What Is NFT And How Does It Work

Rahul Maheshwari
6 min readOct 22, 2022

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What is NFT
Picture Credits : forbes.com

NFT is a new technology that allows digital assets to be stored on a blockchain. This means that NFTs can be bought, sold, or traded like other assets, but they also have the added security of being stored on a decentralized network. NFTs can represent anything from digital art to in-game items, and they are becoming increasingly popular as a way to invest in and trade digital assets.

What is NFT?

NFT is short for non-fungible token. NFTs are a new type of digital asset that exist on blockchains such as Ethereum. They are unique, indivisible, and represent a wide range of digital and physical assets.

NFTs have a few key properties that make them different from other digital assets:

1. They are unique: Each NFT is one-of-a-kind and cannot be duplicated.
2. They are indivisible: NFTs cannot be divided into smaller pieces.
3. They represent a wide range of assets: NFTs can represent anything from digital art and collectibles to physical objects and real estate.

Because NFTs are built on blockchains, they come with all the benefits of cryptocurrency — they’re secure, transparent, and immutable. But because they’re uniquely identifiable, they can also be used to represent ownership of real-world assets like property or art.

How does NFT work?

NFT is a digital file that can represent any type of asset, including but not limited to: illustrations, videos, articles, music, and even virtual real estate. The defining characteristic of an NFT is that it is unique and thus cannot be replicated. This makes NFTs ideal for collecting or showing ownership of digital assets.

NFTs are stored on a blockchain — a digital ledger that creates a permanent record of all transactions. When you purchase an NFT, you receive a token that represents your ownership of the asset. The blockchain then records this transaction so that it cannot be altered or deleted.

Since NFTs are stored on a blockchain, they are also decentralized — meaning they are not subject to the control of any one entity. This makes them more resistant to fraud and censorship than traditional forms of ownership.

The benefits of NFT

NFTs, or non-fungible tokens, have been getting a lot of attention lately as a new way to own digital assets. Unlike Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies, which are each identical and interchangeable, NFTs are unique digital assets that can be bought, sold, or traded like any other collectible. So what are the benefits of owning an NFT?

One of the most attractive things about NFTs is that they can be used to represent any kind of digital asset, from art and music to video games and in-game items. This gives artists and creators a new way to monetize their work, and it also gives collectors a new type of asset to invest in.

NFTs also have the potential to change the way we think about ownership. Because they exist on the blockchain, NFTs can be bought, sold, or traded instantaneously and securely. This opens up a whole new world of possibilities for how we trade and use digital assets.

Finally, NFTs offer a new way for brands and businesses to interact with their customers. By creating unique NFTs that represent their product or service, businesses can create a more personal and engaging relationship with their customers.

Drawbacks of NFTs ?

NFTs have a number of potential drawbacks, including:

-They’re expensive and slow to create: minting an NFT can cost anywhere from a few dollars to thousands of dollars, depending on the blockchain used and the level of complexity involved. And it can take minutes or even hours to mint a single NFT.

-They’re resource intensive: because they’re built on blockchains, NFTs require significant amounts of compute power and energy to create and store.

-They’re not very portable: NFTs are usually stored on the blockchain that they were created on, which means they’re not easily transferable to other blockchains. This can make it difficult to use NFTs in different applications or platforms.

-They’re not very private: because NFTs are stored on a public blockchain, anyone can see their contents. This lack of privacy can be a problem for some users or applications.

What are the risks of investing in NFTs?

Just like any other investment, there are risks associated with investing in NFTs. These risks include:

1. They’re new and unproven: The technology behind NFTs is still very new and unproven. This means that there is a greater risk that they could fail or be replaced by something better in the future.
2. They’re volatile: The prices of NFTs can fluctuate rapidly due to their scarcity value and speculative nature. This means that investors could lose money if they sell at the wrong time.

How to get started with NFT

To get started with NFTs, you’ll first need to set up a wallet that supports them. Some popular options include MetaMask, Coinbase Wallet, and Trust Wallet. Once you’ve created your wallet, you’ll be able to buy, sell, or trade NFTs on a variety of different platforms.

When buying or selling an NFT, you’ll need to pay attention to the asset’s smart contract. This is because the smart contract will contain information about the asset’s ownership, price, and other important details. It’s important to make sure that you understand the contents of the smart contract before buying or selling an NFT.

Finally, it’s also worth noting that there are a few different types of NFTs: fungible (or “utility”) tokens and non-fungible (or “collectible”) tokens. Fungible tokens can be divided into smaller units and are interchangeable with other tokens of the same type. Non-fungible tokens, on the other hand, are unique and cannot be divided into smaller units.

The different types of NFT

There are three different types of NFT:
-Erc-721
-Erc-20
-Ethereum Name Service

Erc-721

Erc-721 is the most popular type of NFT. It is a non-fungible token that is stored on the Ethereum blockchain. Each Erc-721 token is unique and cannot be replaced by another token.

Erc-20

Erc-20 is another type of NFT that is also stored on the Ethereum blockchain. However, unlike Erc-721 tokens, Erc-20 tokens can be replaced by other tokens of the same type.

Ethereum Name Service (ENS)

Ethereum Name Service (ENS) is a type of NFT that allows you to register a name on the Ethereum blockchain. ENS names are unique and cannot be replaced by another name.

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Rahul Maheshwari
Rahul Maheshwari

Written by Rahul Maheshwari

Digital Marketer at SocioBlend | Football Maniac | Value Investor | Petrol Head | Plantsman

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