Top NFT Events in 2021

[TL;DR]

Most people are familiar with cryptocurrency - Bitcoin, Ethereum, and the likes. But a new realm of valuable digital assets is quickly gaining momentum - Non-fungible tokens (NFTs).

NFTs are assets that are linked to the blockchain. As such, they can be traded. But unlike cryptocurrency, each NFT is unique (non-fungible). Just like a domain name. Similar-looking NFTs can and do exist, but each has a unique identity on the blockchain.

These digital assets experienced a rapid explosion during the year 2021. To enlighten people about NFTs and discuss (and maybe even determine) the future of NFTs, several NFT events were held all over the world. Some of the top NFT events in 2021 include:

· The Global NFT Summit
· WOW Summit and NFT Exhibition
· NFT: Beyond Digital Art
· NFT.NYC

What are NFTs?

NFT stands for non-fungible tokens. They are a unique type of digital asset whose ownership is linked to the blockchain.

"Non-fungible" means the asset is unique. If you have one, nobody can have another one exactly like it. For example, a domain name can be a non-fungible token. When you buy a domain name, you and you alone have rights to that specific URL.

On the other hand, fungible tokens are assets that are alike. Two or more of a particular type of fungible tokens are inherently the same. This means that one can be exchanged for another because they have essentially the same value. For example, one Bitcoin will always be the same as another Bitcoin. It doesn't matter who the owner of the Bitcoin is. Even our traditional currencies can be described as fungible. A $1 note is the same as every other $1 note. As such, one can easily be exchanged for the other.

Types of NFTs

Almost anything digital can be an NFT; music, domain names, digital art, in-game items, videos, and even tweets. Right now, the most popular NFTs are digital artwork and, to an extent, music.

While NFTs are digital assets, they can also be used to track physical assets as well.

2021 and NFTs

NFTs are a relatively new concept, but this concept is rapidly growing in popularity. More and more people are becoming interested in these digital assets. Last year featured a lot of NFT marketplace activity. There were high-profile transactions that became the talk of the digital community and even the offline community. One such transaction was the sale of an autographed tweet by the founder of Twitter. The tweet went for millions of dollars and sparked quite the conversation.

Needless to say, there was an explosion of NFTs as one of the hottest topics in the digital space in 2021. Several NFT marketplaces emerged, some huge NFT transactions occurred, and of course, there were lots of NFT-centred events.

Top NFT Events in 2021

In a large part, the NFT events in 2021 were focused on educating people more on NFTs and where these digital assets are likely to be encountered. NFT enthusiasts, researchers, investors, and other major players in the industry gathered at these events to discuss all things NFT.

A lot of the NFT events in 2021 were online, and some were physical. Some had more parties than others. There were also differences in the duration of the events, with some of the conferences spanning days and others were just a day long. But despite all these differences, one thing all of them had in common was the almost palpable enthusiasm about the hot technology which had already earned several people millions of dollars.

While they were all great for the most part, a few of the NFT events that were held in 2021 were more memorable than others. Some of these top NFT events in 2021 are;

1. The Global NFT Summit

This was a virtual event that was held from the 28th to the 29th of July. Some of the biggest players in the rapidly growing NFT industry were present to discuss the possible future of NFTs.

The Global NFT Summit also gave the opportunity, through an interactive platform, for the attendees to connect and network. Speakers discussed the possible applications of NFTs to specific industries and products of different kinds.

Apart from the free 'rare' NFTs which were given out as gifts during the conference, quite a lot of potential value was also shared in the form of information. With the conference divided into two stages, the first stage was free and focused on the future of NFTs. It offered great value to NFT enthusiasts of all degrees. Stage 2 offered deeper and more practical insights into the evolution of NFTs and their place in the digital sphere and beyond. It offered business owners and NFT investors valuable takeaways that they could use to step up their delivery.


2. WOW Summit and NFT Exhibition

One of the biggest NFT events in 2021 was the WOW Summit and NFT Exhibition. It was held in Dubai, one of the biggest cities in the United Arab Emirates, on the 14th and 15th of October. The event drew in thousands of members of the blockchain community - Industry leaders, investors, influencers, etc.

The WOW Summit and NFT Exhibition provided value for attendees of various interest levels. From the NFT-inquisitive crypto enthusiasts to some of the major decision-makers in the industry. Bringing them all under one roof.

The NFT expo & auction was one of the major attractions at the conference. It is one of the biggest auctions of its kind worldwide. Several NFT projects were presented and some of the most famous NFT marketplaces conducted auctions for these digital assets.

One drawback was that the event was majorly physical. So interested members had to be present at the venue in Dubai to participate.

Featuring several industry experts as speakers, this NFT event offered incredible value. it was definitely one of the best of its kind in 2021.

3. NFT: Beyond Digital Art

Most of the digital assets being traded in the world of NFTs are digital artwork. Despite this fact, some industry experts believe that there is much more to NFTs than just digital art. During this NFT event, more light was shed on the huge potential that NFT has in other aspects apart from digital art.

This was a 1-day long virtual conference that was held on the 29th of July. During the event, the concept of NFTs was explained. Practical, actionable ideas on how to bridge NFT art with other sectors, were explained by industry experts.

Speakers explained in detail how Non-Fungible Tokens can play vital roles, not just in art, but also in other sectors such as legal documents (for example, contracts and licenses), identification methods, and even real estate.

4. NFT.NYC

This annual event is one of the leading NFT events worldwide. In 2021, this event happened at the Time Square Margaritaville from the 1st to the 3rd of November. This citywide conference featured thousands of attendees, dozens of panel discussions on NFTs, and several NFT-related parties - both official and unofficial parties - all over the city of New York.

Everyone in the NFT world - from entrepreneurs and product managers to industry leaders, to NFT artists - was well-represented at this record-breaking conference.

NFT.NYC was a physical event. This conference presented a great opportunity to the NFT community - which of course was born online and has remained largely online - for it to come offline and interact in person.

This NFT conference was kind of like a big reunion event, as members of the NFT community who had previously known each other only through social media and other online communications were present physically at the conference.

The various panels offered incredible value to the attendees. Insight into the far and near future of NFTs was discussed and there was ample opportunity to mingle and network with like-minded NFT enthusiasts.

Awards were given to recognize more than 20 NFT-related creators and projects out of over 3,000 nominations.

NFT.NYC featured lots of new millionaires, luxury parties, business executives, and much more. It was definitely one NFT event that showcased the rapid growth experienced by the NFT industry in such a short time.

The adoption of NFTs is becoming widespread, especially with the emergence of the web3 and metaverse technology. Many companies like Samsung, Nike, are already utilizing the ecosystem for commercial purposes and brand promotion. Although some critics have claimed it might be a bubble, it is still winning the heart of many crypto enthusiasts.

Author: Gate.io Observer: M. Olatunji
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