This week’s featured collector is makeitrain

makeitrain has a political collection of pro-crypto NFTs. Check it out at lazy.com/makeitrain

Do you think the SEC will approve an NFT ETF?

A clear majority of last week’s respondents—roughly 62 percent—believe the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is likely to green-light an NFT-focused exchange-traded fund, while about one-third see approval as improbable; only a small contingent, 8 percent, remain undecided. The results suggest overall optimism in the market that regulatory barriers to mainstream financial products tied to NFTs will eventually fall, though a significant minority still doubts the SEC’s willingness to move forward.

Flamingo DAO: Inside the Vault That’s Shaping NFT History

A recent in-depth profile of Flamingo DAO is a must read for NFT collectors.

Since quietly launching in September 2020, Flamingo DAO has grown from a modest experiment in collaborative capital deployment into one of the most influential collecting entities in the NFT ecosystem. Conceived by veterans of The LAO and supported by Tribute Labs, the DAO set out to explore the still-fringe world of digital art while most of crypto fixated on DeFi. That early conviction proved prescient: the group now safeguards more than 10,000 NFTs, including landmark holdings such as the only complete attribute set of CryptoPunks, a full suite of Autoglyphs, and an Alien Punk often valued on its own in the eight-figure range. Publicly traceable wallets show roughly 23,300 ETH in assets, yet that tally excludes private vaults and several one-of-one pieces, underscoring how difficult it is to pin down an exact figure for a collection designed less for mark-to-market accounting than for long-term cultural preservation.

What distinguishes Flamingo is not merely scale but structure. The DAO’s 70-plus members span founders, technologists, artists, and seasoned investors—names such as Gary Vaynerchuk, Snowfro, Stani Kulechov, and Aaron Wright all contribute to what member-spokesperson Chris Cable calls a “hive-mind” approach. Governance is intentionally lightweight: any participant can deploy up to five ETH unilaterally, while larger outlays pass through rapid-fire emoji voting in Discord. That agility allowed a single member to mint Bored Apes within the discretionary limit—an unplanned acquisition that ultimately became one of the DAO’s most profitable moves. It is a structure that rewards informed intuition while still channeling collective oversight for significant bets.

Those bets tend to coalesce around what Flamingo describes as “networked collections.” Instead of chasing isolated grails, the DAO prefers to assemble deep, coherent sets—hundreds of CryptoPunks and Chromie Squiggles, three-hundred-plus Meebits, large tranches of Terraforms and Ringers—on the theory that dense ownership of culturally important series amplifies their historical narrative and future optionality. One notable exception is Alien Punk #2890, purchased to cement the DAO’s already high conviction in Punks before prices ran away. Even here, the motive was strategic consolidation rather than headline-grabbing speculation.

A second pillar of Flamingo’s thesis is a willingness to arrive early and stay patient. The DAO was commissioning one-of-ones from emerging artists like Joe Pease and Nicolas Sassoon well before the generative-art boom reached mainstream awareness, and it accumulated extensive AI-art holdings through platforms such as Fellowship and Verse while the segment was still discounted relative to its creative potential. Members routinely emphasize that many NFTs in the vault were acquired at modest entry prices; the portfolio’s breadth owes as much to timely curiosity as to spending power. In Cable’s words, the aim is to build a “time capsule of milestone works” that will still resonate when today’s market cycles fade from memory.

That long horizon also shapes the DAO’s outlook in a cooler market. While broader sentiment has softened since 2022, Flamingo views NFTs less as speculative chips and more as the native artifacts of an increasingly digital culture—code, art, and ownership fused into assets that can be preserved indefinitely on-chain. If the parallels to early contemporary art collecting are apt, many pieces may require years to find wide recognition, yet the DAO seems comfortable playing steward until that cultural value crystallizes.

