A blockchain record connected to a specific digital or physical asset is a non-fungible token (NFT). An NFT's ownership is documented in the blockchain and is transferrable by the owner, allowing the sale and trading of NFTs. If you've ever played games like CryptoKitties or Axie Infinity, you're familiar with these unique digital assets.

A top-tier NFT collection will exhibit the qualities like frequently appearing on the leaderboards for sales, must have a well-known brand in the industry, and its parent corporation must have a solid financial foundation.

In the future, digital collectables will represent some of the most sought-after items on the internet, but with so many in existence, how can you find and identify the rarest NFTs? In this guide, we'll introduce you to the top blue-chip NFTs in existence today so that you can acquire and store these digital treasures as early as possible in their life cycle.

## What is a Blue Chip NFT?

A blue-chip NFT is a well-established NFT asset with a strong team, great vision, impeccable execution, and a great name in the industry that distinguishes it from the other NFTs. The advantage of having it is that it is much more valuable than a regular NFT. In addition, these NFTs are rarer and more exclusive. For these reasons, they are becoming increasingly popular among collectors and investors.

Investing in a blue chip NFT may depend on whether you're seeking to diversify your portfolio or get better returns on your money. If you're looking for better returns on your money with less volatility, then investing in these collectables might make sense. Ultimately, these kinds of investments in digital assets are relatively new and have high risks associated with them, but if done right, they can provide substantial returns in today's economy.

## Why should you invest in a blue-chip NFT project?

Investors frequently seek out blue chip NFTs because of their long-term financial sustainability. While many projects fail after a few months, these hold their value over time. Even in bearish market conditions, the average price of BAYC is now hovering around 100 ETH.

Many people consider owning a blue chip NFT to be a sign of success, and being "part of the gang" is akin to joining a club of wealthy investors and social elites.

While these NFTs are not exclusive, owning one may grant holders intellectual property rights and the ability to commercialise their NFTs in some ways. Doodles NFTs, for example, allow owners to commercialise their NFTs for up to $100,000 each. As long as you own BAYC or CryptoPunks NFTs, you can build a business around them. NFTs are thus more than just a profile picture (PFP).

Furthermore, some of the best NFT projects will occasionally give back to their holders. Using the BAYC NFT as an example, in March 2022, the project allowed owners to claim ApeCoin tokens for free. Holders can immediately sell their tokens on the open market after claiming them.

## What are some of the best Blue Chip NFTs?

The world of NFTs is rapidly evolving, and blue-chip NFTs are at the forefront of this digital revolution. These NFTs are digital collectables that major brands and organizations back. The best examples include the Bored Ape Yacht Club, CryptoPunks, NBA Top Shot, and Art Blocks. Let’s go through some of the renowned blue-chip NFTs.

### 1.	Bored Ape Yacht Club

The non-fungible token collection, Bored Ape Yacht Club, also known as [Bored Apes](/news/article/how-to-buy-monkey-nft) or Bored Ape, was developed on the Ethereum blockchain. Cartoon apes' profile images are created procedurally by an algorithm and are included in the collection. Yuga Labs is the parent organisation of Bored Ape Yacht Club. Each Bored Ape is distinct and computer-generated. It features more than 170 different qualities, including expression, headgear, attire, and other characteristics. All apes are rarer than others, but they are all amazing.

The apes are hosted on IPFS and kept as ERC-721 coins on the Ethereum network. 

Apeholders must be logged into their Metamask Wallet in order to access places that are exclusively accessible to members, including THE BATHROOM.
 
### 2. CryptoPunks

There are 10,000 randomly generated characters in the CryptoPunks. No two are exactly alike, and each can be claimed as the sole owner on the Ethereum blockchain. On the Ethereum network, CryptoPunks is a collection of non-fungible tokens. The Larva Labs studio, a two-person team, made up of Canadian software developers John Watkinson and Matt Hall, debuted the project in June 2017.
 
### 3. VeeFriends

The NFT collection of Gary Vaynerchuk is called VeeFriends. You can immediately access VeeCon and join the VeeFriends network by owning a VeeFriend NFT. 

