I think it is important to realize NFTs that do well in the future may look completely different to the NFTs we saw take-off last cycle. It is also worth noting that NFTs are not static. They are a dynamic asset class that is continuously evolving with new innovation and technology (Hybrid DeFi for example). With all this in mind, let’s dive into the brand new world of LST-NFTs.

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Staking

In order to understand LST-NFTs, we first need to understand a Liquid Staking Token (LST). Solana uses a Proof of Stake (PoS) consensus mechanism which is run by block validators to ensure all transactions are secured and verified. This allows for entities, also known as “stakers,” to lock up SOL as collateral with validators in an effort to support consensus and secure the network. This process is known as traditional staking. As a reward, stakers earn yield on their SOL in addition to staking rewards.

Liquid Staking

Liquid Staking is a form of staking,  combining the rewards of traditional staking with the additional benefit of liquidity via a placeholder token that accrues the yield. Traditional staking requires stakers to lock up their SOL which means they are not easily accessible for use. Liquid Staking allows staked coins to be readily available for use throughout the staking process.

Now that we understand Liquid Staking, let’s dive into the brand new world of LST-NFTs being pioneered by the team at Pathfinders. With most LSTs, yield is returned to the LST holder with a portion being reserved for the underlying protocol. Sanctum however, has unlocked a variety of possibilities and unique uses for the yield generated by various projects LSTs. You can essentially earn yield, back your favorite projects by delegating your yield for a purpose or even perform actions with the accrued yield automatically. Using this framework with pathSOL (Pathfinders’ LST), the yield is allocated to Project Pathfinders to facilitate and fund the project’s growth, as well as enable the new LST-NFT standard. 

Pathfinders has also joined forces with the Phase Labs team to build a LST-backed NFT launchpad called Lilypad.

According to Lilypad:

Leveraging pathSOL as the cornerstone of LST-NFTs, we are pioneering a new generation of funner, safer, and riskless NFT projects.

How does it work?

Powered by Solana's consistent staking yield, projects that launch through Lilypad will have the ability to accrue yield based on the amount of NFTs minted through pathSOL. 

Other Exciting LST-NFT Ideas

Taking inspiration from Pathfinders here, LST-NFTs unlock a new variety of use cases. Subscription and Loyalty Program LST-NFTs seem like premier examples of ways that yield can be used to generate value and replace current user behaviors. 

For example, staking a few SOL in a Subscription LST-NFT could grant you access to a monthly newsletter or magazine, think Business Insider or an exclusive game pass for XBOX.

In a similar fashion, if you are a super fan of a brand you can stake your pudgySOL and receive discounts on physical items, obtain exclusive sticker packs, access online events, and more. 

Conclusion

Pathfinders will be the first project to launch on Lilypad. Does this start a new meta where users can recoup mint fees at any given moment?

In an era where liquidity extraction runs rampant, I for one am excited to see how the market reacts to this new paradigm.

To keep up to date with everything on Solana, be sure to follow us on X, browse our marketplace and subscribe to our blog.

Vote, Donate, Mint, Swap, Pay — use Solana, everywhere.
Why does any of this matter? What exactly do Blinks enable?

Buckle up and don’t blink. We’re about to dive in.

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Solana Actions

In order to understand Blinks, we first need to understand Solana Actions.

Actions are APIs that return transactions on the Solana blockchain to be previewed, signed, and sent across various contexts. Actions enable developers to integrate the Solana ecosystem where users are without needing to navigate away to a different app or webpage.

Blinks are one of many ways to interact with Actions. Blinks allow users to execute blockchain transactions directly from URLs, making decentralized applications accessible from any platform or device.

Other examples of Actions include:

• Integration to gaming platforms for in-game purchases

• Staking SOL

• Token-gated minting experiences

• E-Commerce websites accepting SOL payments directly from product pages

• Pay at stores by scanning a QR code

Blinks

Blinks launched with support from top Solana Ecosystem Partners including Tensor, Backpack, Phantom, Jupiter, Helius and more. I would be remiss not to also mention Dialect who built an incredible suite of developer tooling that powers Actions.

Potential

Initially, the Solana Action stack is starting on X. People are able to buy NFTs, swap tokens, stake SOL, and vote directly from their timeline.

