Long a mainstay in the Bitcoin community, Udi Wertheimer recently embraced the world of NFTs via Bitcoin Ordinals with Taproot Wizards. On February 1, 2023, Wertheimer announced the Taproot Wizards project to the world by orchestrating the largest block and transaction in Bitcoin’s history. Ultimately, the project achieved the absolute maximum block size of 4MB — something many previously thought impossible. While this move was considered controversial to some, it fulfilled Wertheimer’s larger goal of raising Bitcoin awareness and renewing interest in the chain. The Taproot Wizards’ tagline is “Make Bitcoin Magical Again,” and that’s precisely what Wertheimer plans to do. In this episode of the nft now podcast, we cover:- How Ordinals quickly gained traction in 2023- The “cult” of Taproot Wizards- His thoughts on Bitcoin Maxis - The future of the Taproot Wizards community Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The co-founder and managing director for FirstLight, Megan Kaspar is renowned as a champion of digital fashion. In October 2021 she became the first person to wear NFT clothing while giving a video interview and was featured in Haute Living’s Miami issue wearing a digital outfit by luxury fashion designer Fendi. Kaspar took an early interest in crypto, investing in Bitcoin in 2011. She is now a founding member of the fashion-centered Red DAO, a group that purchased one of the most expensive fashion NFTs of all time, The Doge Crown by Dolce & Gabbana (423.5 ETH). A staunch advocate of the environmental and social benefits of NFT wearables, Kaspar was recently honored in nft now’s NFT100. In this episode of the nft now podcast we cover:- Kaspar’s journey into into crypto and Web3 fashion- How Web3 could disrupt the fashion industry- What she looks for in Web3 companies when she invests- The most-exciting use cases for digital fashion- The background on the historic interview where she wore NFTs- And much moreTo listen to the audio version of this episode, go to http://smarturl.it/nftnowTo sign up for the nft now newsletter where we break down the NFT market into actionable insights each week, go to: https://www.nftnow.com To follow Kaspar on Twitter, go here: https://twitter.com/megan_kasparTo follow Kaspar on Instagram, go here: https://www.instagram.com/megan.kaspar/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sergio Silva, known in the NFT space as Sergito, is a prominent investor, collector, and thought leader who leveraged his background in traditional finance working at Goldman Sachs and Barclays into a thriving Web3 career. Hailed by the NFT community as a maximalist of Meebits NFTs and a curator of memes, Sergito currently acts as the Senior Director of Business Development at Fireblocks. As a founding member of the NeonDAO — a for-profit investment fund focused on building and promoting the open metaverse — Sergito has remained a staunch believer in the potential of blockchain tech to bring about the fabled next iteration of the internet. Notably, Sergito is also the founder of Seize The Meebs, an edition-based art and meme project that focuses on digital asset ownership and NFTs as value-delivery platforms, which has reached near viral popularity in 2023.In this episode, we dive into:- How Sergito went from traditional finance to Web3 and NFTs- What changed him from an NFT skeptic into a leading trader- How he’s gotten in so early on successful artists/projects- Why he’s so bullish on Meebits- How he transitioned from an NFT collector to a builder/creator- The importance of NFT culture in creating his Seize The Meebs project- What it’s going to take for consumers to actually start using the metaverse- And much more!To listen to the audio version of this episode, go to http://smarturl.it/nftnowTo sign up for the nft now newsletter where we break down the NFT market into actionable insights each week, go to: https://www.nftnow.com To follow Sergito on Twitter, go here: https://twitter.com/sergitosergitoTo follow Sergito on Instagram, go here: https://www.instagram.com/sergitosilva Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Meltem Demirors is the Chief Strategy Officer of CoinShares — a leading full-service digital asset investment and trading group — the former co-chair of the cryptocurrency council at the World Economic Forum, and “High Priestess” of CryptoDickButts. An established veteran of digital asset investing, Meltem draws on her substantial experience to accelerate growth and acceptance of the asset class. She is a trusted partner to investors and entrepreneurs navigating the digital asset ecosystem and oversees strategy, investments, and growth at CoinShares. She has invested in over 250 companies in the digital asset ecosystem, first at Digital Currency Group, where she was a member of the founding team, and now at CoinShares as an active angel investor. She teaches at Oxford and is actively involved in crypto education and advocacy efforts, as well as causes related to civil liberties, consumer privacy, and freedom of speech.In this episode we cover: - Why Meltem is so passionate about the CryptoDickButts project- How the regulatory landscape might evolve surrounding crypto- If NFTs will be a key driver of mainstream consumer adoption of blockchain technology- Meltem’s thoughts on Bitcoin OrdinalsTo listen to the audio version of this episode, go