Forbes Expands Into Metaverse With Launch Of Virtual Billionaires NFT Collection on FTX

NEW YORK – Forbes, long famous for its hierarchy obsessed rankings of the richest people on the planet, has launched a virtual Billionaires NFT collection to give curious 99 percenters a chance to live the life of the .0001 in the Metaverse. The collection includes a set of fictional investors with an enormous theoretical portfolio and virtual net worth based on live New York Stock Exchange pricing. Each NFT Billionaire will have compelling hobbies and an eccentric Forbes accessory that will be ranked daily on the forthcoming Forbes Virtual NFT Billionaires List. Forbes is offering subscribers early access to the NFTs.

Forbes has partnered with FTX, a leading global cryptocurrency exchange, to launch an ERC-721 token on April 13. Early access to the collection is available to Forbes subscribers on April 11. The sale includes an initial drop of 100 Virtual NFT Billionaires and, when the Forbes collection sells out, interested parties can still take part in the action by looking for Forbes Virtual NFT Billionaires for sale on any ERC-721 Marketplace.

Forbes Virtual NFT Billionaires will have their own profile page on Forbes.com featuring a custom illustrated headshot by Goodog and ItsACat, a group of 2D and 3D illustrators and animators based in Barcelona. Owners will also have their public wallet address listed with the Billionaire that they own on the Forbes.com official ranking.

“With the Forbes virtual Billionaires NFT collection, we are seeing an established and reputable media company endeavor into the blockchain industry,” said Tristan Yver, Head of Strategy at FTX US. “We are excited to partner with Forbes on their first NFT sale and will continue to encourage innovation and entry into the digital asset community.”

“The launch of this collection is an important step as Forbes embraces Web3 and digital assets, and it provides an opportunity for our audience to better engage in this space too,” said Vadim Supitskiy, Chief Technology Officer, Forbes. “Last year, we turned a Forbes cover into an NFT, demonstrating that journalism is as immutable as a piece of one-of-a-kind artwork. In March, we shaped the conversation around digital assets and Web3 at our inaugural Summit. Now, we’re cementing our place in the Metaverse by launching these interactive collectibles that can be authenticated and traded on the blockchain.”

The NFT Billionaires collection is the latest in a series of contributions Forbes has made to the digital art and blockchain space. On March 16, 2022, Forbes held its inaugural Digital Assets and Web3 Summit to gather key industry leaders – including Sam Bankman-Fried, Founder and CEO of FTX, and Kathleen Breitman, Co-Founder of Tezos – to discuss the future of digital assets and Web3. Attendees came together for a dynamic agenda of panels and fireside chats on topics including blue chip bitcoin, the impact of Web3 on the future of business, how blockchain is transforming ETF and what’s next for the NFT market.