Quick summary
NFTs (or non-fungible tokens) are a fundamental shift in digital ownership and authenticity. Originally associated with digital art, it's increasingly clear they'll have huge repercussions for anything digital - from gaming to community building.
So what exactly are they? How do they work? And what’s coming next?
Below, we’ve collected some of the best guides, articles, and explainers to answer these questions and start you on your journey to understand, invest in, and build with NFTs.
Introductory guides and explainers
Non-fungible tokens (NFT) by the Ethereum Foundation
A guide answering what NFTs are, what they’re used for, how to build with them – and their environmental impact.
The Non-Fungible Token Bible – What is a non-fungible token? by OpenSea
The first section of this comprehensive guide to NFTs – which also includes the history, token standards, and the state of the market – explains what they are.
A beginner’s guide to NFTs by Linda Xie
This guide explains what NFTs are before delving into their use in art, gaming and social tokens, and what the future holds for NFTs.
What are NFTs? by Argent
Our simple guide to NFTs – what they are, why they matter, how they work, and how you can use them with your Argent wallet.
What are fractionalized NFTs? by Argent
Now that you know what NFTs are, learn how they are being split up into smaller pieces so anyone can own a part of the most iconic (and expensive) NFTs.
The big picture and big ideas
NFTs and A Thousand True Fans by Chris Dixon
How crypto and NFTs are transforming the creator economy.
NFTs make the internet ownable by Jesse Walden
How NFTs are becoming the "port of entry" for every piece of media on the internet.
The Value Chain of the Open Metaverse by Packy McCormick
Web3, NFTs, open versus closed “Metaverses”, and the direct-to-avatar economy explained.
History of NFTs
The Non-Fungible Token Bible – History of non-fungible tokens by OpenSea
A potted history of NFTs from 0 BC (Before CryptoKitties) to 2020.
The History of Non-Fungible Tokens by Andrew Steinwold
Another history of NFTs that traces their roots even further back, from the Colored Coins of 2012-2013 to the NFT Cambrian explosion of 2018-2019.
Digital Collectibles and the Weird Future of “Digibles” by Josh Stark
An article from the time when NFTs were just getting started, covering the early digital collectibles – or “digibles” – and the weird collectible future (which we’re now living in).
NFTs and the creator economy
Power to the Person by Packy McCormick
NFTs’ role in transforming the creator economy and the rise of the solo corporation.
Tips for creators getting into crypto by Patrick Rivera
How crypto and NFTs will be a core part of every creator’s business.
Creators, Communities, and Crypto by Fred Ehrsam
Fred Ehrsam, Blake Robbins, and Jesse Walden discuss how crypto is enabling creators and communities to do things they never expected.
Marketplaces and the NFT ecosystem
Quick Overview of the NFT Ecosystem by Andrew Steinwold
The marketplaces, exchanges, games, virtual worlds, and DAOs that make up the NFT ecosystem.
Where can I buy and hold NFTs? by Argent
Our guide to the best marketplaces to buy NFTs and how to securely store them.
Technical foundations
EIP-721: Non-Fungible Token Standard by William Entriken, Dieter Shirley, Jacob Evans, and Nastassia Sachs
The specification for ERC-721, the NFT token standard. This is a technical guide, but it also includes some notes about how NFTs evolved and early use cases.
Nontechnical: What is ERC-721? by William Entriken
A non-technical explainer of ERC-721 that doesn’t require any prior knowledge of Ethereum or blockchain.
Conclusion
If you want to dive deeper still, take a look at Andreessen Horowitz's NFT Canon and our other NFT-related guides and blog posts. And if you’ve got questions, join our Discord to chat with other Argent users about NFTs and all things crypto.
Ready to get started with NFTs?
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