The social effect of Blinks has massive potential. As our world becomes more and more digitized, the amount of time people spend on their favorite websites and apps has never been higher.

If you want to onboard the next billion people to blockchains, you need to reach people where they already are. Enabling the reading of blockchain transactions on our favorite apps such as X, Reddit, Instagram, and Discord is a powerful push to reach normies.

Safety

I have seen a few inquiries regarding the safety of Blinks. The easier you make it to use something, the easier it also becomes for bad actors to create scams.

Solana is planning to combat safety concerns in a few ways. 

To start, users have to opt-in to wallet support for Actions and Blinks. Launch partner domains are currently whitelisted. 

According to Solana: 

Whitelisted site domains are run by launch partners of Solana; however, users should take all the security precautions that they ordinarily would when connecting to a new site domain. If you attempt to connect to a site domain that is not whitelisted, you will be prompted to confirm that you trust this site domain and wish to proceed. Regardless of whether a site domain is whitelisted, transaction simulations / previews still occur in wallets as expected, allowing users to view transaction details before signing.

Dialect has teamed up with Solana and major wallets to run a public registry of Actions to keep users safe. Only Blinks from registered partners will unfurl directly in X. 

Can I Blink now?

Unfortunately, it isn’t as simple as “build it and they will come.”

Since inception, Solana has been focusing on building a robust and scalable infra capable of handling significant transactional volume. 

Blinks are a massive step in the right direction of hitting users where they already spend the majority of their time. I think Solana hit the nail on the head with this release.

The question is: what and where should we Blink next?

Be sure to follow us on X, browse our marketplace and subscribe to our blog.

If you're a crypto native, you've likely seen memecoins explode in popularity all throughout 2024. Born from the new wave of internet culture and driven by community hype, memecoins have become an unexpected yet fascinating facet of the metaverse.

Over the last few years, we've seen Ethereum as the primary playground for these coins... But times have changed. Enter Solana: the lightning fast hotspot for some of the most popular memecoins in the market. But, why did we see this shift to Solana, and what makes it such fertile ground for these tokens?

Buckle up; we're about to dive deep.

Emergence.

Back in the day (a few years in crypto time, which might as well be centuries), Ethereum was the go-to platform for memes. Think DOGE, SHIB and more recently, PEPE.

These memes captured imaginations and wallets alike, fueled by memes, celebrity endorsements, and a touch of absolute madness.

Ethereum's gas fees have always been a source of friction, however. Eventually, it became less feasible for small-time traders and developers to play the memecoin game. Then, along came Solana; with faster transactions, lower fees, and a burgeoning ecosystem.

Solana took away the friction from memes at a percent of the cost. It's no wonder initiatives began to flock to the ecosystem.

But which ones stand out the most?

Cats, Dogs & Everything Inbetween.

Now, let's get down to the nitty-gritty. Solana has seen its fair share of memecoins, with thousands of new coins launched every day, but a few standout players have captured the community’s attention and retained it over time.

Dogs: DogWifHat & Bonk

DogWifHat is no ordinary memecoin. It’s a token born from the Solana community itself aiming to build a decentralized ecosystem where memes drive not just laughs but utility. With a dedicated community and innovative features, Wif is proving that memecoins can be both fun and functional.

Bonk, on the other hand, took a different route. It has strong ties to the Solana community, and was vital to the metaphorical "revival" of the Solana community at its absolute lowest in December of 2023.

Bonk is not just a token; it's a movement. From distributing millions throughout the ecosystem to spearheading community-driven initiatives, Bonk is about giving back and harnessing the power of community.

Cats: Mew & Popcat

Mew was born from chaotic brilliance, and it didn't just ride the meme wave—it redefined it. From the rebellious logo to a fierce community of loyal patrons, Mew is a force to be reckoned with, within the landscape of the memecoin universe.

Then there's Popcat.

While other tokens were busy chasing the trends, Popcat gave the middle claw to convention. Much like Doge, it took a familiar, hilariously viral image and ran with it. Simplicity is the best thing going for Popcat, and it's impossibly hard to not chuckle at how charming the meme really is.

Celebrity Meta.

The buzz around Solana hasn't gone unnoticed in the world of mainstream entertainment, with the most notable and recent example being Iggy Azalea.

