NFTs

The Spaces convened a wide-ranging discussion on the early-2026 NFT market, OpenSea’s upcoming token, project building, and a renewed focus on onboarding and collectibles. Hosts and collectors noted a green first week and debated OpenSea’s farming/chest mechanics, Q1 token timing, and market psychology. Poppy outlined Quirkies’ “Core Kids” as a non-mint, metadata-toggle second collection, emphasizing storytelling, animation, and social content, with commendable OpenSea support. Jeremy from VeeFriends detailed their live social shopping strategy, token-gated Shopify, Book Games burns, Privy wallet integration, and a credit-card purchase flow via Rarible to reduce friction. Gary Vee joined to frame 2026–27 as the “collector era,” urging demand creation, consistent storytelling, multi-character IP, and easier UX; predicting rotation into conviction projects, some top collections going to zero, and eventual mainstream brand acquisitions of dormant NFTs. The group explored IP vs tech, RWAs, flywheel entry tiers (e.g., mutants, Series 2), Vitalik’s Milady signal, and the need for alignment, community care, and cross-pollination. The session closed with plans for continued Sunday Spaces and interest in “vibe coding” to empower community-built apps.

NFTS Sunday Space: 2026 Outlook, OpenSea Token, Quirkies Core Kids, and VeeFriends’ Collector Thesis

Who spoke (real names where clear)

• Loki (host): Moderation, market takes, OpenSea token discussion.
• Mac/Macavelli (co-host): Community banter, honorary Quirkies.
• Proof (Proof of Alpha): Co-hosting, alignment theme, community ethos.
• Poppy (Quirkies owner): Detailed update on Quirkies and Core Kids strategy, OpenSea coordination.
• Jeremy (VeeFriends): Strategy and operations, tech integrations, community perspective.
• Gary Vaynerchuk (Gary Vee): Macro thesis on NFTs as collectibles, onboarding, demand creation, market structure.
• Chensanity (Chen): Observations on Gary’s return to NFTs and onboarding impact.
• DWebs: Integration/usability questions.
• Warner, Mason, Ronnie: Community building, onboarding, and IP questions.
• Anon, Musty: Discussion on permissionless culture, Malady debate.

Market mood and reset

• Sentiment: The first week of the year feels “green” across crypto and NFTs; hosts emphasize keeping momentum after late-year vesting and dumps.
• Macro banter: Joking attribution of market upticks to U.S. geopolitics; tongue-in-cheek speculation that “America conquering everything” or Maduro/Bitcoin headlines nudged risk assets.
• Path forward: Expectation of consolidation ending, potential crypto bull cycle, hope NFTs will follow.

OpenSea token: timeline, waves, and farming effects

• Timeline: The latest OpenSea communication indicates a Q1 token launch. Community expects more “waves” (e.g., Wave 6) before launch.
• Mechanics: Continued 1% fees; likely continued “chest” gamification to power rewards and sinks.
• Farming impact: Mixed views—
  • Pros: Extra volume, incentives, engagement.
  • Cons: Visible sell pressure and “dump” loops during weak sentiment, reinforcing negative psychology.
• Allocation curiosity: How OGs and skill-based components get rewarded will influence token reception.

Quirkies update: Core Kids launch and IP direction

• Launch execution:
  • Quirkies deployed “Core Kids” as a toggleable second collection embedded in the main NFTs (no paid mint).
  • OpenSea BD and support team stayed late (Christmas eve) to ensure metadata push and launch quality—won community respect.
• Design choice: Each Quirkie received a 1:1 “kid” art set via the toggle—making holders’ experience frictionless: no mint, no gas, no action required.
• Strategy:
  • “Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook” approach—give value before asking; rebuild trust after previous ask-heavy eras.
  • Focus on story, lore, naming the brand’s face character, and creating content for the next generation.
  • Building animation capability (short, long form), memes, and a heavy social push to extend IP reach.
• Community: Honoraries for active space leaders (Mac, Loki, Proof). Emphasis on authenticity versus rage-bait.

Gary Vaynerchuk’s thesis: NFTs are collectibles forever; 2026 as the collector era

• Web2 vs Web3: Tribalism around labels is meaningless—blockchain rails will underpin mainstream experiences.
• Collector era:
  • 2026 likely favors true collectors over pure speculators.
  • Flipping, holding, and collecting are all “allowed”—personal freedom matters.
• “NFTs are forever”: Despite brand stain and boom-bust cycles, NFTs fit historic collectible patterns (cards, comics, toys). Small, durable communities transact daily even in lulls.
• Demand creation (the crux):
  • The industry must build character/IP that people love (games, cartoons, films, manga/anime, music, fashion).
  • Most current NFT IP resembles single-mascot brands (Hello Kitty-like), while VeeFriends aims multi-character (Marvel/Disney-like).
  • Expect large IP incumbents (Disney, Pokémon, Netflix, Warner) to buy dormant NFT brands once stigma fades.
  • The term “NFT” may get rebranded to “digital collectibles.”
• Friction reduction:
  • Credit card checkout and Apple Pay for NFTs via partner marketplaces (e.g., Rarible), with web3 handled in the background.
  • Over time, seed phrases and “MetaMask complexity” will feel archaic—buying will become simple.
• Security and purpose:
  • Reasons to collect vary (deeper connection, community flex, potential investment).
  • Tech/security friction will diminish; purpose emerges from storytelling and community.
• Market structure expectations:
  • Liquidity likely consolidates into ~5–7 projects showing consistent demand creation and execution.
  • Several current top-25 projects may trend to zero as collectors reallocate.
  • CryptoPunks uniquely trade on history; require no demand-creation engine.
• VeeFriends stance:
  • Active onboarding beyond CT (crypto Twitter) is working; VF floors comparatively resilient last ~100 days.
  • Commitment to build VeeFriends “for life,” asking listeners to explore vefriends.com/comics and free content.

