10 Digital Creators Who Are Changing The NFT Game

LeBron James, Paris Hilton, Jack Dorsey and Steve Aoki are among those cashing in on the NFT craze.

Maxim Staff

Dec 2, 2021

As 2021’s Non-Fungible Token (NFT) sales approach $40 billion, its time to consider getting into the NFT game, if you’re not dabbling in it already.

Marc Beckman’s new book, The Comprehensive Guide: NFTs, Digital Artwork, and Blockchain Technology brings the reader directly to this fascinating–and lucrative–new intersection of pop culture and technology.

Beckman examines Beeple’s record-breaking $69 million sale at Christie’s and spotlights celebs who have already cashed in like Twitter founder Jack Dorsey, UFC star Conor McGregor, and supermodel Kate Moss.

The author also digs into the new digital artwork franchises of CryptoKitties, Bored Ape Yacht Club, and CryptoPunks and breaks down the benefits of crypto from fashion and sports to music and gaming.

Top NFT artists and creators are establishing creative vision, raising the bar for investment, and building the next generation of marketplaces that can benefit both your investment portfolio and your personal art collection.

Here, Beckman’s 10 digital NFT creators you need to know about right now:

LeBron James

(Getty Images/”The Comprehensive Guide: NFTs, Digital Artwork, and Blockchain Technology”)

Arguably the most coveted athlete on NBA Top Shot, a highlight of LeBron James dunking on a fast-break was purchased by Heritage Auctions for nearly $400,000. On February 22nd, NBA Top Shot reached its sales peak, boasting $45 million in sales on the single day.

Recently, the platform regained serious momentum with the introduction of its new “Run It Back” booster set, featuring NBA Hall-of-Famers Shaquille O’Neal and Dwyane Wade, recording a 128 percent surge in sales according to CryptoSlam.

Why LeBron? Since the Nike LeBron 8 MVP sneakers recently sold for $15,000, it’s likely that the NBA superstar’s digital artwork value will continue to surge.

CryptoPunks

The CryptoPunks NFT range boasts some of the priciest sales in history. As of October 2021, CryptoPunks boasted five of the top ten most expensive NFT sales prices ever, according to Dexerto.

Bored Ape Yacht Club

https://www.instagram.com/p/CW08A_hpdt_/

One of the biggest NFT sensations of 2021, BAYC’s secondary market sales is approaching $1 billion. In fact, on the morning of October 26th, a single Bored Ape Yacht Club NFT sold for $3.4 million at Sotheby’s, a record for the Ethereum-based NFT art franchise.

The Bored Ape Yacht Club craze is just gaining steam, with notable collectors like Post Malone, Jimmy Fallon, and Steph Curry buying into the community.

Listen Up: BAYC is launching a virtual-ape band, “KINGSHIP,” which recently signed with Universal Music.

Paris Hilton

Paris Hilton developed her first NFT in March 2020, and was recently awarded “Best Charity NFT” at the NFT Awards Ceremony. Hilton’s commitment to the sector transcends creator status; in fact she is an avid collector (Sotheby’s Metaverse recently hosted Hilton’s collection), and investor (backed Origyn, with Billionaire hedge fund investor Bill Ackman).

That’s Hot: Since 2006, Hilton built a company reportedly worth $4 billion, and her Midas Touch could translate into NFT gold.

Steve Aoki

Famed deejay Steve Aoki rocked the NFT world last March when his piece titled “Hairy” sold for $888,888.88 on Nifty Gateway. Since then, Aoki teamed with legendary comic-book creator Todd McFarlane and recently announced the upcoming launch of a new NFT marketplace named “OddKey.” You may have seen McFarlane’s work with fan favorite video game franchise Mortal Kombat.

The Wake Up Call: Look for Aoki to capture the hearts & minds of his massive fan base worldwide, thus naturally expanding the NFT marketplace globally.

Beeple

(Shuttershock/”The Comprehensive Guide: NFTs, Digital Artwork, and Blockchain Technology”)

Mike Winkelmann, aka “Beeple,” took his career as a graphic designer for brands like Pepsi and Nike to the next level, literally shattering the glass ceiling and inspiring slews of graphic designers to enter the NFT space.

What seems like an overnight sensation, Beeple commanded the world’s attention when his monumental digital collage, “Everydays: The First 5000 Days,” sold for a record-breaking $69,346,250 at Christie’s.

What To Watch: Peep BEEPLE’S new marketplace, “WENEW,” where collectors can grab a piece of history in real time.

Pak

It is widely reported that Pak is Elon Musk’s favorite crypto-artist. But who is Pak? Pak’s actual identity has yet to be revealed, and in fact, some speculate that Pak is a design consortium. That said, the anonymous artist’s collaboration with Sotheby’s last April reached $16.8 million in sales.

Pak Too? Yes, Pak remains important because the designers open-timed editions have been priced affordably. The high-demand volume play has provided widespread access for the masses.

Hashmasks

More than sixteen thousand unique pieces of digital artwork from over seventy artists worldwide have built Hashmask’s immense and impressives foundation. Interestingly, each Hashmask NFT can be renamed and personalized by its owner (NCTs). Moreover, the holder of the Hashmask artwork is also granted a license to commercialize.

Behind the Mask: Hashmask’s recents announced a NFT partnership with art bad-boy, Wolfgang Beltracchi, the infamous art forger who spent three years in a German prison and has been banned from museums, galleries, and auction houses. Blockchain technology will provide Beltracchi’s collectors with a verifiable and immutable authentic piece of artwork when each is minted.

Jack Dorsey

Twitter’s now-former CEO Jack Dorsey sold his first tweet as an NFT in March for an eye-popping $2.9 million. The tweet, which says, “just setting up my twttr” was posted fifteen years prior to the sale of the NFT.

Interestingly, Silicon Valley’s Justin Sun and Sina Estavi got into a bidding war over Dorsey’s NFT. Upon Estavi’s purchase of the NFT, Dorsey immediately converted the cash into Bitcoin and donated the proceeds to GiveDirectly, a charity benefitting people living in poverty.

Why You Should Give Two Cents: Charitable NFTs are going to light up, thus providing the purchaser with an investment vehicle and a donation which may be accounted as a tax deduction.

Dorsey’s Next Move? The Dorsey-helmed payment technology company Square will change its name to Block as it focuses on blockchain technology and looks to grow its footprint outside of its credit card reader business, CNBC reports. The move, which goes into effect Dec. 10, comes just days after Dorsey resigned as chief executive of Twitter.

CryptoKitties

https://www.instagram.com/p/CIG_B4dgDTf/

Arguably the first NFT that created fervor within the native cryptocurrency segment, these cuddly digital creatures have realized sales in excess of $100,000. CryptoKitties gamers literally breed cats with unique traits, which play a role in establishing economic value, and in turn the broader marketplace where cats can be traded, purchased, and sold.

The Cat’s Meow: CryptoKitties has brought thousands of new users into the cryptocurrency space vis-a-vis Ethereum and ETH. Can the launch of CryptoPuppies enhance the value of the cryptocurrency, Dogecoin?