The world of NFTs is in continuous expansion. Non-Fungible Tokens are the new frontier ready to be applied in many areas, not only in the art world. NFTs can be found in the world of music, gaming, fashion and so on. At this point, we need to ask ourselves which are the relevant figures in the sector we should be following: who are the top Italian influencers in the NFT world?

Federico Clapis in the lead among the top NFT influencers

If we consider the Italian scenario, one of the most influential and prominent figures is certainly Federico Clapis, an artist who is now well known in the world of “traditional” and digital art. 

Last September, after digitizing his work “Tank Fish” (created as part of an environmental awareness project), Clapis managed to sell it for a very attractive price – around 70,000 euros.

According to recent research by influencer marketing agency Flu Plus, he is one of the top 10 NFT & crypto art influencers by engagement rate.

The three most influential are: 

• Federico Clapis in first place with 20.35%.
• Dangiuz with 13.44%. 
• Hannibal Siconolfi 6.51%.

The ranking is completed by Giusy Amoroso, Skygolpe, Catello Gragnaniello, Giovanni Motta, Giuseppe Lo Schiavo, Dotpigeon and Fabio Catapano.

Interviewed for this report, Clapis comments on this new way of creating art with NFTs:

“From the outside, this world can often look like just a speculative play for creatives who like to market images. The thing that not everyone knows is that there is often a real passion among collectors. It is a far more ‘romantic’ journey than people think, a very cohesive community united by a thirst and desire to see the future come true”.

Data on NFTs in Italy

The data also shows that most of the active users in this new sector are men, with around 62% being males aged between 25 and 34.

Statistics aside, the Italian market is full of great artists such as Emanuele Dascanio, Matteo Mauro, Andrea Crespi, Giuseppe Veneziano and so on, who in recent months have also scored NFT sales of several tens of thousands of euros on Foundation and SuperRare.

Are NFTs a bubble?

In the crypto world there is often talk of bubbles, hype and FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) and sometimes NFTs are also labelled as yet another passing fad.

Those who argue this probably do not know that the first experiments in terms of art on blockchain date back as far as 2014 and that even in 2017 there were projects that congested Ethereum’s network due to the numerous exchanges (see CryptoKitties). Consequently, one can well understand how this 2021/2022 is not a fad but a normal technological evolution.

In this regard, the artist Dangiuz also commented, explaining that many Italian and international galleries and museums have entered this sector, a sector that is here to stay:

“Once the embryonic phase of ‘it’s just a trend!’, ‘it’s just a bubble’ has passed, and with a bit of settling down to let the initial scepticism pass and clear up the big fuss about what an NFT actually is (technology that can be used in so many ways and areas), there can eventually be room to focus on how physical and digital can both make use of this new technology. For example, many museums and galleries, both in Italy and abroad, have already welcomed with open arms initiatives concerning exhibitions and shows by digital artists”.

Related posts
More from author

NBA Top Shot, a collaboration between the National Basketball Association (NBA) and Dapper Labs, has announced that it is auctioning off 30 new NFTs representing each NBA team and granting each owner a VIP Pass to the next five NBA All-Stars fan experience. 

Not only that, music giant Universal Music Group (UMG) is working with Curio to launch Non-Fungible Tokens of record labels. 

NBA Top Shot, auctioning off 30 new NFTs with All-Stars VIP Passes

NBA Top Shot is auctioning off 30 new NFTs with VIP Passes, which include access to the next five NBA All-Stars for lucky future owners. Here’s the announcement on Twitter:

5⃣ years of #NBAAllStar VIP treatment
Unprecedented access
A groundbreaking 1-of-1 NFT, in partnership with the @NBA

And you can win it for free

Here’s how https://t.co/1og5hl3Io0 pic.twitter.com/RUgWiJWOpb

— NBA Top Shot (@nbatopshot) February 17, 2022

“5 years of #NBAAllStar VIP treatment. Unprecedented access. A groundbreaking 1-of-1 NFT, in partnership with the @NBA. And you can win it for free”.

According to reports, in addition to the auction of the special 30 NFT All-Stars VIP Passes, there would also be a giveaway up for grabs that would allow one lucky fan to be able to win an additional NFT All-Star VIP Pass representing the NBA itself. 

The giveaway is dedicated to NBA fans in the US and Canada who can enter the competition for free with a (new or existing) NBA Top Shot account. 

Chances to win are offered during certain games, where fans will see an exclusive QR code appear during the broadcast that must be scanned in order to grant the fan extra access to the giveaway. The winner will be selected on Tuesday 8 March.

NBA Top Shot and the benefits for new NFT owners

The collection that runs on the Flow Blockchain also listed a number of benefits that future owners of the new 30 NFT All-Stars VIP Passes would have, incorporated into their unique Non-Fungible Token. 

Starting with NBA All-Star 2023 in Salt Lake City, each NFT All-Stars VIP Pass owner will be able to gain access to the inside of the All-Star schedule via a virtual panel with the NBA, participate in the personalized All-Star itinerary with VIP support and have an exclusive invitation to an NBA reception. Also included are two tickets to the NBA All-Star Game and the State Farm® All-Star Saturday Night, which includes the AT&T Slam Dunk Contest, the MTN DEW® 3-Point Contest and the Taco Bell Skills Challenge. 

And finally, fans can get a shootaround with an NBA legend on the court of the NBA All-Star, a gift bag of VIP merchandise, including an NBA All-Star jersey and an on-court photo from the NBA All-Star Game. 

The 30 auctions, in which all Top Shot users can participate, will begin Wednesday, 23 February at 8 PM ET. One NFT auction will be launched per day, with the launch organized by NBA divisions. Each auction will remain active for fans to bid on for seven days.

Universal Music Group (UMG) develops NFT collection for fans 

In other special news, this time for music fans, Universal Music Group (UMG) says it is working with blockchain company Curio to develop NFT collections for fans of its record labels and artists. 

According to reports, the global leader in music-based entertainment appears to have chosen Curio, the leading Non-Fungible Token (NFT) platform for entertainment brands and music artists as a dedicated global platform for future NFT projects, with official licensing of UMG’s record labels, operating companies and artists worldwide. 

Speaking about this, Michael Nash, Executive Vice President, Digital Strategy at Universal Music Group said: 

“UMG and our labels are focused on developing NFT projects that authentically engage and speak to our artists’ fanbases and new audiences. With Curio, our labels will have a secure and dedicated platform to host these premium projects and provide new opportunities for collectors and fans from around the world to acquire unique pieces, inspired by their favorite artists and labels. UMG is focused on developing new opportunities in this space that place our artists and labels at the forefront, working to ensure that the evolution of Web3 provides exciting new avenues for their creativity”.

The first collaborative project with Capitol Music Group artist Calum Scott will launch in spring 2022.

 

Related posts
More from author