VeeFriends operations (Jeremy): tech and go-to-market

• Live social shopping:
  • Thesis: China’s adoption shows the path—U.S. will scale live shopping. VeeFriends streams 3–5 days/week across platforms (Whatnot, TikTok).
  • Swipe-to-buy UX reduces friction and creates familiar purchase behavior for non-crypto consumers.
• Wallet abstraction & checkout:
  • Privy wallet integrated into VeeFriends account login; one sign-in verifies NFTs across VeeFriends, OpenSea, Rarible.
  • Credit card flow via partner storefronts; aim for “three-click” purchase UX.
• Token-gated commerce:
  • Custom Shopify plugins verify ownership for discounts/early access.
  • “Book Games” burns: bi-weekly draws where holders burn tokens for prizes (digital NFTs, physical boxes, merch).
• RWA (Real-World Assets):
  • First RWA drops mid-January as an airdrop to holders.
• Scarcity vs rarity:
  • Scarcity requires constrained supply relative to demand; rarity alone is not scarcity.
  • VF balances production to satisfy core holders while preserving scarcity and enabling onboarding.

Community-building, onboarding, and alignment

• Focus on experience after purchase:
  • Immediate inclusion, visible community activity (Discords, spaces), and ongoing events matter.
  • “Farming vs hunting”: nurture existing holders while actively reaching new audiences.
• Scale expectations:
  • Global addressable market is vast; NFT penetration still a fraction of a percent.
  • Onboarding “hundreds” of net-new collectors per quarter is meaningful and compounding.
• “Flywheel” ladders:
  • Entry points (e.g., Series 2, companion collections) help newcomers become fans before upgrading.
  • Examples: BAYC→Mutants, Pudgy→Lil Pudgys, VeeFriends→Series 2/TCG, Punks ecosystem→Meebits.

Debates: Malady PFPs, permissionless culture, and optics

• Vitalik’s Malady PFP:
  • Seen as signal that Ethereum core stakeholders increasingly acknowledge NFT culture’s role.
  • Some praise Malady’s cipherpunk, unapologetically permissionless ethos; others caution that offensive content and controversies deter mainstream adoption.
• Takeaway: Permissionless expression exists alongside reputational risk; leaders weigh alignment carefully when signaling.

Additional project notes

• Market examples:
  • High-profile sales and floor bounces (e.g., CryptoPunks) noted as early signs of renewed interest.
  • Artifact/Nike: Past acquisition illustrates Web2 brand integrations; expectation of more IP M&A in next cycles.
• Meebits: Viewed as an undervalued entry for the Punks/LL ecosystem under new stewardship.

Highlights and key insights

• 2026–2027 are poised to be “collector years,” less driven by pure speculative farming.
• Demand creation via storytelling is existential—characters, universes, and content drive sustainable value.
• Friction is being engineered away (wallet abstraction, credit cards, live shopping), reducing onboarding barriers.
• Liquidity consolidation ahead: expect reallocation from weaker IPs to a handful of projects consistently executing.
• CryptoPunks remain the historical benchmark; other projects must earn relevance through execution.
• VeeFriends and Quirkies exemplify dual tracks: tech simplification plus multi-channel IP building.
• Community and alignment: Post-purchase experience, clear values, and consistent presence matter more than ever.

Actionable takeaways for teams and collectors

• Teams:
  • Build multi-layer funnels (free content, low-cost physicals, entry NFTs, premium NFTs).
  • Reduce friction (abstract wallets, credit cards) and invest in live social shopping.
  • Token-gate utility pragmatically (discounts, early access) while preserving scarcity.
  • Develop character lore and cross-media content; consider RWAs for tangible bridges.
• Collectors:
  • Evaluate “jockeys” (teams) for consistency and demand creation, not just roadmap claims.
  • Expect liquidity migration; prepare to consolidate holdings into conviction projects.
  • Participate in community activities that reinforce IP and expand audience (spaces, streams, content).

Closing and next steps

• Gary Vee intends to join Sunday sessions more regularly; Jeremy to coordinate.
• Vibe coding: Emerging community tool-building trend; potential for fan-built apps to extend IP utility and reach.
• Next NFTS Sunday Space planned for next week; ongoing focus on alignment, onboarding, and execution over hype.