For seasoned collectors, Flamingo’s trajectory offers a useful case study. It demonstrates how coordinated purchasing, clear governance thresholds, and a robust curatorial framework can turn fragmented NFT markets into cohesive collections that matter. It also reminds us that influence need not be loud: by focusing on craftsmanship, provenance, and community rather than floor-price theatrics, the “pink-powered” colony has shaped narratives from behind the scenes.

The full interview with Chris Cable delves deeper into acquisition anecdotes, favorite one-of-ones, and the artists currently energizing the DAO. Collectors interested in how high-conviction capital is rewriting the rules of digital patronage will find it worth the read.

Would you join a collector DAO built like Flamingo?

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This week’s featured collector is rust_and_moth

rust_and_moth has large collection of unique NFTs. Check it out at lazy.com/rust_and_moth

Which NFT innovation inspires you most?

In last week’s community poll, collectors overwhelmingly gravitated toward practical utility over novelty: 50 % chose Art Provenance via NFT, highlighting a strong appetite for blockchain’s ability to verify authenticity and ownership histories. Experimental and experiential ideas split the remainder of the enthusiasm—both Spiritual Art NFTs and AI-Generated NFTs captured 25 % each, suggesting equal intrigue in metaphysical storytelling and algorithmic creativity. Meanwhile, aspirations for greener tech and game-based interactivity failed to spark votes this round, with Eco-Conscious NFTs and Interactive NFT Games each landing at 0 %. Overall, the results imply that today’s collectors are most inspired by innovations that solve real-world art-market pain points, while still keeping an eye on emerging creative frontiers.

The NFT ETF Gets Closer

If you’ve been collecting Pudgy Penguins NFT, the news that Cboe has formally asked the SEC to list the Canary PENGU ETF should feel surreal. A 19b-4 filing is the step that turns a crypto idea into a Wall Street product, and now the Cboe has made that move. From here the SEC has up to 240 days to approve or reject the rule change, but even entering the queue puts Penguins on the same regulatory track that birthed spot Bitcoin and Ether ETFs. In other words, NFTs are now rubbing shoulders with gold bars and oil futures in the eyes of U.S. securities law.

According to the filing, roughly 80-95 percent of its assets will be the Solana-based PENGU token, while 5-15 percent will be actual ERC-721 Penguins. That means an institutional desk could soon be bidding on rare traits whenever the portfolio drifts out of balance. Think of it as a permanently funded whale whose mandate is to buy NFTs on weakness and sell on strength, all in the name of tracking NAV. For holders, that could translate into deeper liquidity and a sturdier floor; for flippers, it injects a price-insensitive buyer and seller into the market.

Why would the SEC even consider letting a handful of jpegs back an ETF? Cboe’s argument mirrors its successful pitch for Bitcoin and Ether: the global market is fragmented, trades 24/7, and is patrolled by arbitrageurs who erase most price gaps long before they can be exploited. The exchange also promises cold-storage custody, fifteen-second intraday pricing and daily portfolio disclosure—comfort food for regulators worried about spoofing or insider shenanigans. Still, the Commission has never approved a fund that owns non-fungible assets, so expect questions about how a third-party pricing service will decide what a single Penguin is worth at exactly 4 p.m. Eastern each day.

If the ETF wins approval, the impact could extend far beyond the Penguin ecosystem. Culture-coin projects like ApeCoin, Doodles and even meme NFTs would suddenly have a regulatory blueprint for mainstream exposure. Institutional allocators who can’t touch self-custody wallets could gain penguin exposure with a brokerage order. Brands eyeing IP deals will see licensing potential validated by Wall Street demand. And on-chain, a wave of derivative builders will scramble to mirror the ETF’s index or invent leverage on top of it.

Of course, the SEC could still slam the door. The agency might decide that thin PENGU futures markets and opaque NFT pricing make surveillance impossible. A denial wouldn’t kill the Penguins, but it would delay the flow of capital and credibility. The more likely middle-path is a conditional approval—extra reporting, tighter custody rules, maybe a higher token-to-NFT ratio—to reassure commissioners that retail investors aren’t buying a black-box jpeg fund.

