual non-fungible token event - live in New York City 25-26 June 2025 - has given all artists submitting work to this year's show access to ArDrive. The decentralized storage app safely stores data on-chain in a way that proves the origin and ownership of a creators' work regardless of how it may be copied or misused, resisting current AI trends and placing power back in the hands of artists. Thanks to Arweave's 'pay-once-store forever' model, nothing stored through ArDrive and on can ever be lost. ArDrive recently saved NIke's NFT collections from oblivion after they disappeared from a centralized cloud provider earlier this year. Additionally, ArDrive and have also preserved the CrypToadz, Degenerate Ape Academy, and Solana Monkey Business NFT collections. Commenting on ArDrive's partnership with the app's founder Phil Mataras says: 'Preserving artwork permanently aligns with our mission to get forever data storage in the hands of everyone, and ensures creators own their work and legacies without compromise. We're proud to help protect artistic expression from the fleeting nature of Web2.' Notably, most digital art is not stored on-chain, making it susceptible to censorship, deletion, and loss. With over 18 million files permanently stored in the last five years, ArDrive has permanently preserved almost 2,000 pieces of art, which are now censorship-resistant, tamper-proof and verifiable, helping digital art to endure. Around 12 million users are projected to own NFTs by the end of 2025, and as the digital art ecosystem matures, permanence has become a critical missing layer. ArDrive is raising awareness of this issue through sponsorship of where it is giving creators the ability to permanently store and preserve their art for generations to come. About ArDrive ArDrive is the leading decentralized storage app on the world's first permanent cloud network built on Arweave. Designed for creators, developers, and everyday users, ArDrive makes it easy to store, organize, and share your most important files, forever. Whether you're preserving NFTs, AI datasets, or critical documents, ArDrive ensures your data is immutable, censorship-resistant, and accessible for generations to come. To learn more about ArDrive, users can visit and follow @ardriveapp on X About Supported by the Arweave permaweb, is the first permanent cloud network, enabling decentralized and censorship-resistant access to data, storage and domains that never disappear. By decentralizing access, ensures that information remains permanently available, tamper-proof, and free from centralized control. Its incentivized gateway network enhances reliability, while the Arweave Name System (ArNS) introduces self-sovereign, permanent domains that never expire and never need renewing. empowers developers, creators, and businesses to build on a truly resilient, open internet. Contact
Business Wire
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Wire
Cirque du Soleil Collaborates With The Sandbox to Bring Its Signature Spectacle Into the Metaverse
LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today, The Sandbox, the leading social gaming and metaverse platform and a subsidiary of Animoca Brands, announced a strategic collaboration with Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group to reimagine the brand's legendary performances in two new interactive games. The collaboration will see Cirque du Soleil headline the upcoming Alpha Season 6 in The Sandbox, transporting players into imaginative worlds inspired by its theatrical legacy. Cirque du Soleil will headline the upcoming Alpha Season 6 in The Sandbox, transporting players into imaginative worlds inspired by its theatrical legacy. Share As part of this collaboration, players will step into interactive games, known as 'Experiences,' based on two of Cirque du Soleil' s celebrated shows, Luzia and a second show yet to be revealed. Reflecting the grandeur, vibrancy, and emotion of a live Cirque performance, these experiences will blend narrative and spectacle in ways only possible through The Sandbox's unique metaverse gameplay. The collaboration will also introduce a series of limited-edition themed digital collectibles and avatars that can be used in-game throughout The Sandbox. 'We've explored digital storytelling before, but this collaboration with The Sandbox opens up new creative avenues,' said Noah Lemieux Bernier, Vice President, Digital and Customer Experience, Cirque du Soleil. 'It enables us to bring the awe and artistry of our performances into immersive virtual spaces, fostering emotional connections with both longtime fans and new audiences in a format that's interactive, social, and playful. It's all part of our ambition to bring Cirque du Soleil into fans' lives from showtime to all the time, with customer experience at the core.' In addition to the experiences, The Sandbox will be releasing Cirque du Soleil -branded assets for its creator community to utilize in building their own user-generated content, unlocking new creative possibilities for experiences designed by end-users inspired by the artistry and energy of Cirque. 