The famed rapper and songwriter recently announced her foray into the Solana space, alongside her own unique token.

There’s a lot to unravel with this new “celebrity” meta.

Here are a few key takeaways from the last few days:

• Mass Attention: As of late, in the crypto world, Solana has been a hot topic. Iggy has 7.8M followers on X. So, naturally, her recent involvement with the chain has brought significant attention to the blockchain, inspiring celebrities and fans alike to dive alongside her into the madness… all while showcasing Solana's potential as a platform for creative and financial ventures. 

• Last Cycle’s Celebrity Meta: Last cycle, there were multiple, well known celebrities that were called out for alleged rug pulls on NFT projects and meme coins, with significant transaction details to back these claims. Most of these celebrities have completely moved on from their crypto projects, refusing to deliver upon the promises they made to their communities. 

Which brings us to the next point: 

• Is this time different?: Notably after Caitlyn Jenner’s memecoin launches, Iggy Azalea engaged with the Solana community more thoughtfully, even going so far as to PFP a Mad Lassie, which at the very least, is interesting to observe. 

Remember when Jay-Z PFP’d his crypto punk in 2021? He still hasn’t changed it… 

Will we see more of this? 

Is it a good thing?

And will it further the space’s quest for adoption? 

Only time will tell.

Just Another Conclusion.

We used to share memes with our friends on Facebook. Now we literally trade them on the blockchain. The decentralized nature of these projects means that everyone has a voice—and they’re not afraid to use it.

Stay tuned to Tensor for all the latest within the Solana community whether it’s trending news or innovation, we’ll cover it.

Be sure to follow us on X, browse our marketplace and subscribe to our blog.

For example, it’s barely been over a week since The Backwoods – a Web3 brawl action-adventure game – sold out on Tensor; and players have been enjoying everything it has to offer. But what does this title offer that sets it apart from the crowd, and what other titles can avid Web3 gamers sink their fangs into? 

Let’s jump into the universe of Web3 gaming on Solana and unravel all its developments.

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Solana’s Latest Adventure 

Let’s quickly talk about The Backwoods: Web3’s spanking new, “meticulously crafted” brawler adventure game powered by Solana, Helius, Metaplex, Anchor and publicly launched on (you guessed it) our Tensor launchpad.

The lore heavy title approaches gaming from a decentralized angle, giving players a newfound sense of true ownership over their in-game assets which they can earn and trade on the blockchain. What’s more is players can earn the on-chain ‘$LEAF’ currency in-game, radically cracking open the world of possibilities for players new and old within the ecosystem of the Backwoods playerbase.

“The Backwoods is an otherworldly existence in a mysterious dimension. At the center of this enigmatic universe stands the Eldertree, a colossal arboreal entity pulsating with arcane energy under the ethereal glow of the moon. The universe is teeming with diverse inhabitants, a harmonious blend of humans and fantastical creatures, all drawing their life force from the Eldertree's sacred $LEAF.” (Source)

Backwoods offers characters within an immersive 2D world. By blending familiar RPG and hack-and-slash elements with the power of the Solana blockchain, Backwoods brings a new edge to the familiar medium of gaming. 

But what else is cooking within the Solana gaming ecosystem? 

The Games We Play

Solana has a variety of beautifully immersive games on the blockchain and Solana is home to some of the best. Below are just a few of the countless amazing titles you may or may not have heard of. 

Without further ado:

Star Atlas

Star Atlas is a beautifully immersive and ambitious space exploration game set in a futuristic sci-fi universe. 

Built on the Solana blockchain, Star Atlas aims to recalibrate traditions by combining interstellar travel with blockchain technology. Within Star Atlas, players can explore galaxies, immerse themselves within an in-game economy and engage in gripping space battles. Players can use $ATLAS to purchase resources and equipment and even trade, and sell their in-game assets if they so choose.

Star Atlas has been making crucial developments within their ecosystem and even have a mobile app releasing later this year.

Genopets

The move-to-earn NFT game ‘Genopets’ leverages Solana's lightning-fast speeds alongside its low transaction fee structure to bring players across the globe a truly decentralized and unique gaming experience.  In the game, players raise and evolve digital pets, called ‘Genopets’, by walking them and completing activities. Thanks to Solana’s TPS, the statuses of player’s pets are updated in real time. 

