Creating NFT – the best tools for issuing tokens of the future

Roman Pyrih

24 Feb 2022
Creating NFT – the best tools for issuing tokens of the future

The sports industry might be one of the most important branches for NFTs implementation. From rare collectibles to voting rights - NFTs revolutionize fan engagement.  

Table of contents:

  • Fan participetion network
  • Application of NFTs in the sport industry
  • The next level of fan experience
  • NFT fan engagement and the metaverse

The digital revolution has bypassed the conventional ways in which we structure our day-to-day operations, including entertainment, sports, and socialization. A token is a fragment of data that replaces another, the latter being more valuable, and which is stored on a blockchain. 

Tokens come in 4 main types: security tokens, payment tokens, utility tokens and object of today’s insertion, non-fungible tokens (NFTs). Non-fungible meaning they are not interchangeable with other articles due to their intrinsic qualities. For example, you cannot exchange a fridge with a typewriter and vice versa. However, fungible items can be swapped, because they are defined by their value, not their unique properties. A prominent example would be Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies such as Cardano which can be purchased and sold for money. 

The boom of digital assets

Although initially, non-fungible tokens had limited popularity in the mass market, now they are advertised on billboards, stadiums, in media, and services. Public awareness rose with the proliferation of “Cryptokitties”, an online game where players can breed and collect virtual cats. $12 million raised in investments alone, some of the “cats” were sold for over $150,000 a piece.

Soon after, the videogame was added to the ERC-721, a free and open standard that trains users on how to build tokens on the Ethereum blockchain, thereby coining it for the first time as an NFT. Recording an overall sale of $250 million in 2020, Dap Radar’s data logged a staggering $2.47 billion in the first 6 months of 2021, an 888 % increase. 

NFT space in a brief

NFTs vary in application, from digital art, gaming, music, and movies, now onto the final frontier of virtual reality, the Metaverse. The growing popularity of the token is that it provides an ownership alternative, enabling buyers to own items without having to compromise with media platforms. Ownership terminates only when the owner decides to sell the item. The key advantage is a unique and integrated blockchain mechanism that indicates effective ownership history and easily detects the authenticity of an NFT. 

Moreover, the potential is believed to be transformative. As DLT economies grow and the benefits of decentralized economies become undeniable for key investment players, there will be a shift towards decentralized finance. Tokens, amongst which NFTs, are the “lifeblood of this new system” (Tech Crunch).

Where will non-fungible tokens take us?

In a standard economy, and therefore in a DLT transition, sport is a major business. Consulting agency Kearney estimates that the industry is currently worth circa $620 billion, growing faster than the global GDP, making it an el dorado for those seeking fortune. The value generated and the prospects it offers make what first appears as a strange “collaboration”, only a natural step in the next gen of value creation. That begs the question, how does this collaboration work and how can the NFTs increase the involvement of sports fans? 

How can NFTs improve fan engagement?
How can NFTs improve fan engagement?

Fan participation framework

In the conventional, physical world, there are many ways to get involved in sports and all the entertainment around it. Some buy the merchandise, some wait for their heroes’ autograph in the blistering cold and some pass their time on collectibles, panini for example, a card cult in Italy. There is unquestionably a nostalgia and psychological dimension powering sports industry which attempts to merge innovative tech solutions to increase fans’ participation. The most recent examples of world’s most popular disciplines prove that. 

Why sports fans are interested in NFTs?

The use of NFTs is purposed towards more meaningful fan-club interactions. Collectibles or player cards are virtual, allowing fans to gather and swap stickers with unique highlights from their athletes. These cards have levels of rarity, some entering the market with a thousand-dollar price tag. That excites supporters, as it has for decades in a non-virtual environment and are thrilled to buy cards of their favorite sportsmen, even if pricey.

Case in point is Dapper Labs’ NFT marketplace platform NBA Top Shot where the lowest asking price for Ja Morant’s dunk series 1 is $475,000. Lebron James topped his legendary 32 at $535,000.  Derrick Rose’s legendary 59 is currently valued at 1 million dollars.

Where new technologies meet fan base

The list goes on. The assurance to the fan is that the card becomes a non-exchangeable unit of data, meaning it holds a stamp of authenticity through the blockchain, annulling potential for fraud or mistake. The fan can trade safely, and the athlete can in fact create a novel source of income. Tampa Bay’s tight end Rob Gronkowski recently launched his personalized set of digital cards which show himself in action, removing elements that may infringe image rights, but nevertheless good enough to profit almost $ 2 million in sales. 

