NFTs have become one of the hottest crypto trends of 2021, with overall sales up 55% already since 2020, from $250 million to $389 million.
If you don’t know what an NFT is you can learn more by reading the article here. But basically, they are Non-fungible tokens (NFTs), which are unique collectable crypto assets. NFTs can be used to represent virtually any type of real or intangible item, including:
- Artwork
- Virtual items within video games such as skins, virtual currency, weapons and avatars
- Music
- Collectibles (e.g. digital trading cards)
- Tokenized real-world assets, from real estate and cars to racehorses and designer sneakers
- Virtual land
- Video footage of iconic sporting moments
Here’s how you can create, purchase and sell these popular digitals assets.
How to create NFTs
Creating your own NFT artwork, whether it be a GIF or an image, is a relatively straightforward process and doesn’t require extensive knowledge of the crypto industry. NFT artwork can also be used to create collectables like sets of digital cards. Before you start, you will need to decide on which blockchain you want to issue your NFTs. Ethereum is currently the leading blockchain service for NFT issuance.
Since Ethereum has the largest NFT ecosystem, here’s what you’ll need to mint your own NFT artwork, music or video on the Ethereum blockchain:
- An Ethereum wallet that supports ERC-721 (the Ethereum-based NFT token standard), such as MetaMask, Trust Wallet or Coinbase Wallet.
- Around $50-$100 in ether (ETH). If you are using Coinbase’s wallet you can buy ether from the platform with U.S. dollars, British pound sterling and other fiat currencies. Otherwise, you will need to purchase ether from a cryptocurrency exchange. A guide on how to buy cryptocurrencies using the most popular exchanges can be found here.
Once you have these, there are a number of NFT-centric platforms that allow you to connect your wallet and upload your chosen image or file that you want to turn into an NFT.
The main Ethereum NFT marketplaces include:
Here’s how the process works on OpenSea, currently the largest Ethereum-based NFT marketplace.
Clicking the “create” button (blue) will take you to a screen that asks you to connect your Ethereum-based wallet. Once you’ve entered your wallet password when requested it will automatically connect your wallet with the marketplace. You may have to digitally sign a message in your Ethereum wallet to prove you own the wallet address, but it’s just a case of clicking through to proceed.
The next step on OpenSea is to hover over “create” in the top right corner and select “my collections.” From there, click the blue “create” button as shown below.
A window will appear that allows you to upload your artwork, add a name and include a description.
This part is essentially just you creating a folder for your newly created NFTs to go in.
Once you’ve assigned an image for your collection, it will appear as shown below (blue). You’ll then need to add a banner image to the page by clicking on the pencil icon in the top right corner (red).
Your page should end up looking something like the image below.
Now, you’re ready to create your first NFT. Click on the “Add New Item” button (blue) and sign another message using your wallet.
You’ll arrive at a new window where you can upload your NFT image, audio, GIF or 3D model.
On OpenSea and many other marketplaces, you also have the option to include special traits and attributes to increase the scarcity and uniqueness of your NFT. Creators even have the opportunity to include unlockable content that can only be viewed by the purchaser. This can be anything from passwords to access certain services to discount codes and contact information.
How to sell NFTs
To sell your NFTs on a marketplace, you’ll need to locate them in your collection, click on them and find the “sell” button. Clicking this will take you to a pricing page where you can define the conditions of the sale including whether to run an auction or sell at a fixed price.
By clicking on the “edit” button next to the collection image on OpenSea, signing the message using your wallet and scrolling down, you have the option to program in royalties and select which ERC-20 token you’d like to receive for selling the NFT. Royalties allow NFT creators to earn a commission every time the asset is sold to a new person. This has the potential to create lifelong passive income streams for artists and other content creators automatically thanks to smart contracts.
Listing NFTs on a marketplace sometimes requires a fee in order to complete the process. While it’s not the case with every platform, it’s something to be mindful of when creating NFTs.
