Is NFT consumption or finance?
Written by: Liu Honglin, Mankiw LLP
Since the concept of NFT digital collections began to catch fire in 2021, players and investors around the world have poured into this field, and it has quickly become another hot spot after virtual currency. However, as the craze fades, especially in the Chinese market, the positioning of NFT digital collections has begun to become subtle.
As a legal practitioner who has long been paying attention to the blockchain field, Lawyer Honglin has been thinking about and paying attention to the feasible commercialization paths of NFT digital collections. Recently, he happened to communicate with several entrepreneurs of NFT digital collections, and he increasingly feels that: in the Chinese environment, the relationship between NFT's "consumer attributes" and "financial attributes" is the key to whether NFT can survive in the long run.
From a global perspective, NFT digital collections are no longer just a synonym for digital artworks, and they are going further and further on the road of financialization. For example, many overseas platforms not only regard NFT digital collections as unique digital assets, but also include them in the scope of financial investment: hype, speculation, and even financial derivatives based on NFT digital collections. These methods of playing are endless. However, can such a method of playing be realized in China?
Obviously, it is unlikely. China has always had a strict regulatory attitude towards virtual currencies, especially in 2021, when it intensified its crackdown on virtual currency-related activities. At the same time, the country is also constantly strengthening the prevention and control of financial risks similar to Tokens. Therefore, those "financialized gameplays" of overseas NFTs will inevitably be "castrated" when they come to China. I believe that for NFT digital collections to survive in China for a long time, they must take a path of "consumption attributes greater than financial attributes." One of the charms of NFT digital collections is that they can be deeply integrated with various cultural industries. Digital art, sports entertainment, celebrity peripherals and other fields can bring fans and users a deeper interactive experience through NFT digital collections. For example, NFT digital collections like NBA Top Shot have attracted the attention of a large number of basketball fans by selling digital collection cards of NBA highlights. This model also has similar scenarios in China, such as artists issuing limited edition digital artworks, virtual idols' exclusive NFT digital collections and peripherals, and so on.
China is a huge cultural consumption market. If NFT digital collections can be combined with local culture and seize the trend of cultural consumption, it is entirely possible to open up a larger market in the future. For example, Peking Opera NFT, digital versions of traditional handicrafts, and even digital props for domestic TV dramas and variety shows may become popular areas for consumer NFT digital collections in the future. This combination with culture can not only meet the emotional needs of users, but also enhance the scarcity value of NFT digital collections, thereby promoting the legal survival of NFT digital collections.
In addition to the cultural industry, NFT digital collections can also be combined with fields such as education, charity and social responsibility to form new application scenarios. More and more public welfare organizations are trying to raise funds by issuing NFT digital collections, using their uniqueness and scarcity to attract donors. For example, some environmental protection organizations use sales revenue for environmental protection projects by issuing limited edition digital artworks. For donors, this is not only a way to support charity, but also to obtain unique NFT digital collections as a souvenir. The combination of NFT digital collections and the field of education also has potential. For example, some online education platforms can provide users with exclusive learning materials, limited edition course content or certification of specific courses by issuing NFT digital collections. This method can not only stimulate users' interest in learning, but also create a new digital education consumption model.
How to define consumption attributes?
When it comes to consumption attributes, many people may first think of the consumption behavior of physical goods, such as buying clothes, electronic products, or limited edition sneakers. In fact, in the field of NFT, this consumption attribute also exists. For example, the limited edition digital artworks or digital collection cards issued by many platforms, the essence of these NFT digital collections is no different from buying a pair of limited edition sneakers.
For example, a brand has released a series of limited edition NFT sneakers. Users who own the NFT can not only display them in the virtual world, but also enjoy special discounts in the brand's offline stores with this NFT digital collection. For many users, this is a consumption behavior. They buy NFTs not to resell them for profit, but to enjoy these additional benefits. This model is likely to be promoted in China because it is more in line with the definition of consumer goods.
The uniqueness and uniqueness of NFT digital collections make them have the scarcity attribute similar to physical collectibles in the digital field. Just as limited edition sneakers have set off a craze among young people, digital collectibles are also sought after in the online world. Especially in China's game industry and two-dimensional culture, the consumption of NFT digital collections is more obvious.
Financial attributes have not completely disappeared
Of course, the fact that consumption attributes are greater than financial attributes does not mean that NFT digital collections have no investment value at all. In fact, NFT digital collections are like limited edition sneakers. Although they are consumer goods, they will have a certain premium among specific user groups because of their scarcity.