The next level of fan engagement

Other than a business-grounded optic, NFTs encourage athletes to redefine their relationships with the public. That can be in the form of exclusive career content or rewards for the best fans including personal visits, online contact, gifts etc…. At this stage, this is hypothetical talk but done correctly, can bring the stands closer to the pitch, a dream every supporter holds.  

Fantasy sports leagues

In some cases, NFTs can also be used within fantasy sports league applications, with each NFT representing a player who could be part of a team entered into season-long competitions. In the Fantasy League, an e-sports platform where users set up their own teams based on existing clubs, NFTs radically transformed the way how digital interactions related to sports now occur. 

With Sorare, you create Fantasy Football lineups using NFT cards that you actually own. When the players score on the field, you win real money. The match in Russia notched Anderson a prize of 0.25 ETH (now worth around $500) and additional NFTs – more player cards – now worth over $2,000. Sorare doles out these prizes constantly. “I saw the potential right away,” says Anderson. “This is fun and engaging, and I can win NFTs and [ETH] using my passion for football and sports.” Anderson is part of a rabid group of soccer fans (120,000 active monthly users) obsessing over Sorare – an addictive blend of fantasy football, collecting and the wheeling and dealing of crypto trading. He loves it so much he started The Sorare Podcast, where guests join him to geek out over strategy.

Merchandise as digital products

Sportswear as a digital product

A step further past collectibles is wardrobe. Now more than ever have fashion and sports been synonymous of one another. Nike has become a dominant force in streetwear apparel besides brands such as Puma, Adidas, and Champion. Buying sportswear is a fashion statement, one that NFTs are starting to introduce in digital form. For example, Gucci Virtual 25 replicates a shoe design that can only be used in augmented reality.

Gamers (including sporting players) buy “skins” to give themselves a unique look, one that makes them stand out, and this has been going on since 2012, so the idea already exists. Until now, the industry has topped at relatively basic gear and memorabilia but with the creation of the metaverse, nothing is off the table.

How did the championship ring become a digital asset?

In basketball, 15 years onwards from Miami heat’s first championship glory, the NBA commemorated the event with an NFT collection, where virtual championship rings of the time, alongside banners and flags were offered on their digital platform. In football, ACF Fiorentina delivered special edition merchandise of jerseys for their 95-year anniversary, 95 jerseys materially and digitally available. The project was conducted on the Genuino program, a fan engagement platform where fans can purchase digital collectibles, certified by blockchain technology.

All in all, the paradigm describes a parallel shift in engagement, from physical to digital, but NFTs can do more than switch scenery, they can so to speak, buy you that sunrise view.  

Decision making in sports clubs

In Japan, clubs in the non-professional shallows up until first division (J1) are adopting the token model to manage ownership structures with fans, and the sponsorship deals that underlie them. YSCC Yokohama announced that they had sold half a million dollars of tradeable fan tokens from the beginning of May, promising fans the possibility to vote on matters such as uniform design, player of the week, attend pre-match meetings with staff and access to VIP tickets.

In Turin, Juventus’s stadium, the Allianz, blasted Blur’s “Song 2” every time the “vecchia signora” would score a goal. This was possible because fans on a blockchain ecosystem called Socios.com decided so. The platform sells tokens, and the more you own, the stronger your voting powers are. The founder Arthur Dreyfus discussed the globality of the sport and that this mechanism allows fans that are away to still be part of the event, especially in times of Covid.

In theory, a song played at the Olimpico di Roma or Rajko Mitić Stadium in Belgrade can be selected by fans in India or even the Mauritius. No limits – global inclusivity is the 1st rule. It must be clear that organizations are run by professionals, so boundaries are in place and they won’t budge. Fans must make content with their role as fans, but that doesn’t mean they can’t have their piece of the pie. 

How we can use NFT in sports fan engagement
How we can use NFT in sports fan engagement

NFT fan engagement and the metaverse

A study by Deloitte predicted that by the start of 2023 already 5 million fans will have either acquired NFTs or received them as a gift. There is a lot of convincing evidence to believe that fan engagement will be bolstered by activity outside of sports. Art, music, gaming, the wider possibilities are what initially will drive the NFT model, but sports, with its billions of fans around the globe, will have its say.

As strange as it appears to purchase digital content, we must understand that it is a recent phenomenon, an oddity. But with the advent of gamer culture, this is no longer the case. In 2020’s second quarter, American consumers spent about $1 billion on gaming content. By 2022, especially in case of COVID induced lockdown, tens of billions of dollars will flow into purchases. In this context, we can only expect for tokens to increase in numbers, types, and functions, and expect them to enter our everyday lives in more ways than we first thought. The sports industry may be among the first ones to experience that radical change. 