In any case, the filing itself has already nudged NFTs from cute PFP to quasi-commodity status. Whether the SEC signs off or not, this development reshapes the narrative every NFT collector trades on.

Read the full filing cboe.com.

Do you think the SEC will approve an NFT ETF?

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This week’s featured collector is kurtoshi

kurtoshi has wild collection of abstract art NFTs. Check it out at lazy.com/kurtoshi

What’s your NFT style?

Last week’s poll explored NFT collectors’ preferred artistic styles, revealing a strong inclination towards AI-driven creations, with “AI Dreams” leading at 50%. Both “Pixel Art” and “Retro Vibes” tied at 25%, showing sustained enthusiasm for nostalgic and classic digital aesthetics. Notably, “3D Magic” and “Crypto Punk” garnered no votes, indicating a narrower appeal or shifting trends within the collector community. This snapshot highlights the growing fascination with AI-generated art, pointing to emerging preferences and potential future trends in the NFT art space.

“I will grow rare, native plants and create them as NFTs.” Inside the Seedvault NFT Collection Initiative

NFT collectors and environmental enthusiasts alike are buzzing about a novel campaign uniting cutting-edge digital technology with real-world conservation efforts—the Seedvault NFT Collection. Spearheaded by Korea’s Environment Foundation, blockchain firm Dunamu, and the Korea Arboreta and Gardens Institute, this campaign is not only creatively engaging but profoundly impactful.

The project’s uniqueness lies in its fusion of biodiversity preservation with blockchain technology, inviting active citizen participation through gamified experiences. At the recent Seoul International Garden Expo in Boramae Park, the Seedvault NFT booth attracted an impressive number of visitors, with over 11,000 attendees exploring the collection and more than 44,000 NFTs issued to date.

In an insightful conversation, Dunamu’s Project Manager Eunjung Lee and Environment Foundation’s Senior Producer Jieun Kim highlighted the innovative thinking driving this initiative. Embracing the energy and vision of the MZ generation, their core aim was to reinvent traditional environmental activism through digital interaction.

The Seedvault NFT Collection strategically pairs the inherent uniqueness and irreplaceability of plant seeds with NFT technology, permanently recording the genetic information of endangered and native plant species. This digital permanence is designed to inspire greater awareness and deeper appreciation for biodiversity conservation among the public.

Participants engage actively through a series of missions in a gamified setup, earning NFTs by completing tasks both online and offline. These NFTs can be combined to create new digital assets, deepening user interaction. After the campaign concludes, actual conservation areas are developed, creating a tangible impact from digital interactions.

Season three of the collection spotlights native plants rapidly disappearing from urban settings, such as Korean mint and St. John’s wort. Beyond NFT collection, participants join nationwide offline events and online campaigns, further broadening the project’s reach and impact.

Collaboration has been key, with the Environment Foundation spearheading storytelling to convey the campaign’s environmental messages and Dunamu providing critical blockchain technology through its eco-friendly Luniverse platform. Their commitment to transparency and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles underpins the project’s integrity.

Additionally, the campaign includes an innovative digital healing garden, using media façades to simulate natural environments, offering visitors a restorative and immersive digital nature experience.

Ultimately, the Seedvault NFT Collection represents an evolution in environmental activism, leveraging the synergies between art, technology, and ecology. For NFT collectors passionate about environmental sustainability, this initiative offers an inspiring model of how digital collectibles can drive real-world change.

Learn more at Chosun.

Vietnamese Artist Kim Duc Opens Lotus Art Gallery with NFT-Authenticated Paintings

Vietnamese artist Kim Duc has inaugurated Lotus Art Gallery in Van Phuc, Ha Dong, introducing a novel integration of traditional art with cutting-edge NFT authentication technology. At the gallery’s debut, Duc showcased her iconic lotus-themed painting, “Lien Hoa Tinh Canh” (Pure Lotus Scene), deeply infused with Buddhist symbolism.