VeeCon is open to all holders of VeeFriends tokens. VeeCon is a multi-day gathering that is only open to NFT holders. You will receive a three-year access pass from your NFT. The conference's main themes are business, marketing, ideas, creativity, entrepreneurship, innovation, competition, and fun.
 
### 4. Azuki

Azuki is the NFT Art collection of 10,000 anime-themed avatars that was launched in January 2022 on the Ethereum Blockchain. The rarity of these avatars is determined by their distinct set of characteristics, weapons, and backgrounds.
 
### 5. Doodles

[Doodles](https://doodles.app/) NFT is a collection of 10,000 hand-drawn doodles. Each one is a one-of-a-kind combination of hundreds of exciting visual traits designed by one of the founders. There are skellys, cats, aliens, apes, and mascots in the collection, as well as dozens of rare heads, costumes, and colourways.
 


What are Blue Chip NFTs?

The much-anticipated upgrade to Ethereum, the merge, was completed on [September 15](/news/article/ethereum-merge-date). It transformed the blockchain’s Proof-of-work (PoW) mechanism into Proof-of-Stake (PoS). The market experts were optimistic that this upgrade would positively influence the Ether price. However, it has not been the case as the [Ethereum](https://ethereum.org/en/) price is continually plunging after the merger. 

Perhaps, the reason could be the overall downturn of the crypto market. Bitcoin is also struggling to maintain a price of over $20K. Besides, its worth even dropped under $19K this month. This has affected the entire crypto market, including Ether. Nonetheless, there are several other triggers, too.

## Ether’s nosedive after the merge

ETH was steadily thriving in the last three months when the BTC price struggled to hold its ground. In comparison to BTC, ETH saw a surge of around 60%. However, after the Ethereum merge, it [dropped](https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/22/09/28917798/bitcoin-ethereum-nose-dive-445m-liquidated-from-crypto-market) significantly. 

Five days before the upgrade, Ether’s price was approaching $1,800. Even up to September 14, Ether was trading at over $1,600. But as it completed the upgrade, it lost over $300 in value. It saw a drop of almost 21% in the last seven days, showing worrying signs for Ethereum investors.

## Ether’s nosedive after the merge

ETH was steadily thriving in the last three months when the BTC price was struggling to hold its ground. In comparison to BTC, ETH saw a surge of around 60%. However, after the Ethereum merge, it [dropped](https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/22/09/28917798/bitcoin-ethereum-nose-dive-445m-liquidated-from-crypto-market) significantly. 

Five days before the upgrade, Ether’s price was approaching $1,800. Even till September 14, Ether was being traded at over $1,600. But as it completed the upgrade, it lost over $300 in value. Besides, in the last 7 days, it saw a drop of almost 21%. This shows worrying signs for the Ethereum investors.

![ethereum merge.png](https://s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/prod-monitalks-media/ethereum_merge_0d3a08eff4.png)

## Ethereum the merge: Investor sentiment 

Disappointing US economic indicators such as high inflation, looming imminent [securities regulation that may apply to Ether staking](/news/article/ether-staking), and a market downturn have negatively affected crypto investor sentiment. After the completion of the Ethereum 2.0 upgrade, the selling pressure increased. Many investors chose to liquidate their funds while the price was high to protect themselves from potential losses. 

Even after this event, ETH investment products saw tremendous outflows. Ether threw up $15.4 million in outflows. However, this was not a market-wide trend, as BTC saw an addition of around $17.4 million in investment in the same period. Time will tell if the Ethereum price has been merely affected by hawkish sentiment or if the Merge is not worth the hype.



Ethereum the Merge: Price plunge & investor sentiment

The recent market sell-off has taken a toll on just about every sector, but some have been hit harder than others. For example, the tech-heavy Nasdaq is down nearly 7% from its high just two weeks ago.

One area that has been particularly hard hit is the red-hot sector of cloud computing. Companies like Amazon (AMZN), Microsoft (MSFT), and Salesforce.com (CRM) have all seen their stock prices drop by double digits in the past two weeks.

And while the sell-off in these stocks may have been overdone, it has left investors wondering if now is the time to buy or if there could be more downside ahead.

