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We can\u2019t deny it: the concept of identity<\/a> \u2060\u2014 and questioning it \u2060\u2014 is and will remain among the most intriguing capabilities as blockchain technology continues its evolution through modern society\u2019s financial and cultural landscapes.<\/p>\n Keeping in line with the decentralized and open nature of the Web3, anonymity (or pseudonymity) in the crypto and NFT space has forged novel dynamics. Until February 2022, for example, the identities of the founders of Bored Ape Yacht Club<\/a>, the most successful NFT project in existence, were a mystery.<\/p>\n But anonymity cuts both ways: It allows people to be active in the Web3 ecosystem while retaining their right to privacy, but it also raises some serious issues of transparency and accountability when individuals or groups in the NFT community grow to a scale that commands nearly unrivaled cultural and financial sway.<\/p>\n Proof Collective is one of those groups. And, as a subsidiary of the larger Proof brand that broke out into the NFT scene in early 2022, it\u2019s since become a Web3 powerhouse. But despite its size and influence, it\u2019s less well-known than it should be. So, let\u2019s unpack what this group is all about, where it came from, who its members are, and why that matters for the broader NFT community.<\/p>\n The Proof Collective is an exclusive members-only NFT community responsible for hugely successful projects like Moonbirds<\/a>, Oddities<\/a>, Grails<\/a>, and Emotes<\/a>. The collective comprises some of the most renowned artists and collectors in the space, though most of them are anonymous.<\/p>\n The collective launched in December 2021 after Co-Founder Kevin Rose turned a subset of the tightly-knit community that had grown up around the Proof podcast<\/a> into an organization with a specific mission. That mission? To be the best eyes and ears on the ground in the NFT space, always on the lookout for the next successful project of greatest interest to members.<\/p>\n We\u2019re not there yet. To join any group, it\u2019s a good idea to look at its history (and it\u2019s a cornerstone of internet history). Co-Founder Rose was the creative mind behind Digg<\/a>, the early-2000s social news-aggregation website that, before its ignoble end, helped build many of the core ideas that became hallmarks of Web2 giants like Reddit, Facebook, and Twitter. He\u2019s a veteran of the Web2 world that has successfully translated his keen investing abilities and eye for innovative strategies and talent to Web3.<\/p>\n With the help of co-founder and designer-illustrator Justin Mezzell<\/a> and the rest of the Proof team, the Collective grew into a Web3 player no one can ignore. On April 16, 2022, Proof launched Moonbirds, the 10,000-PFP project, and the collective\u2019s most familiar project to date.<\/p>\n Moonbirds took the NFT world by storm, becoming one of the top 10 highest-grossing NFT projects of all time less than one week after release. The project\u2019s all-time sales volume has reached an astonishing 166,681 ETH ($284,751,153.16, as of writing).<\/p>\n That project has now grown to include Moonbirds Oddities<\/a>, a 10,000-piece collection of Moonbird-derived NFTs designed by the successful NFT artist Gremplin<\/a>, with a sales volume of 15,219 ETH ($25,999,530.84, as of writing).<\/p>\n Okay, now we\u2019ll tell you how to join. To become part of the Proof Collective, you need a Proof Collective NFT<\/a>, which the group initially released via a Dutch auction starting at 5 ETH per unit. But the group\u2019s price has skyrocketed on the secondary market \u2014 for example, owning one will cost you 61 ETH (roughly $104,210), as of writing.<\/p>\n \u201cWe want to have curation with a point of view.\u201d<\/p>\n Proof Collective co-founder Kevin rose<\/cite><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/figure>\n That steep floor price comes with an array of benefits, including early access to the Proof podcast, access to the collectives Discord, free NFT drops, and access to in-person events. But the main draw of the community is the shared knowledge, experience, and prescience its individuals bring to the group.<\/p>\n \u201cWe want to have curation with a point of view and really give people the in-depth information they need to make decisions around what to collect and which artists to pay attention to,\u201d said Kevin Rose in an April episode of the nft now podcast<\/a>. \u201cIn the stock world, there are professional organizations that do nothing but gather data and create really in-depth research reports. We want to be that for NFTs.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n In case you missed it, therein lies the principal value of joining the Proof Collective \u2014 staying on the inside and knowing high-level intelligence on the NFT ecosystem. The use-value should go without saying, but this is not only great for finding fantastic art and innovative communities. It also means maintaining a better position to invest in projects that pay big dividends.<\/p>\n Another associated name of significant notoriety is the group\u2019s former COO, Ryan Carson, who left the brand<\/a> less than two weeks after Moonbirds launched, to start his own NFT venture fund. Called 1.21 Gigawatts Fund<\/a>, Carson\u2019s departure ruffled some feathers in the NFT community, with some coming close to calling it a rug pull<\/a>. As someone with insider knowledge of the project who was well aware of NFTs with rare traits in the Moonbirds collection, Carson collected more than 200 ETHs in Moonbirds before his sudden departure.<\/p>\n In response to the criticism surrounding Carson\u2019s move, Rose tweeted<\/a> that he had an internal policy \u201cnot to purchase any Moonbirds until rarity counts were out to the public,\u201d but couldn\u2019t stop someone from \u201cclicking a button to purchase.\u201d<\/p>\nJust what is Proof Collective?\u00a0<\/h2>\n
Okay, how do I join the Elite- \u2026I mean, Proof Collective?<\/h2>\n
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