Introducing digital collectibles to showcase NFTs on Instagram
Update 29 August 2022 at 09:00 PT:
As we continue to roll out digital collectibles on Facebook and Instagram, we’ve started giving people the ability to post digital collectibles they own on both Facebook and Instagram. This will enable people to connect their digital wallets once to both apps to share their digital collectibles across both.
Update 4 August 2022 at 07.00 PT:
Today we are starting international expansion to 100 countries in Africa, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East and America. In addition, we now support wallet connections with Coinbase Wallet and Dapper, as well as the ability to post digital collectibles minted on the Flow blockchain.
To post a digital collectible, all you need to do is connect your digital wallet to Instagram. As of today, we support connections with third-party wallets including Rainbow, MetaMask, Trust Wallet, Coinbase Wallet, and the coming soon Dapper Wallet. Supported blockchains at this time include Ethereum, Polygon and Flow. There are no fees associated with posting or sharing a digital collectible on Instagram.
Originally published on May 10, 2022 at 05.00 PT:
Every day, creators inspire people and push culture forward around the world. With the incredible opportunity of blockchain technology, they can now leverage new tools to earn revenue, and fans can support their favorite creators by purchasing digital collectibles – art, photos and videos, music or trading cards – as non-fungible tokens (NFTs). Starting this week, select creators and collectors can share their digital collectibles on Instagram.
Creators are using new technology like NFTs to take more control over their work, their relationship with their fans and how they can make money. At Meta, we look at what creators are already doing across our technologies to improve their experience, help them create more monetization opportunities, and bring NFTs to a wider audience.
Introducing digital collectibles
We’re starting to test digital collectibles with a handful of US creators and collectors who will be able to share NFTs on Instagram that they’ve made or purchased. This feature includes:
- Connect to a digital wallet. Once connected, creators and collectors will have the ability to choose which NFTs from their wallet to share on Instagram.
- Sharing of digital collectibles. When a creator or collector posts a digital collectible, it will have a shimmering effect and may display public information, such as a description of the NFT. Posts will also be visible on their profile.
- Automatic tagging of both the creator and the collector. The creator and collector can be automatically attributed in the digital collectible (depending on the privacy settings).
We collect and organize public data from open blockchains, such as Ethereum, to provide this feature. From this public blockchain data, we can only identify which collectibles belong to collectors and creators when they connect third-party wallets to Instagram. As of launch, the blockchains that will be supported are Ethereum and Polygon, with Flow and Solana coming soon. Third-party wallets compatible for use include Rainbow, MetaMask and Trust Walletwith Coinbase, Dapper and Phantom coming soon. There will be no fees associated with posting or sharing a digital collectible on Instagram.
It is crucial that our early efforts in this area empower diverse voices and that underrepresented groups have access to new digital assets such as NFTs. By building support for NFTs, we aim to improve accessibility, lower barriers to entry and help make the NFT space more inclusive for all communities. It is also important that we keep Instagram a safe and pleasant place for everyone. Therefore, people can use our tools to keep their accounts safe and report digital collectibles that violate our Community Guidelines. In addition, we understand that blockchain technology and NFTs raise important questions about sustainability. Meta will help reduce the emissions impact that may be associated with displaying digital collectibles on Instagram by purchasing renewable energy. Learn more about our commitment to sustainability here.
We will expand access to digital collectibles soon, bringing the benefits of NFT ownership to even more creators and collectors. For now, if you want to see digital collectibles in action, follow these accounts: @adambombsquad, @bluethegreat, @bossbeautiesnft, @c.syresmith, @cynthiaerivo, @garyvee, @jenstark, @justmaiko, @maliha_z_art, @misshattan, @nopattern, @oceanworld, @paigebueckers, @phiawilson, @swopes and @yungjake.
“I’m excited to share my NFT journey with the community I’ve cultivated on IG for over ten years! I love how this new feature allows collectors to trace the art back to the artist and be part of the community that they’ve built on IG so long. I also love how it bridges the gap between my traditional art community and the Women Rise NFT community.” – @maliha_z_art
What will be next?
Across Meta, we will continue to listen to feedback as we embark on this new area of investment for the company. Soon, we’ll be rolling out digital collectibles on Facebook, allowing people to display and share their digital collectibles as AR stickers in Instagram Stories. You can read more about our AR effort here.
In the coming months, we will explore additional features to bring additional benefits of this technology to creators and collectors.