One cloud stock that has been especially hard hit is MetaPlatforms (MP). The [Meta share price](https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/META/) has dropped by more than 50% over the last 12 months.

So, what’s going on with MP? And is the recent sell-off an opportunity to buy the dip or a sign that there could be more downside ahead?

Let’s take a closer look…

## What’s Going on With MP?

Meta Platforms is a cloud-based enterprise software company. Its flagship product is [Metaverse](/news/article/facebook-metaverse-nft), a digital workspace that allows employees to securely access all of their applications and data from one central location. The company has seen strong demand for its product as more and more businesses move to the cloud. 

However, the company reported second-quarter revenue of $169.5 million, down 4% from a year ago and below the $172.3 million that analysts were expecting. Meta also posted a net loss of $11.1 million, or 9 cents a share, compared with a profit of $2.2 million, or 2 cents a share, a year ago.

The stock has come under pressure in recent weeks, and is down by over 50% from its all-time high. So, what does the future hold for the Meta share price? Let’s take a look at the bulls and the bears…

## The Bull Case for MP

The bulls argue that the sell-off in Meta Platforms stock is overdone and that the recent weak quarter was an anomaly. There are still plenty of reasons to be bullish on MetaPlatforms.

First, the company’s flagship product, Metaverse, is in high demand. The product is being adopted by more and more businesses as they move to the cloud.

Second, MetaPlatforms is growing quickly. 

Third, MetaPlatforms has a strong balance sheet. The company has no debt and $100 million in cash. This gives the company plenty of financial flexibility to invest in growth.

Fourth, MetaPlatforms is led by a proven management team. The company’s CEO, Scott Smith, is a co-founder of Salesforce.com (CRM). He knows how to build a successful cloud company.

## The Bear Case for MP

The bears argue that the recent weak quarter was not an anomaly and that MetaPlatforms is facing some serious headwinds. They point to the company’s high valuation, which is now trading at nearly 30 times sales. It has been viewed that the company previously known as ‘Facebook’ was forced to rebrand as Meta Platforms after coming under much [scrutiny from its services impact on the mental health of teens](https://www.everydayhealth.com/public-health/facebook-comes-under-fire-after-whistleblower-and-leaked-documents-reveal-negative-impact-on-young-girls/). This was seen as a ploy to divert the negative publicity and not affect the company’s share price.

They also note that Meta Platforms is up against some tough competition, including Microsoft, Amazon, and Google. And they believe that the recent sell-off could be just the beginning for MP stock.

So, what’s the verdict? Is MetaPlatforms a buy or a sell?

## The Verdict

There are both positive and negative factors to consider when deciding if Meta Platforms stock is a buy in August 2022. 

Ultimately, it comes down to whether you believe the stock is a good long-term investment. 

If you think the company's fundamentals are strong and the stock is cheap at current levels, then it could be a good buy. However, if you're concerned about the stock's technical, tainted reputation  or the overall market conditions, then it may be best to wait for a better entry point.

Please be aware that this is not financial advice.

A Comprehensive Look at Meta Share Price

One of the largest asset management companies [Blackrock Inc](https://www.blackrock.com/corporate). has recently entered the crypto market. It has introduced a private trust that allows its institutional clients in the US to get exposure to spot Bitcoin. Moreover, the news about Blackrock investing in [Bitcoin](/coins/btc) came through after [partnering up with Coinbase](/news/article/blackrock-crypto) for crypto custody and trading services. 

## Blackrock investing proves beneficial for Bitcoin

Blackrock investing in the crypto market has been quite constructive for Bitcoin. On 11 August, its price reached almost $25,000. Though its price has slid to $23,987, the move has boosted investors’ confidence. The overall market sentiment has also been bullish. 

Many known figures in the crypto space also welcome the Blackrock initiatives as a landmark for the market. William Clemente, the lead analyst for Blockware, called it the ‘[most bullish news](https://twitter.com/WClementeIII/status/1557723939366895617)’ for Bitcoin hodlers. He pointed out that it would ensure security for the investors. 