'Cirque du Soleil has constantly redefined live entertainment through imagination and emotion, and we're thrilled to welcome them into The Sandbox to bring that spirit into the metaverse,' said Arthur Madrid, CEO and Co-Founder of The Sandbox. 'This collaboration allows us to explore new forms of immersive storytelling to deliver the thrill of live spectacle in an interactive format, true to the energy of a theater experience.' Both companies shared more details about the collaboration this week in New York during a keynote session at alongside unveiling a series of immersive real-world and digital experiences that celebrated the spirit of this groundbreaking collaboration. Highlights included a preview of Cirque's metaverse debut and a live short performance, with additional experiences and updates announced during the event and set to roll out in the coming weeks. To stay informed and register for exclusive Cirque du Soleil digital collectibles, visit and follow The Sandbox on Medium, X, Discord, and Instagram. About The Sandbox The Sandbox, a subsidiary of Animoca Brands, is an immersive metaverse platform in which users play, create, and monetize unique experiences alongside their favorite brands, IPs, and celebrities across gaming, entertainment, music, art, and more. The Sandbox leverages web3 technologies to fully enable end-user creation and creator economies, disrupting existing platforms by providing both Players and Creators with true ownership of their assets, creations, and rewards as non-fungible tokens (NFTs). Over 400 partners have joined The Sandbox, including Warner Music Group, Gucci, Ubisoft, Paris Hilton, Attack on Titan, Snoop Dogg, Lacoste, Steve Aoki, The Smurfs, and many more. For more information, please visit and follow the regular updates on Twitter, Medium, and Discord. About Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group is a world leader in live entertainment. Building on four decades of pushing the boundaries of the imagination, the artistic entertainment company brings its creative approach to a large variety of artistic forms such as live shows, multimedia productions, long-form content, music, immersive experiences, and special events. Since its creation in 1984, more than 400 million people have been inspired on 6 continents and 86 countries. The Canadian company now employs almost 4000 employees, including 1200 artists from more than 80 different nationalities. Along with its affiliates—Blue Man Group, VStar Entertainment Group, and The Works Entertainment Group—Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group continues to expand its creative reach. For more information about Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group, please visit
Business Insider
24-06-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
Wearable Wallet™ Takes Centre Stage in mmERCH's latest Collection with Meebits
New York, USA, June 24th, 2025, Chainwire The innovative brand's proprietary chip technology is set to forge new relationships and bring fresh experiences to products, owners, and communities. Today, mmERCH debuts a new era of their proprietary Wearable Wallet technology, opening the door to the future of mmERCH with fresh experiences for products, owners, and communities alike. Through a limited collection in collaboration with Meebits, mmERCH is making its long-awaited return, marking the beginning of a new chapter of reimagining physical fashion through the lens of art, community, and digital culture. Inspired by New York City streetwear, the collection combines mmERCH's forward-thinking visions and Meebits' playful traits, creating a strong foundation for mmERCH's new era of connected products. Exclusive early access to the collection begins June 25th at the Launch Event during at 16b Orchard St, from 4-7pm EST. Each product in the collection is equipped with a mmERCH-enabled NFC chip and Wearable Wallet functionality, granting access to mmERCH's Experience Network. This includes a curated list of check-in spots in NYC, where users can 'check in' to each location by scanning the NFC chip in their mmERCH x Meebits product. Between June 25th and July 6th at 11:59 PM EST, holders are invited to participate in the Experience Token (XP) contest, simply by checking in and revealing prizes at these locations. Prizes include a unique Meebit NFT for the winner, plus digital artwork, points, and XP Tokens for all participants. New XP locations and rewards, including loot boxes, will continue rolling out in the coming months. Speaking on mmERCH's return and the collaboration, Founder & CEO Colby Mugrabi said: "We are excited to finally share our new vision of what connected product can do for community building and fandom, in general. It is a pleasure to collaborate with an iconic brand like Meebits, bringing our vision to an incredible community — and to the world. This is just a taste of what's to come with mmERCH 2.0." Sergito Silva - aka Sergito - who leads MeebCo, owners of the Meebits intellectual property rights, added: 'This mmERCH x Meebits collaboration is exactly what we had in mind when we