Ripple, the leader in enterprise blockchain and crypto solutions, today unveiled the final creators to join the first wave of Ripple’s Creator Fund. Selected Creator Fund projects exemplify the “problem-centered utility” of NFTs; for example, in media, carbon credit markets, real estate and beyond. Through Ripple’s Creator Fund, creators can more easily tap into the ultra-fast, low-cost, carbon-neutral XRP Ledger (XRPL) to bring their NFT projects to life.
The independent creators using NFTs to build their communities and functional use cases directly on the XRPL include: Rare Air Media, producer of Michael Jordan’s visual autobiography For the Love of the Game; Zion Clark, wrestler, elite wheelchair racer and Netflix documentary star; Jessica Ragzy, contemporary artist, entrepreneur and LEGO MASTER; Women Helping Women, an advocacy group that prevents gender-based violence and empowers survivors; and Chef Cecy, PancakeSwap designer and artist:
- Rare Air Media – “We changed the financial parameters of large-scale coffee-table books in sports and entertainment publishing by adjusting expectations. Design was as important as photography which was as critical as the editorial—redefining ‘state-of-the-art’ production brought it all together,” said Mark Vancil, founder and CEO of Rare Air Media. “The XRP Ledger provides a platform that allows us to open our minds far wider to contemplate unique ways of communicating ideas. We are thrilled to be minting our first series.”
- Ragzy – “I’m looking forward to minting a new series on the XRP Ledger and delving deeper into how the ledger can help with access rights and more,” said NFT artist Jessica Ragzy. “As an artist, it’s important to gain ownership over our creations.”
- Women Helping Women – “As an artist, the ability for NFTs to empower women in the tech industry as well as the arts is something I could not have dreamt about until now,” said Rebecca Jo, Artist. “Women Helping Women wants to utilize this opportunity to really empower, inspire and motivate women to bring what we’ve always had into the world through Ripple’s Creator Fund.”
- Chef Cecy – “I’m super excited to have my project be part of the XRP Ledger and Ripple’s Creator Fund,” said NFT artist Cecy Meade. “The XRP Ledger will give me the opportunity to deliver a secure and great experience for existing and new NFT collectors while developing my artistic vision.”
- Zion Clark – “I’m looking forward to making a positive impact driven by purpose and creating a unique community through an NFT series on the XRP Ledger.”
Ripple’s Creator Fund is a $250 million commitment to help creators kickstart their state-of-the-art NFTs on the XRP Ledger. To date, more than 4,000 creators have applied to the fund which provides financial, creative and technical support to creators, agencies and marketplaces building new NFT use cases spanning gaming, metaverses, entertainment and more. The first creators to receive funding for their NFT projects include Justin Bua, xPunks and Steven Sebring. In addition, Ripple is teaming up with Momento NFT and WENEW Labs—building on existing marketplace, infrastructure and creative agency partnerships with Mintable, mintNFT, onXRP, NFT PRO, VSA Partners and Ethernal Labs—to integrate the XRPL and deliver a seamless NFT experience to its users:
- Momento NFT – “We’re excited to bring the celebrities and influencers using our direct-to-fan social network first access to create social NFTs on the XRP Ledger,” said CEO Julian Rodriguez. “Doing so lets fans and collectors own personal, viral, and exciting moments from their favorite creators.”
- WENEW Labs – “Whether creating immersive experiences for the Web3 community or meaningful partnerships with innovative brands, we’re excited to continue dreaming the future with the support of Ripple’s Creator Fund.”
Ripple believes in the potential for NFTs to accelerate the creator economy, inspire new business models and open access to broader participation in the modern financial system. With Ripple’s NFT standard—xls-20—having been released as part of rippled v1.9.0, the XRPL community is one step closer to delivering a faster, sustainable NFT experience for creators, developers and their NFT applications. Key benefits and support for NFTs on the XRP Ledger include built-in royalties to efficiently move value at scale—without the need for Layer-2 protocols or smart contracts. What’s more, the XRPL is the first major blockchain to become carbon-neutral, allowing billions of NFTs to be sustainably minted, bought and transferred.
Independent creators wanting to get involved with Ripple’s Creator Fund can apply for Wave 2 in the coming months. For more information, visit www.ripple.com.