We cannot deny that: identity concept —and question it—as blockchain technology continues to evolve through the financial and cultural landscape of modern society, it is and will continue to be one of the most interesting features.
In line with the decentralized and open nature of Web3, the anonymity (or pseudonymity) of the crypto and NFT space has created new dynamics. For example, until February 2022, Boad Ape Yacht ClubThe most successful NFT project in existence has been a mystery.
But anonymity cuts both ways: People can operate in the Web3 ecosystem while retaining their right to privacy, but growing to a size where an individual or group of NFT communities assumes near-invincible command. This raises some serious issues of transparency and accountability. Cultural and economic influence.
The Proof Collective is one of those groups. And as a subsidiary of the larger Proof brand that entered the NFT scene in early 2022, it has been a powerhouse of Web3 ever since. However, despite its size and influence, it is not as well known as it should be. So let’s clarify what this group is, where it came from, who its members are, and why it’s important to the broader NFT community.
What are Proof Collectives?
The Proof Collective is a members-only NFT community responsible for some of the most successful projects, including: Tsukidori, strange thing, GrailsWhen emoteThe collective is made up of some of the best-known artists and collectors in the field, most of whom are anonymous.
Co-founder Kevin Rose proof podcast To an organization with a specific mission. That mission? To be the best eyes and ears on the ground in the NFT space, we are always on the lookout for the next successful project that our members are most interested in.
Okay, how do I join the Elite? …or rather, the Proof Collective?
we are not there yet. To join any group, I encourage you to study its history (and that is the foundation of Internet history). co-founder Rose The Creative Mind Behind Diggwas a social news aggregation website in the early 2000s that helped build many of the core ideas that characterized Web2 giants such as Reddit, Facebook, and Twitter before its dastardly end. He is a veteran of his Web2 world and has successfully translated his keen investment skills and eye and talent for innovative strategies into his Web3.
With the help of co-founder, designer and illustrator Justin Mezel And along with the rest of the Proof team, Collective has grown into a Web3 player no one can ignore. On April 16, 2022, Proof launched his 10,000 PFP project, Moonbirds.
Moonbirds took the NFT world by storm, becoming one of the top 10 highest-grossing NFT projects of all time less than a week after its release. The project’s sales volume so far has reached an astonishing 166,681 ETH ($284,751,153.16 at the time of writing).
That project is now growing to include Moonbirds OdditiesA collection of 10,000 Moonbird-derived NFTs designed by Successful NFT Artist Glen Prinwith a sales volume of 15,219 ETH ($25,999,530.84, at the time of writing).
Now let me explain how to participate. To be part of the Proof Collective, Proof Collective NFT, the group initially released through a Dutch auction starting at 5 ETH per unit. However, prices for this group are skyrocketing on the secondary market.
“We want to curate with a point of view.”
Proof Collective co-founder Kevin Rose
This hefty minimum price comes with a host of perks, including early access to PROOF podcasts, access to Collective Discord, free NFT drops, access to in-person events, and more. But the main attraction of a community is the shared knowledge, experience, and foresight that its individuals bring to the group.
“We want to curate with a point of view, giving people the detailed information they need to decide what to collect and which artists to pay attention to,” says Kevin. Rose said in April. nft now podcast episode“There are specialized organizations in the stock world that just collect data and produce very detailed research reports. We want to be that for NFT.”
In case you missed it, that’s where the main value of joining the Proof Collective lies. Stay inside and know the high level intelligence about the NFT ecosystem. Not only is this a great place to find great art and innovative communities, not to mention its utility value. It also means staying in a better position to invest in projects that pay big dividends.
Another related name of significant notoriety is the group’s former COO, Ryan Carson. left the brand Less than two weeks after Moonbirds launched, he launched his own NFT venture fund.called 1.21 Gigawatt FundCarson’s resignation ruffled the feathers of some in the NFT community, and some nearly called it pull the rugWith insider knowledge of the project and familiarity with NFTs with unusual properties in the Moonbirds collection, Carson collected over 200 ETH in Moonbirds before his sudden departure.
In response to criticism over Carson’s move, Rose murmured He had an internal policy of “don’t buy moonbirds until the rarity is public”, but that didn’t stop someone from “clicking a button to buy”.
Regardless, Rose thanked Carson for his contributions to the project and wished him well in the future.
Who else is in the Proof Collective?
of Proof Collective website Its members proudly own over 150,000 NFTs, including around 150 CryptoPunks, over 800 Bored Apes, over 500 Meebits, over 5,000 Art Blocks, and over 330 SuperRare 1:1 NFTs. said to
This is one of the most valuable and impressive NFT collections in the entire ecosystem. But it also raises the question of who is bringing these NFTs to his Proof’s roster. Most of his 1,000 members of the collective are anonymous. But looking at the blockchain, we can see that some of the major names in NFTs are or were members. Another question arises from the connections and relationships those people have to his Proof team. How much nepotism is there?
For example, Proof Collective Transferred Membership NFT to Beeple Shortly after the NFT Pass launches in December 2021. The group has also given away or ‘sold’ membership passes to other luminaries and stakeholders in the field at almost no cost.
Visual artist Justin Aversano, who goes by the pseudonym Web3 twin flame, got a pass for 0.001 ETH. Aversano is co-founder and CEO. quantum art, a platform to curate and sell NFTs. February 2022, Quantum Art Raises $7.5 Million A funding round led in part by True Ventures, a venture capital firm with Kevin Rose on its board. Gary Vee is also an investor in his Quantum Art, Free Proof Collective NFTs Membership pass (similar to his brother). The group gifted several more passes in this manner to several anonymous wallet addresses.
But the problem is that there is no Web3 rulebook that states that this kind of backscratch is out of scope. Anyone trying to criticize Proof should consider whether they would act differently in the same position. It is also true that these events do not help diminish the reputation of nepotism in the NFT ecosystem and dynamics inside and outside the big money group.
Perhaps not everything in Web3 should align with the ideal of fairness and a (more) level playing field. Yet such behavior inhabits a space uncomfortably close to Web2’s centralized favor.But to be fair, Proofbrand recently started introducing efforts to create a community. more diverse and comprehensive, donated 400 Oddities NFTs to 7 communities dedicated to onboarding marginalized people to Web3. Whether such gestures and intentions lead to greater inclusivity for the Proof Collective itself is unknown, but it’s a good step in the right direction.
Beyond the collective, the Proof brand’s next big goal is a metaverse project called Highrise. Rose has largely skimped on details when discussing Highrise, but has expressed general disappointment with other approaches to the metaverse project. “for us, [the metaverse] It means a unique and immersive way to connect with a community unlike what’s happening on Discord,” Rose explained in the April 2022 episode. proof podcast.
As Rose pointed out, Highrise is a placeholder name. Still, this is one of Proof’s deliberate picks and his vision for the Metaverse, one that offers users different “buildings” of purpose-driven interaction beyond what is currently offered. and provide a “floor”.
“When I saw their metaverse Facebook presentation and saw two people sitting across from each other in VR playing chess, it was really disappointing,” continued Rose. “If I had Facebook stock that I didn’t have, I would have sold it on the spot. Chess? I thought, ‘I can do it.'”
Given that Proof has accomplished so much in such a short time, in a bear market the brand and the Proof collective will continue to be the driving force of the NFT community. Rose and his team showed a willingness to be flexible when they saw the Web3 winds change. Moonbirds collection to CC0 licenseThe move wasn’t without controversy, but there are very few in the field. How Proof determines his Web3 future innovations, regardless of its shortcomings, is anything but trivial.
