Twitter launches a new verified NFT profile picture feature. Could this be the step that carries NFTs into the mainstream?
Twitter Launches Verified NFT Profile Feature
NFTs as a profile pic is no new trend. Plenty of Twitter users have updated their profile picture to a cartoon ape, cat, or another digital avatar. Unfortunately, there is no way to prove at a glance that a user’s profile picture indicates true ownership of an NFT (non-fungible token) asset.
Twitter is hoping to help users prove they are the true owners of the NFTs in their profile pics by rolling out a new feature.
Users can authenticate their NFTs and, as a result, their profile picture will appear in a new “soft hexagon shape” rather than the circle profile shape currently used by the platform’s 397 million users.
The intent of the new feature is to send an instant signal that the NFT used in a profile picture belongs to the user in question, and is not a screen-grabbed-stolen-copy of an NFT. In order to get the verified hexagonal profile picture shape, a user needs to connect their crypto wallet and verify their non-fungible tokens.
Confused about NFTs? Learn about our recent NFT project.
“We see Twitter as the discovery platform for all things crypto, including NFTs. The NFT conversation on Twitter is thriving with 255.6 million tweets globally and continues to rapidly grow,” said Twitter.
“Authenticity around NFT ownership is important to the crypto community and with NFT Profile Pictures, we’re providing a way for people to prove ownership of their NFTs and support those making this art."
However, the new rollout comes with a decent amount of scrutiny from the crypto-community, many of whom complain that it doesn’t do enough to verify true ownership of the digital assets.
Here’s why.
Feature available for Twitter Blue users only The new NFT verification feature is only available for Twitter Blue users, Twitter’s $2.99 a month subscription service that allows users to recall tweets before they send (Undo Tweet) and access to fast-loading, ad-free articles from the Twitter Blue Publishing Network.
If you don’t want to sign up for Twitter Blue, you can’t access its NFT verification feature.
If the hexagonal-shaped profile pictures fail to catch on, it could be an indication that NFT users haven’t fully bought-in to the Twitter Blue subscription model. (As of publication, even the official Twitter account of Bored Ape Yacht Club – one the most successful NFT collections – hasn’t shifted to the verified hexagonal profile pic.)
Note: All Twitter users can see the hexagonal shaped profile images, whether they are a Twitter Blue user or not.
Verification limited to approved list of wallets In order to verify their tokens, Twitter Blue users can connect one of the approved wallets used to authenticate ownership, including:
- Argent
- Coinbase Wallet
- Ledger Live
- MetaMask
- Rainbo
- Trust Wallet
At this point, the Twitter Blue feature doesn’t support other wallets, such as Math Wallet, AlphaWallet, TrustWallet, and others.
No collection-level verification “When you see an NFT profile picture, you can see details about the NFT by visiting the profile, tapping on the profile picture, then selecting View NFT details. You’ll see details such as the NFT owner, NFT description, collection, properties, and additional details (such as the NFT’s contract address),” says Twitter.
While the Twitter Blue verification feature is a big step in verifying that your NFT actually belongs to you, it doesn’t verify whether your NFT comes from a big-name collection or is just a minted screen-grab of an existing NFT. Scams, fraud, and stolen NFTs are a big issue in the NFT community.
You could be the verified owner of a $5M CyrptoPunk NFT. Yet someone else could take a screenshot of your NFT and freshly mint (put on the blockchain as a token) their counterfeit copy.
Twitter’s verification process would verify that both images are on the blockchain with no immediate visual distinction between the “real” CryptoPunk NFT and the fake; users would have to click on the NFT profile picture to see more information about the artist and collection.
Twitter Blue Verification Could Help Make NFTs Mainstream
The Twitter Blue feature rollout is certainly not flawless and leaves plenty of room for improvement (and criticism from vocal naysayers).
But it’s a giant first-step that could help make NFTs more mainstream.
Just like the blue ticks that verify official Twitter accounts, once the hexagonal shaped profile pictures start showing up everywhere, millions of users may start wondering “what’s the big deal with NFTs, anyway?”
Whether the Twitter Blue verification will be embraced by the NFT community is yet to be seen, but it’s a solid step in the right direction to protect NFT owners and creators from scammers while helping shine a light on the rising popularity of these digital blockchain assets.
Do you want to launch an NFT or utilize blockchain technology to propel your business into the future? Schedule a consultation with GROW and learn more about our NFT and blockchain applications.