Genopets can also be sold or traded, with each individual pet’s evolution depending on the player's choices and activities. 

The V1 of the public beta for Genopets went live recently. Be sure to explore everything their game has to offer.

Aurory

Aurory is a vibrant RPG (role playing game) set in an expansive, high-fantasy universe. Rich with a deep lore, coupled with NFT assets, Aurorians can explore an open world with their characters where they can complete quests, battle enemies, and collect mysterious creatures called “Nefties”. 

Nefties aren’t just cute – they can be used in battles, trained for by players, and even traded as NFTs on the Solana blockchain. The title blends the traditional RPG elements we’ve all come to know and love with the decentralized power of Solana’s blockchain technology - providing players familiar with the RPG medium with a sense of ownership. 

Check out Aurory’s latest free-to-play release, ‘Seekers of Tokane’ here. 

Seekers of Tokane is available to play on Epic Games.

Conclusion

In the face of adversity, Solana continues to pioneer the evolution of games on Web3. With a robust ecosystem of developers, creators and ample tools to work with, it’s no wonder that games on the Solana blockchain have undergone such impressive development in such a short time span; furthering the potential of the titles we’ve mentioned (and more) to new impressive heights. 

Solana is perfectly positioned to become the hub for the next generation of Web3 games and Tensor is here to help uplift creators, rain or shine.

To keep up to date with everything on Solana, be sure to follow us on X, browse our marketplace and subscribe to our blog. 

See you in the metaverse. 

When you head over to Google and type in “NFTs are -” you’ll be met with a kickback flurry of very interesting search engine results. 

“NFTs are worthless”

“NFTs are a joke” 

“NFTs killed my Husband, so I learned martial arts in China and I’m currently seeking revenge” 

The first question that comes to mind is “what exactly did NFTs do to Google?” and why do people seem to enjoy dancing on the supposed grave of non-fungible tokens?

The second question is a bit more nuanced: If (and this is a big IF) NFTs are dead, then why do people talk about them so damn much?

Today we unravel these questions, dive into a bit of history and discover the meaning of life.

Well, kinda.

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The Great 2021 Explosion

In 2021 CryptoPunks were selling for millions of dollars, Beeple was blowing up, Bored Ape Yacht Club launched and some blockchain called “Solana” was doing astronomical amounts of volume in NFT sales due to how fast and cheap it was compared to the other popular chains retail pursued at the time.

We were seeing historic amounts of volume from collections like Okay Bears, DeGods and Solana Monkey Business. This surge in popularity was covered in the news media, popular culture and even hit a peak on Google Trends. Everything was great… Then one day, the bubble popped.

This was the opportunity for the media and the general public that either didn’t understand NFTs or missed out on the fun to congregate together and create a metaphorical spirit bomb out of thin air to end NFTs once and for all. 

Now, this is usually where the story ends; but in 2023 when NFT volume took a nose-dive into the pits of hell, the space had a much needed ‘coming to Jesus’ moment. It was time for NFTs to evolve beyond speculative assets, and for marketplaces like Tensor to innovate in ways that would make even the likes of great scientists like J. Robert Oppenheimer proud. 

NFTs needed a reset. And trust me, they got one. 

The Evolution of the JPEG

Due to the dollar sign attached alongside their mythological past, NFTs are inherently speculative – but those shouldn’t be the only things that separate them from regular JPEGs.

NFTs have always been fantastic branding and community building tools.

NFTs are stored on the blockchain, which points to domains to verify ownership.

NFTs are not static. They are dynamic assets that constantly evolve (as we’ve seen with SPL-20 and even more recently; Hybrid NFTs). 

And last but not least, NFTs get people — and keep people — talking.

Not only do they bring people together and significantly boost a brand's presence, they are controversial by nature. Controversy starts conversations, and these conversations can not be gate kept so long as creators continue to produce.  

Here’s what I mean: If NFTs died – really died – in 2023, then why do we all still talk about them so much?

How would it be possible for our ecosystem to interact with something that has been “dead” for so long?