committed to preserving the spirit of Meebits, while pushing the boundaries of what's possible. Colby and the mmERCH team have built a Wearable Wallet solution that combines serious technology with high quality products and a playful way of connecting holders to online XP and IRL experiences. We're excited to see Meebits holders engage and interact with this collection.' mmERCH continues to redefine the experience of wearable tech, community creation, and creative collaborations. Any remaining products from the collection will be available on the new mmERCH webshop from June 26th. The collection features limited quantities of Snouts garments, a one-of-one recreation of the Meebits hat (available via private sale), and other mmERCH - available at the event and on the webstore. All t-shirts and hats are 100% cotton and made in Peru and the USA, respectively. About mmERCH Founded in 2022 by Colby Mugrabi, mmERCH designs and creates tech-enabled, high-quality garments that connect people directly to creators and their communities. Collaborating with a range of artists and brands, all of mmERCH's merch uses NFC chips that connect wearers to curated places, products, art, and exclusive content — all delivered in a gamified experience. When wearers do stuff, they get stuff such as art, tickets, invites, and access. Bridging online and IRL, mmERCH enhances the relationship between people and culture. This is the future of merch. Based in New York City with a global team of creators. For more information, users can visit About The Meebit Company The Meebit Company is a creative studio and IP development firm building the future of digital identity, play, and self-expression. As the new stewards of Meebits, a collection of 20,000 unique voxel characters originally created by Larva Labs in 2021, the company is driving the project forward through storytelling, physical products, community experiences, and onchain innovation.
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
The Digital Rebound: Is the Sports Card NFT Market Heating Up Again?
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 23: People stand by ALT billboard in Times Square during the 4th annual conference on June 23, 2022 in New York City. The four-day event featured 1,500 speakers from the crypto and NFT space with over 14,000 guests in attendance. (Photo by) (Noam Galai via Getty Images) The year was 2020. During an unprecedented time, the sports card market saw an unexpected rise. As the hobby adapted to a changing world, NFTs began to thrive. NFTs, or non-fungible tokens, are unique digital assets stored on the blockchain that verify ownership and authenticity—essentially, a way to prove that a digital item is truly one-of-a-kind. Between January and July 2020, five digital sports cards sold for $36,000 or more. The highest? A Kobe Bryant 1/1 Logoman NFT . Coming in second? A Zion Williamson 1/1 Logoman RPA —oof. Unlike traditional digital files, NFTs can't be duplicated in a meaningful way—even if someone takes a screenshot, they don't own the underlying asset. At the time, the concept was still new to many, often met with skepticism and confusion. Questions like, 'If I screenshot your NFT, doesn't that make it mine?' were common. Advertisement But as the world began returning to normal, the hype seemed to fade. While not disappearing entirely, sports card NFTs quickly became more of an afterthought than the next big thing. Fast forward to March 2025, and the sports card NFT market seems to have a pulse—one that's gone largely unnoticed by most. Panini, a major player in the trading card world, now runs a blockchain-based NFT marketplace featuring exclusive digital pack drops. Collectors can buy, rip, and resell cards instantly on the platform. Each week, Panini highlights the top five sales—and the numbers might surprise you. Topping the list this week? A LeBron James Gold Prizm /10 that sold for a staggering $27,750. In fact, three of the top five NFT sales were LeBron cards, totaling nearly $40,000 combined. The other two? A Victor Wembanyama Gold Kaboom /10 that went for $6,000 and a Jayden Daniels Gold Kaboom /10 that sold for $3,500. Just this morning, Panini launched its 2024 Obsidian Football digital packs —and they sold out within minutes. The rapid sellout has sparked debate once again: is this just another hype-driven fad, or is the digital card space here to stay? These Obsidian packs are loaded with sought-after case hits like Kabooms, Colorblasts, Stained Glass, Downtowns, and more. Many of these rare pulls have already started hitting the NFT marketplace . A Caleb Williams Green Horizontal Kaboom 1/1 recently sold for $3,500, while a Jayden Daniels Blue Obsidian Rookie /25 went for $175, and a Brock Bowers Kaboom /25 changed hands for just $60. Advertisement As the dust settles, it'll be interesting to see how these exclusive digital cards are valued over time. The bigger question looms: is this surge in digital pack demand a healthy evolution of the hobby—or just another flash-in-the-pan get-rich-quick scheme? Your collection deserves a community. Download Mantel today.
