Identity is not just about name or age—it’s about experience. NFTs are being used to represent where you’ve been, what you’ve done, and which communities you’ve participated in.
Take POAPs (Proof of Attendance Protocol) as an example. These are NFTs that prove you attended a specific event—whether it's a concert in the metaverse, a DAO governance call, or a workshop. POAPs add depth to your digital identity, much like badges on a gaming profile or a resume on LinkedIn.
Similarly, gaming NFTs now represent in-game achievements, character evolution, and player stats. These are not just vanity metrics—they can serve as credentials within certain ecosystems, giving access to new games, exclusive content, or governance power.
Identity and Community Membership
In Web3, your identity is also shaped by your affiliations. NFTs are being used to represent community membership, from DAOs to exclusive social clubs. Holding a specific NFT can serve as a digital key to private Discord servers, voting rights in a DAO, or backstage access at a virtual concert.
The Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC) popularized this concept: owning a BAYC NFT isn’t just owning art—it’s buying into a culture, brand, and network. Similarly, Friends with Benefits (FWB), a social DAO, uses token ownership as a filter for community participation.
These NFTs act as social signals, forming the basis of identity in Web3-native communities. Just like wearing certain brands signals status in the real world, holding specific NFTs signals values, interests, and affiliations in the digital realm.