True fans are willing to pay more for their favorite products, but at the same time, some hype players will make profits by purchasing, holding, and reselling. This phenomenon is common in the global sneaker and art markets, and it also happens in the NFT digital collection market. Decades ago, old stamp collectors were keen on stamp collecting. Some precious stamps had high prices in the market because of their scarcity, which is not fundamentally different from today's NFT digital collection enthusiasts. At this time, NFT digital collections seem to be consumer goods, but because of their uniqueness and scarcity, they have "investment value" to a certain extent.
However, the financialization of NFT digital collections in China must be carefully controlled. China has strict supervision on the financialization of virtual currencies and related assets, so NFT digital collections cannot be hyped and speculated on a large scale here like in overseas markets. In order to circumvent this, some platforms have begun to ensure the healthy development of the market by limiting the price fluctuation range of NFT. For example, some platforms set an upper limit on the increase to avoid excessive price fluctuations caused by market speculation. This approach not only retains the investment attributes of NFT digital collections, but also limits the accumulation of financial risks.
NFT and circle culture
Although China has strict supervision over the financial attributes of NFT, there is still huge potential to be tapped in the market. NFT digital collections are combined with consumer goods, and are providing sustainable market space for more users through limited issuance, exclusive rights and interests, etc. China's huge base of young Internet users and cultural consumption habits also provide possibilities for the future development of NFT projects. As a digital collectible, NFT often realizes the amplification of its value through circle culture.
The fan circle is a path for NFT digital collections to survive legally. Users in these circles often have a deep emotional resonance in a certain field based on common interests and hobbies. For example, fans of artworks, music albums or virtual idols may gain a closer connection with their favorite things through NFT digital collections. This connection is not just a monetary return on investment, but also an emotional and cultural resonance. The fan circle can be seen as a market segment. Through precise target audiences, NFT digital collections can gain high recognition and acceptance in these fields. For example, after purchasing a limited edition NFT music album, users can get opportunities to interact with artists, exclusive concert tickets, etc. This type of project not only meets the consumption attributes of NFT, but also creates additional value and experience through user circle culture.
At the same time, this model makes NFT digital collections more reasonable when they are circulated. If a collector wants to resell NFT digital collections, he can get a reasonable premium through scarcity and demand in the user circle. This lays the foundation for the long-term development of NFT digital collections in China. Therefore, the price of NFT digital collections will not get out of control due to excessive speculation, but will fluctuate around real user needs and consumption attributes.
Although the NFT digital collection market has broad prospects, to achieve long-term development, more user education and market maturity are needed. At present, many users still perceive NFT digital collections as "hype" and "speculation", ignoring their true consumer attributes and application value. Platforms and industries need to conduct more educational activities to let users understand that NFT digital collections are not just a tool to make money, but can become a bridge connecting creators and consumers in the digital world.
By raising users' awareness of NFT digital collections and reducing speculation in the market, a healthier ecosystem can be created for the NFT digital collection market. Users can not only obtain unique digital collections through NFT digital collections, but also trade and invest in a reasonable way, rather than blindly following trends and speculating.
At present, many platforms have been trying to achieve the legalization and standardization of NFT digital collections through technical means. In particular, some leading platforms are actively embracing the country's regulatory requirements to ensure the legality and compliance of NFT digital collections. The development of NFT digital collections in China is destined not to be as financialized and speculative as overseas markets. China's market and policies determine that the future of NFT digital collections here is more inclined to consumption and collection. Although the scarcity of NFT digital collections brings certain financial attributes, this is only an added value, not the core.
Attorney Mankiw's Summary
Are NFT digital collections consumer goods or investment products? From the perspective of China, the key to the long-term survival of NFT digital collections is that their consumption attributes outweigh their financial attributes. We cannot deny that NFT digital collections have certain investment value, but this value must be controlled and limited in the Chinese market. Just like limited edition sneakers or precious stamps, NFT digital collections can be collectibles in the fan circle, but they can also bring certain premium returns under certain conditions.
The future of NFT digital collections lies in how to provide users with more consumer experiences within a legal framework, while bringing a healthy and sustainable ecosystem to the market. In this process, NFT digital collections will become a bridge connecting digital assets and physical consumption, providing new possibilities for the widespread application of blockchain technology in China.