The company itself has also changed its stance on cryptocurrencies. Five years back, its CEO, Fink Larry, labelled Bitcoin as a money laundering index. However, now Blackrock is investing in a BTC product and a crypto trading services as well. As per the statement from the company, the interest from institutional clients in crypto has inspired them to enter the space. 

## Other asset managers in the crypto market

Though Blackrock investing in digital asset class services has been the most impactful, several other players are entering this volatile market. Earlier, Charles Schwab’s asset management arm also invested in the market. It introduced an exchange-traded fund (ETF) for the institutions linked with cryptocurrencies. With the STCE ticker, this ETF was introduced on the 4th of August 2022 on the New York Stock Exchange for trading.

On the other hand, the UK giant, Abrdn, is also exploring cryptocurrencies. This week, FTSE listed Abrdn bought a stake in the exchange Archax, a UK-regulated digital tokens and assets exchange. 



Blackrock investing strengthens crypto’s position

Earlier today, Binance Labs, the startup capital and accelerator arm of BNB, made public its strategic investment in Ankr, the Web3 powerhouse known for its decentralized infrastructure.

Ankr's substantial open-source contributions to Binance's BNB Chain, BNB Liquid Staking, and general ecosystem support are primary drivers that attracted the investment from Binance Labs.

## What is Ankr?

In essence, Ankr facilitates the launch of blockchains for businesses, allowing them to provide superior Web3 experiences to their customers in record time. The protocol, scheduled for release in 2021, will eventually process 200 billion Remote Procedure Call (RPC) queries each month across 50 different blockchain networks.

[Specifically, Ankr's COO Ryan Fang said](https://en.cryptonomist.ch/2022/08/11/binance-labs-makes-strategic-investment-in-ankr/): The addition of Binance Labs as a strategic investor fills us with joy. With the most daily transactions and users, BNB is clearly the leader. 

Ankr serves over 7.2 billion daily blockchain requests on over 30 different blockchains, making it the second largest node provider (after Alchemy). 

The possibility is to further serve its customers, they plan to invest the funds towards expanding its market-leading RPC service and its portfolio of Web3 development tools, which currently includes the Liquid Staking Software Development Kit (SDK), the Web3 Gaming SDK, and the App Chains As A Service.

In addition, their Protocol processes over 7 billion blockchain requests every day across the 18 blockchains on which it provides RPC hosting. The fact that all [BNB initiatives](/news/article/binance-staking) and users stand to gain greatly from Ankr's improvements to the network is another reason for Binance Labs' endorsement of the project.

As previously mentioned, Ankr is responsible for most of BNB's foundational architecture, including the Erigon update, the Archive Node upgrade, and the most recent BNB Application Sidechain (BAS) scaling solution. 

Yi He, a co-founder and manager of Binance will be leading the incubator's venture capital (VC) division.

Yi He will be responsible for Binance Labs' general direction and day-to-day operations, with some of his time spent bolstering infrastructure initiatives and enhancing the practical applications of cutting-edge crypto and blockchain endeavors.


Ankr receives significant investment from Binance

People who work for themselves, sitting in their underwear on their sofa all day generating millions, offer a false promise of "easy money" and the allure of self-sufficiency. 

## Harsh truth about crypto day trading

Based on various [studies](https://www.cnbc.com/2020/11/20/attention-robinhood-power-users-most-day-traders-lose-money.html):

•	40% of day traders trade for only are active for one month

•	In the first two years, 80% of all day traders quit

•	Only 13% continue to day trade after three years. After five years, just 7% remain

•	Individual investors underperform market indexes by 1.5% per year on average; active traders underperform by 6.5% per year

## What is random reinforcement within crypto day trading?

The term "random reinforcement" refers to the use of arbitrary events to qualify (or disqualify) a hypothesis or idea; attributing skill or lack of skill to an unsystematic outcome; and gaining support for positive or negative behaviours from products that are inconsistent, such as the financial markets. 

The market tends to reward poor habits with a limited sample size while penalising favourable behaviours. 

Some amateur traders made money by investing in random [altcoins](https://news.monitalks.io/news/article/xhd-coin-explained) and selling for large, quick returns. In the 2017 crypto market, everyone was a "genius." Then, in 2018, the bubble burst, and inexperienced traders with leverage on their margin could not deal with the drawdown resulting in their account being liquidated. They did not sell their assets and kept holding them until they lost everything.