Tagi

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AI in Real Estate: How Does It Support the Housing Market?

Miłosz Mach

18 Mar 2025
AI in Real Estate: How Does It Support the Housing Market?

The digital transformation is reshaping numerous sectors of the economy, and real estate is no exception. By 2025, AI will no longer be a mere gadget but a powerful tool that facilitates customer interactions, streamlines decision-making processes, and optimizes sales operations. Simultaneously, blockchain technology ensures security, transparency, and scalability in transactions. With this article, we launch a series of publications exploring AI in business, focusing today on the application of artificial intelligence within the real estate industry.

AI vs. Tradition: Key Implementations of AI in Real Estate

Designing, selling, and managing properties—traditional methods are increasingly giving way to data-driven decision-making.

Breakthroughs in Customer Service

AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants are revolutionizing how companies interact with their customers. These tools handle hundreds of inquiries simultaneously, personalize offers, and guide clients through the purchasing process. Implementing AI agents can lead to higher-quality leads for developers and automate responses to most standard customer queries. However, technical challenges in deploying such systems include:

  • Integration with existing real estate databases: Chatbots must have access to up-to-date listings, prices, and availability.
  • Personalization of communication: Systems must adapt their interactions to individual customer needs.
  • Management of industry-specific knowledge: Chatbots require specialized expertise about local real estate markets.

Advanced Data Analysis

Cognitive AI systems utilize deep learning to analyze complex relationships within the real estate market, such as macroeconomic trends, local zoning plans, and user behavior on social media platforms. Deploying such solutions necessitates:

  • Collecting high-quality historical data.
  • Building infrastructure for real-time data processing.
  • Developing appropriate machine learning models.
  • Continuously monitoring and updating models based on new data.

Intelligent Design

Generative artificial intelligence is revolutionizing architectural design. These advanced algorithms can produce dozens of building design variants that account for site constraints, legal requirements, energy efficiency considerations, and aesthetic preferences.

Optimizing Building Energy Efficiency

Smart building management systems (BMS) leverage AI to optimize energy consumption while maintaining resident comfort. Reinforcement learning algorithms analyze data from temperature, humidity, and air quality sensors to adjust heating, cooling, and ventilation parameters effectively.

Integration of AI with Blockchain in Real Estate

The convergence of AI with blockchain technology opens up new possibilities for the real estate sector. Blockchain is a distributed database where information is stored in immutable "blocks." It ensures transaction security and data transparency while AI analyzes these data points to derive actionable insights. In practice, this means that ownership histories, all transactions, and property modifications are recorded in an unalterable format, with AI aiding in interpreting these records and informing decision-making processes.

AI has the potential to bring significant value to the real estate sector—estimated between $110 billion and $180 billion by experts at McKinsey & Company.

Key development directions over the coming years include:

  • Autonomous negotiation systems: AI agents equipped with game theory strategies capable of conducting complex negotiations.
  • AI in urban planning: Algorithms designed to plan city development and optimize spatial allocation.
  • Property tokenization: Leveraging blockchain technology to divide properties into digital tokens that enable fractional investment opportunities.

Conclusion

For companies today, the question is no longer "if" but "how" to implement AI to maximize benefits and enhance competitiveness. A strategic approach begins with identifying specific business challenges followed by selecting appropriate technologies.

What values could AI potentially bring to your organization?
  • Reduction of operational costs through automation
  • Enhanced customer experience and shorter transaction times
  • Increased accuracy in forecasts and valuations, minimizing business risks
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Want to implement AI in your real estate business?

Nextrope specializes in implementing AI and blockchain solutions tailored to specific business needs. Our expertise allows us to:

  • Create intelligent chatbots that serve customers 24/7
  • Implement analytical systems for property valuation
  • Build secure blockchain solutions for real estate transactions
Schedule a free consultation

Or check out other articles from the "AI in Business" series

AI-Driven Frontend Automation: Elevating Developer Productivity to New Heights

Gracjan Prusik

11 Mar 2025
AI-Driven Frontend Automation: Elevating Developer Productivity to New Heights

AI Revolution in the Frontend Developer's Workshop

In today's world, programming without AI support means giving up a powerful tool that radically increases a developer's productivity and efficiency. For the modern developer, AI in frontend automation is not just a curiosity, but a key tool that enhances productivity. From automatically generating components, to refactoring, and testing – AI tools are fundamentally changing our daily work, allowing us to focus on the creative aspects of programming instead of the tedious task of writing repetitive code. In this article, I will show how these tools are most commonly used to work faster, smarter, and with greater satisfaction.

