According to U.Today, Emi Yoshikawa, Ripple's VP of Corporate Strategy and Operations, has recently commented on a new initiative by Japanese firm SBI Holdings. The initiative, which Yoshikawa described as a 'huge' deal, involves the use of the XRP Ledger to issue non-fungible tokens (NFTs) for Expo 2025, a forthcoming World Expo set to take place in Osaka, Japan. Visitors will have the opportunity to acquire NFTs of MYAKU-MYAKU, the official character of the Expo, by visiting the event and completing various tasks. Additional NFTs can be obtained by using the Expo's mobile app. The event is expected to draw in 28 million visitors.
An XRPL validator, Vet, has expressed the belief that the inclusion of XRPL NFTs will significantly enhance their visibility and demonstrate their capacity to serve 'real world purposes'. World Expos, designed to highlight advancements in science, economics, and technology, are held every five years. The most recent World Expo was hosted in Dubai, UAE in 2020, and before that, in Milan, Italy in 2015. The inaugural World Expo was held in London, UK in 1851. These large-scale events became regulated following the establishment of the Paris-based Bureau International des Expositions in the late 1920s.
The World Expo in Osaka is scheduled to run from April to October 2025. Japan has previously hosted such events in the 70s and 90s. The upcoming World Expo will concentrate on saving, empowering, and connecting lives. It will be held on an artificial island in Osaka Bay, near the mouth of the Yodo River.