The Infinite NODE Foundation acquires the IP of CryptoPunks

The Cryptopunks are almost 8 years old now, and back when we created them it would be nearly impossible to imagine how far they’ve come in so little time. What began as an experiment in digital ownership and collecting has led to over $3B in transactions and Cryptopunks being housed in some of the most prestigious museums in the world.

Along the way, the perceptions of NFTs have changed radically and even the term NFT didn’t exist when we started. They went from a niche activity that maybe a hundred people in the world understood, to an explosive worldwide phenomenon in the pages of every newspaper. They also changed from being perceived as a tool for artists to perhaps being the start of a brand new industry, the “next big thing” in tech. Then, in perhaps a predictable turn of events, they became the victim of their own success and were declared “dead.” In a way this has been a clarifying development. We are all free to re-examine and re-discover what remains fundamental and exciting about NFTs from first principles.

For us, it is the notion of digital permanence and truly decentralized interactivity that remains a unique medium to explore. However, the question remained of what structure in the “real world” can best represent work designed to last (hopefully) forever. Today we are excited to announce an answer to that question: Ownership and control of the Cryptopunks are moving to a new non-profit foundation called The Infinite NODE. We think that this foundation, with its non-profit structure, will be exactly what the Punks need for their long term protection and promotion. We will be joining the advisory board at NODE along with Erick Caulderon (snowfro) and Wylie Aronow (Gordon Goner). We look forward to being directly involved in a number of exciting projects, including the design of an exhibition space in Palo Alto.

We would like to thank Micky Malka and Becky Kleiner for their vision to create such a foundation, and their generosity in providing the founding donation. We would also like to thank Natalie Stone and Yuga Labs who have carefully and thoughtfully guided the Punks for the past few years. We truly appreciate these contributions and look forward to working with everyone on what is undoubtedly an exciting next chapter.