27/01/2022 YouTube CEO hints at potential NFT features

Susan Wojcicki says the company is looking to ā€˜help creators capitalize on emerging technologiesā€™

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

YouTube NFTs may be in the works. In a letter published today, YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki suggested the company is looking to branch into NFTs in the future as another source of revenue for creators.

ā€œWeā€™re always focused on expanding the YouTube ecosystem to help creators capitalize on emerging technologies, including things like NFTs, while continuing to strengthen and enhance the experiences creators and fans have on YouTube,ā€ the letter reads.

The detail was part of Wojcickiā€™s latest letter to the YouTube community, which outlines areas the company plans to invest in, like gaming and shopping, and how it plans to support creators. Wojcicki said YouTube is looking to Web3 ā€œas a source of inspiration,ā€ specifically noting the opportunities with crypto, decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs), and NFTs.

YouTubeā€™s hints at possible NFTs are in line with other platforms that have recently rolled out their own versions or are rumored to be considering an NFT feature. Twitter now offers a way for users who own a special JPEG to ā€œshow off your prized possessionsā€ via ahexagonal profile picture. Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, is said to bepreparing something similarwhere users can display the tokens they own. A marketplace for NFTs is also reportedly in the works.

Creators of a few viral YouTube videos have already made them into NFTs and sold them on their own

YouTube did not provide additional details on what NFT features could look like at the company.

Creators of a few viral YouTube videos have already made them into NFTs and sold them on their own. The Charlie Bit Me NFT, depicting a baby biting his brotherā€™s finger, was auctioned off last year,selling for $761,000. David After Dentist, a video of a disoriented child post-anesthesia, wassold as an NFTfor over $11,000.

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https://www.theverge.com/2022/1/25/22899586/youtube-nfts-crypto-susan-wojcicki