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ikTok is sprinting into the world of crypto by releasing a series of viral TikToks and a virtual sneaker as purchasable NFTs, in a launch called TikTok Top Moments. To kick off the release, the video-sharing app chose virtual influencer FN Meka to be one of the first creators to transform his viral videos into collectible NFTs.
Who is FNMeka?
FNMeka self-identifies as an AI robot rapper with more than 10 million TikTok followers. For total clarity, he’s an expressive virtual character living out the fictional storyline of an AI robot. He’s known not only for his sick beats but also his viral videos that feature insane imaginary brand crossovers, such as a Starbucks PlayStation 5 and a Lamborghini gaming chair.
His video content is truly the kind only a virtual influencer can create, and that’s precisely how he’s built such an impressive fanbase on the app. We interviewed Meka in 2020 when he first got started on TikTok to learn more about his vision.
This release isn’t his first foray into the world of NFTs. FNMeka recently partnered with G-Fuel, a leading energy drink brand, to create five custom digital flavors. Each G-Fuel flavor was represented by an NFT, which he then gave away to fans who participated in the NFT drop.
Meka is also known for auctioning off a Lamborghini porta potty from his viral TikTok with over 8.2 million news that first showcased the 3D asset. The virtual Lambo porta-potty sold as an NFT for $6,432 on SuperRare.
What is ‘TikTok Top Moments’?
The Top Moments series is TikTok’s first foray into the world of NFTs. The concept is similar to the NBA Top Shots NFTs project, through which people can buy and own a viral moment from basketball games—except, in this case, somebody can possess a viral TikTok.
TikTok partnered with Immutable X to create the infrastructure required for hosting and selling NFTs. The only thing remaining was to transform their most iconic viral videos into digital art. Remember Curtis Roach’s “Bored in the House” video that went viral in the early days of COVID-19? That’s now an NFT you can own.
What is RTFKT Studios?
RTKFT (pronounced “artifact”) Studios is a company that “uses the latest in game engines, NFT, blockchain authentication and augmented reality, combined with manufacturing expertise to create one of a kind sneakers and digital artifacts.”
While they’re known for their virtual sneakers and high caliber partnerships, the company is dropping 20,000 metaverse-ready "CloneX" avatars this November. What makes RTFKT stand apart from others in the NFT space is how all of their collectibles can be “forged” into a physical item for owners and the community they've built around their drops.
What NFTs did FNMeka, RTFKT, and TikTok sell?
FNMeka has officially created two TikTok Top Moments NFTs so far.
1. Ether Highs
The first NFT is a collaboration between RTFKT and FN Meka. They designed a sneaker inspired by Ethereum, one of the most popular cryptocurrencies used to purchase NFTs.
What’s most impressive about this virtual shoe is that it has a physical counterpart, which can be forged. While this isn’t the first time we’ve seen a virtual influencer design a sneaker, this is the first one from a virtual being available in both a physical and virtual version.
The utility of these shoes is a significant factor in RTFKT’s designs. Both the physical and the virtual sneakers are wearable shoes. Whoever owns these sneakers can show them off in the metaverse through experiences like Decentraland or even locally on the streets. Creating wearable virtual clothing is crucial, as eventually, we will use avatars every day in the metaverse, and people will want to customize them with the latest digital fashions — like these timeless sneakers.
2. The Real Iron Chef
The second TikTok Top Moment from FNMeka is an NFT based on his most popular videos. The original TikTok shows FNMeka in a chef’s outfit, speed-chopping a cucumber before his arm malfunctions and the video cuts abruptly. That video is now an NFT complete with a 3D virtual monster truck that drives over a pile of half-cut cucumbers. It sold for 3.6 ETH, which equates to roughly $14,000 at the time of sale — a small price for a virtual piece of TikTok history.
What's interesting about both of these NFTs is that their item descriptions paint a picture of what the metaverse future could look like:
“Virtual avatars will become an important part of the metaverse because they provide an outlet for real people to reflect their personalities, interests, and aspirations in fantastical ways that would be impossible in the real world. FNMeka’s unique sense of humor and personality are very real, but his infinite wealth and lavish lifestyle exist in the digital world, which many describe as the metaverse…
“In the metaverse, FNMeka can be whatever he wants, whenever he wants – and in this case, he wants to be a chef and test out his cooking skills. FNMeka’s personality is both uniquely his own, and a reflection of that of his creator’s. FNMeka hopes to show others that they, too, can be whoever they want to be through their own Virtual Avatars.” - TikTok Top Moments
The description alone illustrates TikTok as staying on the beat of digital culture.
So far, they’re the first major social media platform to sell NFTs officially. Facebook is certainly making headlines about their investment into the metaverse, and Twitter is courting the crypto crowd by giving people the option to have verified NFT profile pictures. But, TikTok has already taken the first steps into the internet’s future, and virtual influencer FNMeka is guiding them there.
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