The painting, known for its spiritual resonance, holds special significance, having been selected by the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha as the official gift for international delegates during the 2025 United Nations Day of Vesak. Additionally, it has accompanied Buddha relics—considered India’s national treasures—on display at several religious sites in Vietnam.

Kim Duc, self-taught and driven by her profound personal connection to Buddhist symbolism, emphasized the importance of the lotus motif: “The lotus symbolizes peace and mindfulness in Buddhism. My hope is that by bringing this artwork into people’s homes, it serves as a blessing and promotes tranquility.”

Rejecting offers to sell the original painting, Duc instead chose to reproduce “Lien Hoa Tinh Canh” in various sizes, making it accessible to a broader audience. Notably, she has committed to donating all net proceeds from sales, after deducting operational costs, directly to Buddhist charitable initiatives.

A pioneering figure in Vietnam, Duc has leveraged NFT technology to protect the authenticity of her artwork. Each print comes equipped with unique serial codes and embedded electronic chips, enabling buyers to verify authenticity and copyright easily through a smartphone.

Phung Kim Phong, a representative of Lotus Art Gallery, highlighted the ethical imperative behind employing this technology: “NFT verification ensures that each customer receives a genuine, authorized artwork, reinforcing trust and maintaining the intrinsic value of artistic creations.”

Kim Duc’s integration of NFT verification serves not only as a safeguard against art forgery but also positions her as an advocate for ethical standards within the art market, setting a meaningful precedent for other artists and distributors in Vietnam and beyond.

Read the full story here.

Which NFT innovation inspires you most?

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This week’s featured collector is kamataris

Kamataris has a clever collection of social commentary NFTs. Check it out at lazy.com/kamataris

Do you think NFTs are will become a key infrastructure for web3?

Last week’s poll explored NFT collectors’ perspectives on NFTs’ potential as foundational elements of web3 infrastructure, revealing insightful sentiments within the community. A strong majority—63%—expressed confidence that NFTs would indeed form a critical backbone of the emerging decentralized internet landscape. Interestingly, however, a sizable portion, 25%, remain uncertain, signaling a thoughtful caution or perhaps a need for clearer evidence of NFTs’ long-term utility beyond art and collectibles. Only 13% outright doubted NFTs’ infrastructural role, underscoring that skepticism remains modest within this forward-looking community. This blend of enthusiastic optimism tempered by pragmatic caution reflects an engaged community carefully weighing NFTs’ evolving potential.

Must-See NFT Art: Expert Picks

For NFT collectors, Basel’s Digital Art Mile has quickly established itself as an essential event, carving out its unique and respected niche alongside Art Basel’s traditional marketplace. ARTnews recently tapped into the expertise of 10 distinguished digital art authorities to spotlight their preferred NFT artworks presented at the fair, offering collectors exclusive insights into influential pieces shaping the evolving digital art landscape.

Below, explore deeper into the highlights and historical contexts that make these selected artworks both groundbreaking and culturally significant:

Last Selfie by XCOPY

Collector Jediwolf articulates a profound emotional connection to XCOPY’s Last Selfie, intensified by the poignant context of crypto artist Alotta Money’s passing. Initially minted at $20, its philosophical exploration of temporality and existence has deeply resonated within the NFT community, dramatically increasing its valuation to an astounding $1.2 million by 2025.

The Goose (Ringers #879) by Dmitri Cherniak

Punk6529 celebrates Dmitri Cherniak’s The Goose as a paradigmatic example of generative art’s wonder—highlighting the improbable emergence of discernible figures through entirely algorithmic processes. The Goose holds legendary status in digital art communities, symbolizing playful optimism and the human intrigue inherent in code-driven creation.

Autoglyphs by Larva Labs

Andrew Jiang acknowledges Autoglyphs’ crucial role in NFT history, characterizing them as foundational digital artifacts akin to cave paintings. As the pioneering fully on-chain generative art series, Autoglyphs have profoundly influenced contemporary blockchain art, cementing the concept of immutable provenance and fostering widespread appreciation for generative aesthetics.

