VC-Backed NFT Social Platform Metalink Launches Mobile App

Non-fungible token (NFT) portfolio management and social platform Metalink has launched its mobile application, creating what it says is a token-gated space where NFT collectors can interact with one another, aggregate announcements and track their portfolio performance. The app also plans to launch a transaction functionality later this year so users can buy, sell and swap digital assets.

The all-in-one NFT app is now available on the Apple App Store and serves as a complement to Metalink's website, which has already connected with 100,000 crypto wallets. The platform was launched in August 2021 as a private chat app for CryptoPunks collectors and expanded to include official chatrooms for other blue-chip NFT projects such as Bored Ape Yacht Club.

"Our goal was to make it incredibly easy for anyone to quickly and safely chat with holders of any collection in their portfolio," said Metalink's head of product, Adam Ceresko. "With Metalink, you simply connect your wallet and start typing. Token holders only, one chat per collection. No Discord, Telegram or verification bots."

Metalink also announced a previously undisclosed $6 million seed round with funding from an impressive list of venture capital funds and Web3 personalities. Investors include Guy Oseary, Gary Vaynerchuk, MoonPay CEO Ivan Soto-Wright, The Sandbox founder Sebastien Borget, former Coinbase Chief Technology Officer Balaji Srinivasan, DJ Justin Blau, Social Capital, Arrington Capital and Sound Ventures. NFT collectors including Cozomo de Medici, Gmoney, Seedphrase, SobyLife, Tony Herrera, Meltem Demirors and Farokh, as well as corporate investors Gemini Frontier Fund, Dapper Labs' venture arm, BallerVC, and Genies' Human Ventures also provided funding.

The Metalink app is intended to simplify the fragmented process for trading NFTs and building community. The platform automatically generated a token-gated chatroom for every NFT collection created on the Ethereum network, and holders can access those chatrooms by connecting their wallets and verifying their assets.

“The vision is to eventually not need to communicate through Web2 messaging apps and separately buy and sell through several different marketplaces," said Metalink CEO Jake Udell.

Metalink also pulls live NFT floor price data as well as rarity trait data from multiple marketplaces to help holders accurately gauge the value of their NFT portfolio and track price movements in real-time. In addition, the platform offers aggregated announcements from NFT collection chatrooms, providing users with a scrollable feed of all major updates.

Several startups have been working on ways to simplify the process for NFT collectors, taking popular ideas from Web2 and bringing them into Web3. Metaverse-focused blockchain MultiversX recently launched its xPortal "super app," combining elements of chat, finance and artificial intelligence. Meanwhile, NFT management app Floor recently acquired NFT data platform WGMI.io to build out its portfolio management tools.

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