Yuga Labs

di Ivan Quaroni

If CryptoPunks pioneered the market for rare digital collectibles, whose scarcity is verifiable, the Bored Ape Yacht Club project would have represented its ideal continuation. Developed by Yuga Labs, the Bored Ape Yacht Club is a collection of 10,000 character illustrations representing as many portraits of bored-looking monkeys. No two of these images are alike, as each monkey possesses unique colors, accessories, or characteristics. As the name suggests, the Bored Ape Yacht Club is a kind of elite society. Owning one of these NFTs is the only way to join the club, as it allows users access to an exclusive Discord server, where other owners, including some celebrities, meet and chat. The members of this club, recognizable by their avatars with the effigy of one of the bored monkeys, meet on social media, forming a sort of digital fraternity. Again, given the record-breaking numbers achieved by some of these avatars, it's not so much their aesthetic content that counts, but the status symbol value and the fact that owning an NFT Bored Ape unlocks access for additional NFT collectibles, such as Mutant Ape Yacht Club specimens or Bored Ape Kennel Club dogs.