to http://smarturl.it/nftnowTo sign up for the nft now newsletter where we break down the NFT market into actionable insights each week, go to: https://www.nftnow.com To follow Meltem on Twitter, go here: https://twitter.com/Melt_Dem Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’d like to give a special thank you to Atomic Form for helping bring our studio to life with their NFT displays. To learn more about Atomic Form, go to: https://atomicform.com Dave Krugman is a photographer and writer based in New York City who has embraced the NFT community wholeheartedly as a new platform for expression and education for his fellow creatives. Following the successful release of his collection DRIVE — taken over the course of 10 years of street photography — Krugman founded the creative community ALLSHIPS.CO. Through this community, Krugman hopes to highlight and nurture rising talent within the NFT art community, since “a rising tide raises all ships.”In this episode we cover: - The problems photographers faced in web2, and how web3 empowers them- The inspiration behind ALLSHIPS and the company’s future- Krugman’s thoughts on community and building audience- Caring for your mental health in Web3 - What the future of web3 looks like for photographersTo listen to the audio version of this episode, go to http://smarturl.it/nftnowTo sign up for the nft now newsletter where we break down the NFT market into actionable insights each week, go to: https://www.nftnow.com To follow Dave on Twitter, go here: https://twitter.com/dave_krugmanTo follow Dave on Instagram, go here: https://instagram.com/dave.krugman/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’d like to give a special thank you to Atomic Form for helping bring our studio to life with their NFT displays. To learn more about Atomic Form, go to: https://atomicform.com We’re kicking off Season 2 of the nft now podcast with Elise Swopes, a self-taught photographer and graphic designer who has used her business savvy to spin influencer marketing on Instagram into a full-fledged career. Heralded as one of the premier creators on the platform, Swopes has been finding new and innovative ways to share her art since earning accolades as one of the first accounts added to Instagram’s original suggested user list in 2012. In between working on campaigns for some of the largest brands on the planet (Nike, Apple, McDonald's, Google, and Adobe, to name a few), she injects her own brand of magical realism into urban landscape photography, minting and selling NFTs across numerous marketplaces. Further, Swopes is a champion of several social causes. She founded Sunrise Art Club, a creative impact agency that is committed to helping brands and individuals feel included in the emerging Web3 movement. She also co-founded Night On The Yard, the first NFT marketplace dedicated to ending the hidden impact of incarceration by helping onboard incarcerated artists to sell their work as NFTs.In this episode, we cover:- Swopes’ first reaction to NFTs, and how her view of the space has evolved- The biggest problems she sees facing the Web3 space- The origins of Sunrise Art Club and Night on the Yard- Swopes’ thoughts on the creator royalties debateTo sign up for the nft now newsletter, where we break down the NFT market into actionable insights each week, go to: https://www.nftnow.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Web3 gaming promises to be a critical driver for mainstream NFT adoption over the next few years. To put the scale into perspective, the blockchain gaming market size is expected to grow from $4.6 billion in 2022 to $65.7 billion by 2027. Many of the biggest game developers — including Square Enix and Epic Games — are already working on titles with Web3 integrations. That said, it takes years for any game to be developed, let alone a AAA game. So the space will only heat up as these projects come to fruition.At nft now’s The Gateway 2022, we welcomed a star-studded panel of guests to the stage to discuss the new wave of gaming including: John Linden, CEO of Mythical Games; Kai Henry, Former Chief Strategy Officer of FaZe Clan and CEO and Founder of fewture studios; Lee Trink, CEO and Co-Founder of FaZe Clan; Betty, Co-Founder of Deadfellaz;  FaZe Banks, Co-Founder of FaZe Clan; and Web3 Advisor Swan Sit.In this episode, we cover:- Understanding gaming as a social platform, not just as entertainment - How new tools are supporting collaboration and co-creation like never before- How to dispel the distrust the gaming community has around this new technology- The future of Web3 gaming, and how we can get closer to mainstream adoptionTo sign up for the nft now newsletter where we break down the NFT market into actionable insights each week, go to: https://www.nftnow.com To follow John on Twitter, go here: https://twitter.com/johnwastakenTo follow John on Instagram, go here: https://www.instagram.com/johnlinden/To follow Kai on Twitter, go here: https://twitter.com/KAI__HENRYTo follow Kai on Instagram, go here: https://www.instagram.com/kai__henry/To follow Lee on Twitter, go here: https://twitter.com/leetrinkTo follow Lee on Instagram, go here: https://www.instagram.com/leetrink/To follow Betty on Twitter, go here: https://twitter.com/betty_nftTo follow Betty on Instagram, go here: https://www.instagram.com/betty.dfz/To follow FaZe Banks on Twitter, go