What Is a Proof of Attendance Protocol (POAP)?

Proof of Attendance Protocol (POAP) refers to a business offering to use the ERC-721 NFT protocol on Ethereum to ascribe individuals a unique, non-fungible blockchain-based identifier that only the person can access. POAP addresses the problem of identifying people rather than transactions or value, and it uses the blockchain that underpins digital assets and non-fungible tokens.

POAP provides event participants with a way to verify their attendance through collecting digital badges where they live on-chain. The badges are all unique, meaning that the only way to claim them is to receive them at the event. Each badge is visually unique and non-replicable, meaning it doubles as an NFT and can be traded as NFTs on exchanges. One of its key values is that it provides irrefutable proof that an individual had been to an event or studied at a certain place. For instance, proving to your future employers that you studied at Harvard or having a track record of highly successful work in your profession means that people are more likely to trust and value your expertise in the field.

POAP has two categories of users: event organizers and collectors. Event organizers can create events and make and distribute POAP badges to attendees. At the same time, collectors can bookmark moments in their lives or demonstrate their attendance to others with custom, unique NFT badges.