What are those rare codes that are conquering the digital universe?
Imagine having in your hands a digital certificate that proves that you own a work, a moment or even a unique piece in the vast cyber world. That, in essence, is the NFT: irreplaceable digital tokens, designed to certify the authenticity and ownership of online assets using a technology called blockchain, the same one that supports cryptocurrencies.
Trust-building structures: how NFTs work
The magic of blockchain in creating digital assets
The block chain, that global and decentralized network, acts as a book of inviolable and transparent records. Any information added in it is sealed with a code that cannot be arbitrarily modified. When we talk about digital assets, these are the files that are born in the cloud and that, thanks to the NFTs, can receive a unique and unrepeatable stamp.
Smart contracts that make everything work automatically
These are programs that, in the background, verify and enforce agreements without human intervention. In the NFT world, a Smart Contract is responsible for validating who owns each token and ensuring that there is only one authentic version, avoiding counterfeit copies and guaranteeing exclusivity.
Various tokens: utility, security and beyond
Types of tokens that mark different functions
There are several forms of tokens in the digital sphere, each with its particular purpose. The best known are:
- [‘Useful: Designed to provide access to products or services, such as special passes to platforms or events.’, ‘Security: They function as financial instruments, similar to shares representing investments in a company.’, ‘Like traditional shares, these tokens represent property rights or investment in a project or enterprise.’]
From the first tweet to the Holy Family of bits
One of the minds behind Twitter, Jack Dorsey, sold the first post posted on the net — ‘just setting up my twttr’ — as an NFT for millions of euros. The key is not only in the phrase, but in that the property of the original is certified by a token that verifies its authenticity. It is like possessing the Mona Lisa; anyone can have a copy, but the authentic masterpiece, that made by the painter himself, remains a unique and valuable icon.
Why do unique objects have so much value in a world of copies?
The value of an object lies in its authenticity and its particular history. Even if the Internet allows thousands of copies of the same image or content, only one can be considered the true original. Buying an NFT of a tweet or a digital work is like acquiring that original, and that makes its value soar. Possession of a digital certificate that attests to authentic property becomes a treasure in the digital age.
NFTs in the world of art, collecting and beyond
The collector dimension has been one of the pioneers in adopting this technology. Sites such as digital auction platforms allow fans to acquire from works of art to collectable objects in NFT format. The reliability and exclusivity provided by these tokens have made even giants like eBay integrate this trend into their catalogues, facilitating access to digital and physical goods that delight new collectors.
Digital beer: the latest innovation in limited edition
In the spring of 2021, a Canadian brewery brought to light an idea that sounds crazy, but very interesting: an NFT beer that can be drunk. It is an exclusive edition of 32 carat gold-coated cans, accompanied by a digital work created by a multimedia artist, and that only exist in 250 units. Whoever won the auction not only carried the physical can, but also its equivalent in digital art, demonstrating that the boundaries between the physical and the virtual are becoming more blurred.