Many retail investors involved in crypto day trading overheard "big names" on social media discussing an altcoin, leading them to examine the chart and notice that the price is rapidly increasing. They start to buy and sell for a quick profit after a few successful trades, amateur traders begin to believe that they are skilled traders.

Retail traders involved in crypto trading often begin to believe that a favourable outcome on a few random trades indicates success in the future. However, in hindsight, the market rewarded their poor behaviour. However, as they continued to trade impulsively, they eventually lost their capital, as was the case in the 2018 crypto day trading crash.

On the other hand, some retail investors involved in crypto trading spent several months developing a trading plan with risk management, proper portfolio allocations and trading rules. 

However, as they continued losing several times in a row, they began doubting their system. Amateur traders then began to places high-risk trades that breach their strategies rules and succeeded a few times, putting the retail trader back to square one, trading without a strategy because the market has rewarded their bad behaviour.

This is how stock trading can sometimes be compared to gambling.

Crypto day trading loses more money than HODLing

The crypto market has expanded exponentially in recent years with more than 9,000 digital coins. Now, investing in cryptocurrencies has become a mainstream trend. You can now generate passive income through lending and capital gain by crypto investing or trading. Another avenue you can take is investing in the many blockchains and DeFi startups.

There is also a rising trend of real-world equity investing and trading with stablecoins. Decentralised exchanges like [FTX US](https://www.ft.com/content/8379f141-8b94-438e-8347-cb5ffdf003ac) have already begun to offer services in this area. This has opened a new gateway for buying shares in a company with cryptocurrencies. 

However, the market lacks clarity on how equity trading will work with stablecoins. To make things more straightforward, we have discussed below how retail investors can benefit from fiat-based stablecoin investing. 

## The crypto world meets the stock market

The crypto market involves digital assets that emerged only in the last decade. The stock market is a much more mature and competitive market that involves real-world assets. Stocks were considered the primary investment option by the masses. But, as the crypto world continues to grow, many digital tokens have gained investors’ attention.  

However, crypto is a precarious and unpredictable market. That’s why tokens’ real-world usage is still limited. For this reason, stablecoins were introduced, pegged with fiat currencies. But the debacle of the Terra ecosystem left a dent in their reputation. 

Now, many DEXs are looking to link stocks and stablecoins. This will even help crypto investors in buying shares in a company. Moreover, it will help in diversifying your portfolio and help increase the real-world usage of crypto coins and tokens. 

## Crypto exchanges for buying shares in a company

Buying shares in a company with cryptocurrencies is an emerging trend in the industry. There are limited exchanges that offer equity trading services with stablecoins. Here are a few names that have already started or have announced to provide this service soon.

1.	FTX US
One  of the leading digital asset exchanges, FTX, has recently announced its services in the stock market. The exchange will allow buying company shares with both fiats and fiat-backed currencies. FTX US will primarily deal with US dollar-pegged stablecoins like Binance USD and USDC (USD Coin). Also, the exchange made it clear that it would not be supporting algorithmic stablecoins like [Terra](/news/article/terra-usd) USD.

2.	Voyager Digital
Another US decentralised exchange, Voyager Digital, has also signalled toward offering a similar service. It will work as a brokerage platform and allow you to buy stocks through stablecoins. Voyager Digital will likely work with USD-backed stable tokens like USDC. The platform has announced it would begin offering the service later this year, however this looks unlikely given that Voyager filed for bankruptcy protection last month.

3.	Bitstamp USA
Yet another US-based crypto exchange, Bitstamp USA, might enter the stock trading services via stablecoins. The platform has yet to announce its plan for when and how it will introduce the equity trading service. However, the platform’s CEO, Bobby Zagotta, showed keen resolve to enter the market.  

## Bottom line

Stablecoins in the stock market can revamp the existing business model of brokerage exchanges. It can create an environment where investors can trade both real-world and digital assets in one place. Buying shares in a company may also help bring crypto investors into a regularised market and increase the real-world usage of cryptocurrencies. 




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