Even if volume took a dip, how is it possible that Solana is still doing millions of dollars in NFT sales on a daily basis?

When was the last time something “dead” did that?

Through marketplace incentives and the reincarnation of the idea of NFTs, I’d argue that NFTs were inflated and simply cooled off. 

I’d argue that maybe a picture of a rock shouldn’t be selling for millions of dollars. 

And I’d argue that NFTs work in cycles, just like everything else in life. 

Managing Expectations

There was a time when NFTs simply defied reality. If that defiance of reality continued to persist without fail, it’s safe to say we would have probably stumbled upon other anomalies like AI-Robot Unicorns from outer space, or something.

The truth is we were conditioned into believing that NFTs were front-row seat tickets to financial freedom. We saw things that made no sense, and normalized them in our minds. Reality quite literally slapped us in the face and some of us either don’t know how to deal with it, or don’t want to accept it. 

I think it’s time to accept it.

NFTs are a part of the new technological revolution unfolding before our eyes in real time, and the truth is… they aren’t going anywhere. Hybrid NFTs, product verification and the sheer amount of updates we’ve seen this year alone are barely scratching the surface of what’s possible.

The truth is NFTs aren’t dead, because deep down, we love NFTs – and you (yes, you) just can’t seem to stop talking about them.

Are you looking to showcase your shiny, new collection on Solana’s most creator-friendly platform?

Look no further than Tensor's Creator Portal. 

Tensor’s Creator Portal tool streamlines the listing process, allowing anyone to share their creations with the Solana ecosystem with little to no friction.

Let’s jump in.

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Seamless Listing & Updates

Tensor makes listing your collection a breeze. To start: head over to the Creator Portal, accessible here. 

Once logged in, you'll be guided through a straightforward process. Tensor will ask for some basic collection details. You will also be asked to identify your collection and verify ownership. These steps don’t take long, and are extremely important for the purpose of due-diligence. 

But it doesn’t stop there.

The Creator Portal isn’t just about listing your collection and calling it a day. 

NFTs are an ever-changing landscape and Tensor is constantly at the forefront of innovation. That’s why the Portal empowers anyone to easily edit and update any significant change to their collection as needed, ensuring information remains accurate and current. 

This flexibility allows you to maintain control of your collection while reflecting the dynamic nature of your creative abilities. The sky's the only limit.

Verification + Visibility

Tensor's verification process adds a layer of trust and legitimacy to your collection. 

The verification process assures potential buyers that they are interacting with authentic works from the rightful owner(s). 

After your collection has been listed on Tensor, you’ll instantly gain access to a vast network of traders and collectors actively seeking out new and unique opportunities within the ecosystem of Solana NFTs.

“I Need Support!”

While this process was intentionally designed to be as frictionless as possible, we understand that creators may still need further guidance. 

If that sounds like you, you’re in luck.

Tensor provides comprehensive documentation that fully dives into the listing process while offering step-by-step instructions and helpful tips. 

The documentation will cover everything you need to know, and will help ensure a smooth experience for all creators; regardless of their experience level.

Conclusion

Tensor's Creator Portal has streamlined the way Solana NFT creators present their collections. With the intuitive interface, efficient listing process, and ongoing management capabilities at your fingertips, you (the creator) can focus on what you do best – delivering innovative and captivating digital art experiences to the blockchain.

Follow us on Twitter and subscribe to stay in the loop, and try the Creator Portal for yourself by visiting our website and navigating to “List Collection” to begin creating memorable experiences on the blockchain. 

Since the cryptic inception of crypto and NFTs, the concept of mass adoption has been a hot topic, lightly frosted with questions builders can’t help but contemplate: 

• What drives growth? Is attention actually the new currency? 

• What will the world look like in ten years, and how can Web3 protocols address these needs?

• If mainstream adoption is the metaphorical ‘north star’ of Web3, when will we find it? What will it look like?

While the idea of protocols catalyzing adoption through the development of apps in hopes of driving user expansion beyond a level we can comprehend is deeply rooted in fairytale levels of speculation; Web3 has proven time and time again that maybe this is a fairytale worth pursuing. 

For many of us, that tale began with Solana. 

Why Solana?

A website that keeps crashing. A streaming app with clunky UX. A car with an AC unit that keeps breaking in the summer no matter how many times the shop fixes it. 