Plantoids by Primavera de Filippi

Digital art advisor Georg Bak highlights the Plantoids for their innovative fusion of organic aesthetics and blockchain technology. These mechanical sculptures exist symbiotically with cryptocurrency, using Ethereum-driven processes to reproduce and evolve, further integrating AI and NFT technologies to invite human participation and redefine artistic creation.

Chromie Squiggle by SnowFro

Flamingo DAO singles out SnowFro’s iconic Chromie Squiggle as central to their collection, underscoring its enduring significance. With its elegant simplicity and blockchain authenticity, the Squiggle symbolizes the DAO’s pioneering spirit and its strategic foresight in recognizing the lasting cultural and financial potential of generative art.

Read the full expert take at Artnews.com.

What’s your NFT style?

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This week’s featured collector is JLong

JLong is an artist with a sizeable collection of NFTs. Check it out at lazy.com/jlong

How bullish are you on NFTs after May’s rise?

Good news! Last week’s poll paints a distinctly upbeat mood: with 63 % of respondents clustering in the “super-bullish” (25%) or “optimistic” (38%) camps, sentiment has swung decisively positive in the wake of May’s NFT rebound. A full quarter remain “neutral,” suggesting many collectors are still weighing fundamentals rather than chasing momentum, while outright pessimism is muted—only 13 % call themselves “skeptical” and, tellingly, not a single voter selected “cautious.” The lack of middle-ground wariness implies that May’s price action rekindled confidence faster than it rebuilt healthy doubt. Still, the data signal that experienced market participants largely view the recent rise as more than a dead-cat bounce.

Are NFTs Becoming Infrastructure?

When Charu Sethi, president of Unique Network, penned her Cointelegraph op-ed “The NFT Market Is Silently Becoming Infrastructure,” she set out to reframe NFTs as the quiet plumbing behind gaming, AI, and Web3 rather than the fading stars of speculative mania. Citing Q1 2025 data from DappRadar—trading volume down 24 percent while the number of sales slipped only 10 percent—she argues that lower prices signal maturation, not extinction. She points to projects such as Mythical’s game-asset economies, The Sandbox’s virtual land, AI-audit badges on Bittensor, and “machine NFTs” for autonomous drones on Peaq, contending that tokens are evolving into identity anchors, credential containers, and programmable rights for autonomous agents. In short, Sethi insists that waiting for another art-market boom is missing the real story: NFTs are quietly wiring themselves into the architecture of tomorrow’s internet.

For seasoned collectors who rode the highs of 2021 and the lows of 2022-24, that narrative sounds both hopeful and familiar. The frenzy of 10-thousand-item mints has subsided, leaving a construction site where speculative scaffolding is gradually giving way to functional rails. Indeed, the DappRadar figures show users sticking around even as average prices deflate—evidence that many of us now buy because an asset does something, not merely because it might moon. Interoperable skins in Mythical titles, land parcels that unlock gameplay in The Sandbox, and domain NFTs that resolve to readable wallet names don’t grab headlines, yet they keep collectors hooked long after the hype cycle fades. Admittedly, the ecosystem is still lopsided: most activity clusters on Ethereum L2s, Solana, and Polygon, and “interoperability” doesn’t often exist in practical reality. But the arc is bending—in fits and starts—toward utility over flash.

Where Sethi is most prescient is in linking NFTs to the coming wave of agentic AI. Autonomous software needs a cryptographic passport—an anchor for identity, memory, and rights management—and an ERC-721 token is a clean candidate. Early pilots such as Bittensor’s audit-credential NFTs and Peaq’s drone IDs prove feasibility. Yet collectors should recognize that on-chain identity is only half the battle; if the model weights or sensor data that govern an agent live off-chain, an NFT attestation risks becoming a badge without a body. The next phase must weld NFTs to zero-knowledge proofs and secure model storage. That work is underway, but far from finished. Bet on the concept, not any single implementation.

