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Basics on NFTs
A non-fungible token is a unique digital asset representing ownership of real-world items like art, video clips, music, and more. Unlike cryptocurrencies, non-fungible tokens cannot be traded for one another as each token has a different digital signature - however, both cryptocurrencies and NFTs are stored on a blockchain. The blockchain is an immutable ledger that facilitates transactions and tracks the movement of assets - simply put, NFTs are nothing without the blockchain.
What are NFT Royalties and What Problem Do They Solve?
Traditionally, an artist or creator didn’t have a way of earning money from their work after the initial sale. All their effort put into creating their work was only rewarded on a once-off basis and this may have not been enough to pay respect to the creation.
The buyers of their work however can sell the same artwork at the right time to the right buyer at a similar price or perhaps even more, without the original creator getting any sort of compensation or reward. This is where NFT royalties take the stage.
A royalty is a legally binding payment made to an individual or company for the ongoing use of their assets, including copyrighted works. Royalties can now be coded into NFTs through smart contracts - more on those later.
NFT royalties are simply the amount to be paid to the original creator of the NFT, whenever it is sold on a secondary marketplace. They’re providing a never-seen-before opportunity for creators to earn off their previous work passively, while they continue to release more work. This is providing a crazy earning incentive for builders and creators of all kinds.
How do NFT Royalties Work?
When the creator of an NFT lists an item or collection on an NFT marketplace, they are assigned to set the royalty percentage. This is the amount they’ll earn on an NFT into perpetuity. The creator of the NFT sets the royalty percentage before the NFT is minted.
Low royalty percentages are an option if you want to encourage potential buyers to purchase your NFT. With lower royalties, the seller of the NFT will earn more as a smaller percentage of the sale will go to the creator. Having a higher royalty fee on a collection may discourage investors and collectors from buying as they'll lose out on their next sale.
Higher royalties percentages are applicable when you want to generate maximum income from resales in the future. The average royalty percentage averages from 5-10%, the maximum allowed depends on the marketplace that the NFT is sold on.
On Momint's marketplace, there are no limits and you can set it at 0-100%, where for example, OpenSea has capped it at 10%
How Are NFT Royalties Paid Out?
Royalties are paid automatically within NFTs thanks to the functionality of smart contracts.
Smart contracts are programs stored on a blockchain that perform when specific predetermined conditions are met. Their key role is to automate the execution of an agreement between two parties, ensuring that there is certainty in an outcome.
Royalties are coded onto a smart contract on a blockchain, essentially being the terms and conditions of the contract. Each time a secondary sale occurs, the smart contract automates the process of fulfilling the terms and making sure the creator earns the royalty.
The beauty of smart contracts is that they’re incredibly efficient, but they also remove the need for a middleman or intermediary, removing any threat of fraud or mismanagement.
The Benefit of NFT Royalties
Royalties are one of the key selling points when it comes to creators looking into NFTs. These royalties are issued in perpetuity, meaning that creators can earn from every piece of work forever. This provides a crazy incentive for literally anyone that’s looking to turn their product into an NFT.
A great example would be a musician selling an album as an NFT. After the initial sale, every sale made afterward on a secondary marketplace would result in the artist receiving a small compensation. This means the artist will receive a consistent passive income (given it’s a fire album) for the rest of time.
The epic part here is that artists will keep earning from previous work rather than just the initial sale of the album. This provides a considerable monetary incentive for artists as well as all kinds of creators.
NFTs and blockchain technology have the potential to reward artists fairly for their work, as well as give them ownership as well as the power of distributing their work on more decentralised platforms. Creators deserve to earn for their work rather than the entities that offload their work, and NFTs can solve this problem.
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