Friction hinders adoption - but it also puts us off to companies, technologies and applications due to the PTSD of our horrible experiences with them in the past. 

Friction is a big deal, because friction is an experience. When friction is eliminated, so is frustration. When frustration is off the table, usage tends to increase. 

In the case of Solana – the fastest, most scalable blockchain in the world – usage has increased a lot; making it the perfect home for NFTs.

The overall thesis is straightforward: 

• In the past, NFTs were the first point of contact for users interacting with blockchain by an overwhelming margin. 

• NFTs are tools developers can use to drive adoption, before their popularity surges (again). 

• NFTs are based around consumer technology. Consumer applications need scale. Solana enables scale via Compressed NFTs (cNFTs).

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Features of a Virtuous Ecosystem 

Even for an ecosystem like Solana, mass adoption is no easy pursuit. However, it is attainable. The materials required for the journey to be a success can be broken down as follows:

• Scalability

We’ve mentioned how Solana is the most scalable blockchain, but perhaps that doesn’t mean anything to you without perspective. So, to put Solana’s scalability into perspective, protocols like DRiP are minting millions of NFTs per week for as little as $1,000 per 1 million NFTs.

To put that into perspective, minting a 10k generative art collection on ETH would cost over $300,000. 

Why can Solana stay so cheap? Partly because of the introduction of cNFTs. ‘C’ stands for compressed, and it allows anyone to mint an NFT at a fraction of the usual cost. While cNFTs are relatively new, they are constantly being improved and iterated upon, and are instrumental pieces in the grand puzzle of mainstream adoption.  

• UX

Remember what we said about friction earlier? Consumers want instant transactions in as few steps as possible. We know this much to be true; but how is it happening on Solana?

An example we can draw from are games. Gaming is a legitimate use-case for blockchain, and plays a vital role in Web3; especially on Solana. 

In fact, games like Star Atlas are leveraging Solana to ship user experiences where consumers don’t even realize they're utilizing blockchain.

Phantom doubles down on user experience by allowing consumers to purchase and trade crypto within the wallet and seamlessly swap between chains – all while harboring some of the best branding in all of Web3. 

The list goes on, and the further you go down the rabbit hole of excellence being built on chain, the more pleasantly surprising Solana’s UX becomes.  

• Experimentation 

Thanks to low fees and killer UX, Solana enables experimentation at a level that few other chains allow, due to high friction or the protocol’s inability to inherently scale. 

Solana’s low fees allows teams to try radical ideas.

For example: Programmable NFTs (pNFTs) by Metaplex enable creator royalties to be enforced on-chain, guaranteeing a legitimate revenue stream for creators.

pNFTs are crucial for the ecosystem. For ecosystems to thrive, creators need to get paid. Without creators there are no NFTs. Without NFTs, adoption is massively hindered. 

xNFTs (Executable NFTs) by Backpack are another such example – an attempt to put executable applications directly on-chain – which again, is only possible on Solana.

Here Today, Gone Tomorrow

Today NFTs are a niche community on a solitary corner of an emerging technology. 

Tomorrow NFTs will transform businesses, industries and entire economies.

Tensor protocols, and the Tensor foundation will also power and enable that future. Stay tuned and subscribe for more details on how we will do that, and how you can get involved.

Hybrid Theory

As NFTs continue to evolve in the ever changing landscape of the Solana ecosystem, it should come as no surprise to you that everyone and their mother on the timeline is talking about SPL-404.

But… What is SPL-404 exactly, and why should you care? 

In summary, SPL-404 (innovated by Mutantmon and inspired by Ethereum’s ERC-404 token standard) is the first generative Hybrid Token standard on Solana. 

Hybrid Tokens are a seamless blend of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and fungible tokens (SPL).

The idea behind hybridization is that each NFT is represented by a specific number of SPL tokens, and holders can swap Hybrid NFTs for SPL tokens.

That sounds good in theory, but theory can only take you so far. 

Below are the benefits the hybridization model brings to Solana NFTs, and why traders everywhere are paying attention.

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Measuring Perks

When evaluating the pros of SPL-404, a few things come to mind.