here: https://twitter.com/BanksTo follow FaZe Banks on Instagram, go here: https://www.instagram.com/banks/To follow Swan on Twitter, go here: https://twitter.com/swansitTo follow Swan on Instagram, go here: https://www.instagram.com/swansit/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For those just skimming the surface of Web3, it may seem like NFTs are mainly images — of everything from Bored Apes to colorful Chromie Squiggles. But NFTs come in many forms, including literary NFTs, which constitute one of the space's most exciting emerging use cases. Literary NFTs promise to be transformative for the careers of writers and the publishing industry. Two of the visionary women at the forefront of the poetry NFT movement are Ana María Caballero and Sasha Stiles, Co-Founders of the VERSEverse, a poetry NFT gallery. Caballero is a Columbian-American poet and artist whose work explores the voice of the home and the layered exchanges of our everyday lives. Stiles is a lifelong poet and creative writer who has been penning poetry since she was six. Most of her work focuses on our relationship with technology and how advancing and speculative technologies are changing what it means to be human. The two creatives joined nft now’s CEO Matt Medved during a panel at The Gateway: A Web3 Metropolis. Here, they discussed how Web3 tech could help change how the world views writers and poets, allowing them to sustain themselves financially through their work in ways previously thought to be impossible. In this episode, we cover the following:- How the blockchain is changing how poetry can be experienced- Stiles and Caballero’s work onboarding poets to Web3 at theVERSEverse- How NFTs empower poets both creatively and economically- The evolving relationship between writers and their communityTo sign up for the nft now newsletter, where we break down the NFT market into actionable insights each week, go to: https://www.nftnow.comTo follow Caballero on Twitter, go here: https://twitter.com/CaballeroAnaMaTo follow Caballero on Instagram, go here: https://www.instagram.com/anamariacaballeroTo follow Stiles on Twitter, go here: https://twitter.com/sashastilesTo follow Stiles on Instagram, go here: https://www.instagram.com/sashastiles/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The crypto industry has changed significantly since Joseph Lubin helped found the Ethereum blockchain in 2015. Now focused on innovating as the CEO of ConsenSys, a leading Ethereum software company and the firm behind the popular MetaMask software wallet, Lubin has remained at the forefront of Web3 as the cultural shift it created continues to reorganize the creative and tech industries.Speaking with nft now Co-Founder and CEO Matt Medved during a fireside chat at nft now and Mana Common’s The Gateway: A Web3 Metropolis, Lubin reflected on his on-chain career. He also provided insight into the state of the crypto and NFT spaces while looking toward the future.In this episode, we cover the following:- Lubin’s candid thoughts on the fall of FTX- What’s next for Ethereum post-merge- The future of blockchainTo sign up for the nft now newsletter, where we break down the NFT market into actionable insights each week, go to: https://www.nftnow.comTo follow Lubin on Twitter, go here: https://twitter.com/ethereumJosephTo follow Lubin on Instagram, go here: https://www.instagram.com/ethereumjoseph/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Web3 is ushering us into a new era of marketing where Web2 tactics just won’t cut it. Brands must adopt new strategies (and technologies) to stay competitive and relevant. In December 2022, a group of trailblazers took the stage at nft now’s The Gateway to discuss the state of Web3 marketing and how to successfully grow projects amid this changing landscape. For the panel, moderator and nft now co-founder Sam Hysell was joined by Amanda Cassatt, Avery Akkineni, Jennifer Styles, and Swan Sit. Cassatt is CEO of the marketing firm and product studio Serotonin. Before Serotonin, Cassatt brought Ethereum to market as ConsenSys’ CMO. She’s also the author of the upcoming book Web3 Marketing: A Handbook for the Next Internet Revolution. Akkineni, President of Vayner3, has helped numerous brands find success navigating the Web3 landscape. Styles is Head of Communication at OneOf, an nft marketplace that has seamlessly onboarded world-class brands, talent, and communities in music, sports, and beyond. Finally, Sit is a seasoned Web3 advisor and former VP of digital for NIKE, Estée Lauder, and Revlon. In this episode, we cover:Tactical ways to successfully grow Web3 projectsHow marketing approaches must evolve in the world of Web3How to navigate the mainstream consumer sentiment, and much more. To sign up for the nft now newsletter, where we break down the NFT market into actionable insights each week, go to: https://www.nftnow.com To follow Amanda on Twitter, go here: https://twitter.com/amandacassattTo follow Avery on Twitter, go here: https://twitter.com/avery_akkineniTo follow Avery on Instagram, go here: https://www.instagram.com/avery.akkineni/To follow Jennifer on Twitter, go here: https://twitter.com/jen_stylesTo follow Swan on Twitter, go here: https://twitter.com/swansitTo follow Swan on Instagram, go here: https://www.instagram.com/swansit/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.