Regulation and reputation are the major elephants in the room. Outside our circles, NFTs still conjure images of wash-trading, rug-pulls, and ecological guilt. If tokens are to become trusted infrastructure, the sector must over-deliver on transparency: royalty enforcement that actually works, analytics that flag manipulation, and credible carbon neutral approaches as NFT and AI’s compute appetite balloons. Collectors can accelerate the culture shift by rewarding projects that have high standards, self-audit, publish emissions data, or adopt anti-speculative commitments; the market has matured enough that ethical signals now influence floor prices.

Taken together, these caveats strengthen rather than weaken the bullish case. Markets rarely reward recycled hype; they reward the first wave of utilities that persist when nobody is chanting “wagmi.” For collectors, that means curating assets with real hooks into gameplay, governance, generational art or AI workflows, and tracking standards bodies and zero-knowledge tooling as closely as floor charts. Infrastructure works best when nobody notices, just as SSL certificates quietly secure every web session today. If NFTs can fade into the background in the same way—boring, reliable, indispensable—the next cycle will reward tokens that do real work, not lottery tickets. That is a future worth staying positive for.

Do you think NFTs are will become a key infrastructure for web3?

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This week’s featured collector is korion2525

Korion2525 has a few interesting NFTs, including a Minter Token that proves they once minted a Bored Ape. Check it out at lazy.com/korion2525

Which aspect of Cell-NFTs excites you most?

The poll results show a clear enthusiasm among respondents for the empowerment potential of Cell-NFTs, especially in the area of personal data control. An overwhelming majority (71%) are most excited about the opportunity to own and control their health data directly. This highlights a significant trend towards decentralization and personal sovereignty over sensitive biometric information.

Additionally, 29% of participants are excited by the innovative convergence of laboratory science and blockchain technology. Interestingly, other aspects such as advancing healthcare research, strong privacy and ethical safeguards, and the unique rarity of the NFTs did not receive any votes, suggesting that collectors’ primary interests lie predominantly in personal data autonomy and the intersection of biotech and blockchain.

NFT Monthly Sales Recovered Slightly in May

In May, the NFT market experienced a notable resurgence, breaking a consistent downward trend that had lasted through the first five months of 2025. According to CryptoSlam, monthly NFT sales saw a 15% increase, climbing from $373 million in April to $430 million in May. Perhaps even more compelling, unique NFT buyers surged dramatically, jumping by 50% from approximately 622,000 in April to over 936,000 in May—the highest number of buyers seen since October 2024.

A particularly intriguing insight is the divergence between buyer and seller behaviors. While new and returning buyers flooded the market, the number of NFT sellers continued to decline, dropping to around 284,600. This marks the lowest seller count recorded on CryptoSlam’s platform since April 2021. This discrepancy could suggest that sellers are becoming more selective, potentially holding on to premium collectibles longer. Consequently, the shortage of available NFTs in the market could lead to heightened competition and higher valuations as buyers compete for scarcer offerings.

Market strategists have taken notice of these trends, indicating cautious optimism about the NFT market’s immediate future. Yehudah Petscher from CryptoSlam predicts a broader market rebound, particularly in tandem with the expected rise of Bitcoin and general crypto market momentum. However, he cautions collectors to temper their expectations, noting that while optimism is justified, the euphoric peaks of 2021 and 2022 may not return. Further amplifying this sentiment, DappRadar analyst Sara Gherghelas has pointed out that fresh catalysts could be critical for sustained NFT growth, highlighting real-world asset (RWA) NFTs as a promising sector to watch. Indeed, the successful launch of Courtyard’s RWA marketplace recently drove Polygon-based NFT sales above Ethereum’s weekly totals, underscoring potential new pathways for growth and adoption.

Read the full report at CoinTelegraph.

How bullish are you on NFTs after May’s rise?

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