• First and foremost, increased liquidity for NFTs. Unless you’re living under a rock, you know NFTs have seen better days. Demand for liquidity has never been higher, and the trend has shown that traders have drifted to memecoins and tokens in placement of NFTs, because there is simply more liquidity. By hybridizing NFTs, you get the best of both worlds, and traders and collectors alike are both satisfied. 

• This might seem obvious, but fractionalization is another massive pro of the SPL-404 standard. Fractionalization is the “the act or process of a whole separating into two or more parts or pieces” and new tech like SPL-404 enables partial ownership of NFTs. Much like leasing a car, traders and collectors should always have an option to have partial ownership of their assets, rather than full commitment by default.

• Lastly, the last perk that SPL-404 enables is deflation via native deflationary tools with the help of token extensions. Burns and deflationary collections are quite a hot topic, and there are few ways to empower collections that want to take the leap. SPL-404 provides a solution to the problem.

Generative Hybrid Utility

What makes SPL-404 stand out compared to other Hybrid Tokens standards boils down to two things: Generative art and gamification via re-minting. 

As things stand, standards like SPL-20, and SPL-22 enable hybridization, but do not currently support unique artwork.

What makes SPL-404 so special is that each Hybrid NFT is represented by unique art… Yep, just like a good ol’ regular NFT collection. 

But what makes SPL-404 truly stand out is that they allow for 're-minting.' Re-mints bring gamification into the mix of traditional hybrid standards, and bring some of the magic back to NFTs via rarity speculation.

For example: Mutantmon’s re-mint allows holders to 'catch' new NFTs or 'release' them for tokens.

Another great example of utility can be found through Abble on Solana, where holders of $AABL will be able to provide liquidity, swap for ‘i404 NFTs’ and trade it on Tensor.

Conclusion

In conclusion, NFTs are evolving at lightspeed, and the SPL-404 standard is at the forefront of it. To stay up to date with Hybrid NFTs and more, follow Tensor on Twitter and subscribe to our blog.

Hey. I’m Lite, and I will be directing Tensor’s blog.

A month ago, I posted a tweet critiquing Solana marketplace point structures and why (I believe) gamification is a zero sum game for NFTs. A few hours later, I was thrown into a group chat with the team, where we worked out possible solutions that were eventually implemented.

A week after that, I found myself on a call with the CEO, Ilmoi. After a long conversation, he asked me to help lead Tensor’s blog department… And, well, the rest is history.

Tensor isn’t perfect – nor do they pretend to be. That’s kind of why I joined.

Like every other protocol in the ecosystem, they have a ton of work to do — but what sets them apart is their grit, alongside their no-nonsense approach to polishing the diamond in the rough that is the Tensor marketplace. 

But where will this vision eventually lead?

The Vision

For years now, I’ve been a high-profile writer in the Web3 space. I’ve seen a lot of things, and I’ve been blessed with many opportunities.

However, the opportunity to write for Tensor — a marketplace that prioritizes the greater good of the ecosystem — struck quite a chord for me.

From the team, to the mission and even the human-centered design of the protocol itself; the truth is glaringly obvious; the vision is quite grand, and the protocol is barely scratching the surface of developments to come.

In truth, I’ve undertaken a massive responsibility. This isn’t just some “writing gig” to me. I’ll be responsible for properly articulating Tensor’s mission, analyzing the intricacies of features within their marketplace, while depicting the future of NFT trading on Solana as a whole. 

To execute on this vision, we’ll need to start from complete scratch. 

Starting from Scratch

As the reader, not only will you be able to watch this unfold in real time… In the spirit of Tensor; you could play a vital role in its evolution by simply interacting with the blog.

The next few topics will cover a wide array of topics; ranging from the decentralization of Tensor’s protocols, to Tensorians and all the way to the end of 'Season 3' Tensor rewards.

If any of this intrigues you, do us a favor and subscribe to this blog.

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Closing Up

Tensor deeply cares about the community that uplifted them in the depths of the bear market.

To me, and so many other people, what Tensor has built, and continues to build, is a true paradigm shift in the world of Web3, but none of it would have been even remotely possible without you.

I appreciate the support in advance. In exchange, I promise to only deliver the absolute best. 

In the meantime, subscribe to the blog and stay tuned for future developments.