It’s happening. The extraordinary bull run kicked off in 2021 has finally come to a halt. We have come to a very interesting period in the ever cyclical, dynamic market of crypto.
EthBoy has been tracking ETH prices since Nov 2020, and as Ethereum-creator Vitalik moves up and down the gorgeous scenery created by Trevor Jones and Alotta Money, I am reminded that we are all here on a journey together.
The problem, though, is that too many of us on this collective journey focus on just one goal. Conversations have shifted from art and artists’ stories to fluctuating floor prices. Trading overshadowed collecting. The FOMO hit hard — and it left us with little room to appreciate the beauty of a simple brush stroke.
Last year’s bull market, and the eye-watering prices to match, beg the question: “What is the real value of an NFT?”
Is it the historical significance? Is it the brand name associated with it? Is it the promised utility and future possibilities it represents as users “ape” in to make a personal gain?
Then to what purpose do those artists who mint Async works and give their Async Layers away to friends and community members — such as Mehak’s “Diwali”?
There are no roadmaps here. We sat in silence and in pure joy as her hand painted lights twinkled on by the hands of cherished friends. In true Diwali fashion, I wished for the day in which good triumphs over evil. Light overcomes darkness. Truth surpasses ignorance.
Async’s answer for the earlier question is this:
The real value is in the people and the technology that empowers them.
When this new cycle comes around, our team will be ready. This is when the true creators come out and Async technology will power the next generation of creatives.
Let me give you my version of a “roadmap”:
We began in 2020 with a deconstructed artwork featuring a small group of friends. “First Supper” brought 13 well-known artists together at the table of beginnings and welcomed not just one collector, but a group of diverse collectors who can now change the artwork to their liking.
We soon saw artists intentionally using Async platform to encourage specific actions from their collectors, even as far as creating their own informal DAO with monthly participation to get free airdrops:
An artist used Async to narrate an ongoing storyline that is controlled by previous collectors and their Layer changes:
To donate to a charity cause as Micah Johnson’s precursor to the well-known AKU series with “‘sä-v(ə-)rən-tē”:
Or to just invite the community to come in and play:
Then we entered the tail-end of an explosive PFP era in 2021— which is essentially an even more decentralized but inclusive system of participation. A single artist on Async was able to create a cohesive, multi-edition of 1/1s generated randomly on the blockchain:
As we look toward the future, the team is excited to introduce Async Music Blueprints to unlock even more creative possibilities. If Async Music Classic is like playing a public jukebox for everyone to hear, as Stem NFT owners are the ones who can turn the dial to hear variations of the Master track, then Async Music Blueprints are personalized vinyls that anyone can buy and be a part of a bigger collection.
Because it’s made on Async, you can be sure a “Blueprint” will be able to unlock future utility such as merchandise, unique access, and physical/digital spaces which can be personalized per owner. I personally believe that NFTs as a movement is more powerful with more participants and a bigger community involved at all entry levels, and not just for the select few. We launched last week with more than 7 crypto-native musicians, make sure to check out their collections: JANUS, h0m3w0rk, and Senses.
This is the key in shaping Async and the NFT creator’s future. An open platform, interoperating alongside numerous partners, that we tirelessly build upon to power the creator and their imagination. Turbulent days may be ahead of us, but together we will come out stronger and more vibrant on the other end.
Join the conversation on our Twitter, Instagram, and Discord. Would be curious to hear your thoughts and there’s an open door for everyone!