This post kicks off a series dedicated to the use of AI in frontend automation, where we will analyze and discuss specific tools, techniques, and practical use cases of AI that help developers in their everyday tasks.

AI in Frontend Automation – How It Helps with Code Refactoring

One of the most common uses of AI is improving code quality and finding errors. These tools can analyze code and suggest optimizations. As a result, we will be able to write code much faster and significantly reduce the risk of human error.

How AI Saves Us from Frustrating Bugs

Imagine this situation: you spend hours debugging an application, not understanding why data isn't being fetched. Everything seems correct, the syntax is fine, yet something isn't working. Often, the problem lies in small details that are hard to catch when reviewing the code.

Let’s take a look at an example:

function fetchData() {
    fetch("htts://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com/posts")
      .then((response) => response.json())
      .then((data) => console.log(data))
      .catch((error) => console.error(error));
}

At first glance, the code looks correct. However, upon running it, no data is retrieved. Why? There’s a typo in the URL – "htts" instead of "https." This is a classic example of an error that could cost a developer hours of frustrating debugging.

When we ask AI to refactor this code, not only will we receive a more readable version using newer patterns (async/await), but also – and most importantly – AI will automatically detect and fix the typo in the URL:

async function fetchPosts() {
    try {
      const response = await fetch(
        "https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com/posts"
      );
      const data = await response.json();
      console.log(data);
    } catch (error) {
      console.error(error);
    }
}

How AI in Frontend Automation Speeds Up UI Creation

One of the most obvious applications of AI in frontend development is generating UI components. Tools like GitHub Copilot, ChatGPT, or Claude can generate component code based on a short description or an image provided to them.

With these tools, we can create complex user interfaces in just a few seconds. Generating a complete, functional UI component often takes less than a minute. Furthermore, the generated code is typically error-free, includes appropriate animations, and is fully responsive, adapting to different screen sizes. It is important to describe exactly what we expect.

Here’s a view generated by Claude after entering the request: “Based on the loaded data, display posts. The page should be responsive. The main colors are: #CCFF89, #151515, and #E4E4E4.”

Generated posts view

AI in Code Analysis and Understanding

AI can analyze existing code and help understand it, which is particularly useful in large, complex projects or code written by someone else.

Example: Generating a summary of a function's behavior

Let’s assume we have a function for processing user data, the workings of which we don’t understand at first glance. AI can analyze the code and generate a readable explanation:

function processUserData(users) {
  return users
    .filter(user => user.isActive) // Checks the `isActive` value for each user and keeps only the objects where `isActive` is true
    .map(user => ({ 
      id: user.id, // Retrieves the `id` value from each user object
      name: `${user.firstName} ${user.lastName}`, // Creates a new string by combining `firstName` and `lastName`
      email: user.email.toLowerCase(), // Converts the email address to lowercase
    }));
}

In this case, AI not only summarizes the code's functionality but also breaks down individual operations into easier-to-understand segments.

AI in Frontend Automation – Translations and Error Detection

Every frontend developer knows that programming isn’t just about creatively building interfaces—it also involves many repetitive, tedious tasks. One of these is implementing translations for multilingual applications (i18n). Adding translations for each key in JSON files and then verifying them can be time-consuming and error-prone.

However, AI can significantly speed up this process. Using ChatGPT, DeepSeek, or Claude allows for automatic generation of translations for the user interface, as well as detecting linguistic and stylistic errors.

Example:

We have a translation file in JSON format:

{
  "welcome_message": "Welcome to our application!",
  "logout_button": "Log out",
  "error_message": "Something went wrong. Please try again later."
}

AI can automatically generate its Polish version:

{
  "welcome_message": "Witaj w naszej aplikacji!",
  "logout_button": "Wyloguj się",
  "error_message": "Coś poszło nie tak. Spróbuj ponownie później."
}

Moreover, AI can detect spelling errors or inconsistencies in translations. For example, if one part of the application uses "Log out" and another says "Exit," AI can suggest unifying the terminology.

This type of automation not only saves time but also minimizes the risk of human errors. And this is just one example – AI also assists in generating documentation, writing tests, and optimizing performance, which we will discuss in upcoming articles.

Summary

Artificial intelligence is transforming the way frontend developers work daily. From generating components and refactoring code to detecting errors, automating testing, and documentation—AI significantly accelerates and streamlines the development process. Without these tools, we would lose a lot of valuable time, which we certainly want to avoid.

In the next parts of this series, we will cover topics such as:

Stay tuned to keep up with the latest insights!