Twitter took Web3 by storm when they rolled out their NFT PFP feature to Twitter Blue subscribers. Now, Instagram is following suit and embracing Web3 - but this time this innovative NFT feature isn’t gated behind a paywall. Discover what this new development means for the world of Web3.
Instagram Begins Testing New NFT Features
Instagram is embracing the NFT community with new features to support creators and collectors. The much-anticipated reveal comes after Mark Zuckerberg’s March 2022 confirmation that NFTs would be coming to the platform.
An Instagram post made by Adam Mosseri, who is head of the social media platform, shares that creators and collectors will soon be able to share their favorite NFTs to Instagram as posts, stories, and messages. Even better? Instagram won’t be charging users to post and share NFTs. This sets it apart from Twitter, which rolled its NFT functionality out to those who subscribed to its paid Twitter Blue.
This feature will initially be rolled out to a limited number of users.
Instagram’s Role in the Distributed World of Web3
In his video post, Mosseri acknowledges the inherent tension in a centralized platform like Instagram striving to embrace NFTs and Web3, a technology that’s all about distributing power. By starting their roll-out with a small group of users, Instagram hopes to learn from the community’s feedback and resolve some of this tension, embracing the spirit of distributed trust and distributed power.
Supporting the NFT community is part of Instagram’s effort to tap into the Creator Economy, helping NFT artists make a living doing what they love. In time, this change can help make Web3 technology accessible to a broader audience.
This is the First of Several Exciting NFT Features Expected from Meta
Meta, the parent company of Instagram, is planning NFT integrations for four major blockchain networks; Ethereum, Polygon, Solana, and Flow. Supporting these four blockchains allows Instagram to reach the vast majority of digital collectors.
The platform also intends to support widely used crypto wallets like MetaMask, Rainbow, and Trust Wallet. By connecting their wallet, Instagram users will be able to share their favorite NFTs with posts that give attribution to both the collectible’s creator and owner.
Mark Zuckerberg announced that this feature will be followed by more updates, such as:
- NFT sharing on Facebook
- Augmented reality or “3D” NFTs in Instagram Stories
Instagram is the latest in a line of social media platforms to roll out support for NFTs on their platform. What features would you like to see next? Share with us on social media.
Featured Image Credit: Instagram
