All Nippon Airways Becomes First Airline To Launch NFT Marketplace
Japanese airline All Nippon Airways announced that it became the first airline group in the world to launch an NFT marketplace, "ANA Granwhale NFT Marketplace."
🔙 Back It Up
Japan Helicopter Transport (ANA’s predecessor) became the first privately run air transport company in Japan in 1952, starting with just two helicopters.
ANA Holdings Company was founded in 2013 to stay competitive in the changing airline industry due to the expansion of Tokyo’s airport capacity, deregulation of the airline business, and the increasing presence of other low-cost carriers (LCC).
The Deets
- The ANA Group will apply NFTs to the aviation industry and promote the business to develop new connections with customers.
- ANA Group launched an NFT business on May 30, 2023, through one of its subsidiaries, ANA NEO, and is utilizing blockchain technology to sell NFT content products through the "ANA GranWhale NFT MarketPlace."
- ANA NEO will promote its business together with the virtual travel platform "ANA GranWhale".
- The first of ANA's products will be NFTs by Luke Ozawa, an aviation photographer who takes pictures of ANA planes as well as scenery in Japan.
- The marketplace supports both MetaMask wallets and credit card payments.
❗ Why It Matters
All Nippon Airways is hoping to further enhance the value of the customer experience by commercializing the NFT content of unique products from various regions in Japan.
ANA isn't the first airline to make a foray into NFTs, as Argentinian low-cost airline Flybondi partnered with TravelX to offer flight tickets as NFTs on the Algorand blockchain back in March. But it appears to be the first to create an entire NFT marketplace with aviation-themed content and an accompanying metaverse experience.
🎤 Founder Feedback
As part of the first airline group to launch an NFT marketplace, we are excited to pioneer a new avenue to connect with our customers and enhance their experience. Through this initiative, we aim to unlock the potential of NFTs in the aviation industry, bringing together the digital and physical realms to create unique and memorable experiences that unite the world in wonder.ANA NEO President Mitsuo Tomita
🔜 What’s Next?
The second collection will be sold starting June 7, and there will be NFTs of two digital 3D airplanes, including the specially painted Boeing 787, which ANA introduced as a global launch customer in 2011, as well as the initially proposed design for the inaugural aircraft. ANA Group plans to increase the lineup of NFT products in the future.
Source: anahd.co.jp/group/en/pr/202305/20230530.html