The Now Podcast

Presented by Beatport.io, the "Digital Resonance" panel at Gateway Korea featured a varied array of viewpoints presented by five distinct speakers representing different areas of the music industry. Throughout the conversation, the panelists explored the profound influence of web3 on the music sector. They also highlighted effective approaches for artists to engage with their supporters via web3,...

Adidas /// Studio unveiled its RESIDENCY program for emerging artists in web3 with an audiovisual activation at Gateway Korea featuring limited open editions and exclusive merch. Bringing together adidas /// Studio’s Global Head of Communications & Activation Stacey King and featured artists Adra Kandil and MonkeeMoto, this panel dives deep into the footwear giant’s vision for web3 and how art...

Art world leaders, including Jung Bong Lee, Kirsten Wang, Vladislav Ginzburg, and Walker Waugh, joined moderator Afrodet Zuri for a Gateway Korea panel discussion on how the fine art world is and is continuing to be disrupted by the emergence of digital assets.  The panelists acknowledged the profound impact of digital art and its growing significance in culture, even as some remain cautious...

Artists ThankYouX, Emi Kusano, and J.N. Silva joined nft now’s Matt Medved for a candid conversation on empowering artistry in uncertain times during The Gateway: Korea.  The panelists explored the highs and lows of navigating the bear market as artists, tuning out the noise and staying true to their artistic visions. From actionable advice for staying creative and inspired to finding new out...

The rise of digital fashion promises to disrupt the $1.7 trillion fashion industry and usher major brands into web3. Industry leaders across fashion and web3, including Dani Loftus, Irene Kim, and Lady Pheønix, joined moderator Afrodet Zuri for a special Now Runway panel at Gateway Korea, discussing the future of the digital fashion and luxury movement. In this talk, we cover:  - Will digital...

A star-studded cast of founders representing some of the most successful web3 communities joined us for Gateway Korea’s community-building panel, including ARC Community’s Elroy Cheo, Frank DeGods of DeGods and y00ts, 9dcc’s Gmoney and Dave Krugman of ALLSHIPS. The discussion delved beyond surface-level platitudes to explore the importance of authenticity and commitment in fostering thriving onlin...

9GAG CEO and Memeland founder Ray Chan joined us for an exclusive fireside chat at The Gateway Korea centered on Asia's pivotal role in the Web3 revolution. Moderated by ARC Community's director, Gabriel Yang, the conversation explored topics like inherent inclusivity, transcending borders, and gender bias. Chan also discusses Asia’s leadership role in the crypto space and other categories, such a...

In this Gateway Korea panel, renowned artists and art experts discussed the enduring impact of legendary artist Keith Haring through the lens of Christie's exclusive auction, "Keith Haring: Pixel Pioneer." It features five rare digital drawings from Haring, each crafted on an Amiga computer during the 1980s. Christie’s partnered with nft now to display his first-ever works at The Gateway: Korea in...

Seedphrase, also known as Daniel Maegaard, is a DJ and investor from Queensland, Australia, who made his fortune in cryptocurrency and Bitcoin. He invested $4,000 in Bitcoin in 2013 and cashed out in 2017, making millions of dollars. After traveling to over 40 countries, he discovered NFTs and bought some of the most sought-after ones, including his signature CryptoPunk #8348. During his performan...

The Fabricant is a leading digital-only fashion house based in the Netherlands, establishing the concept of non-physical couture. They are known for creating and selling the first fashion NFT in 2019 for $9,500, and have partnered with the likes of Off-White, Google, H&M and Adidas. They recently released their Primal Rave collection, remixing elements of Dutch culture from the 17th century tr...

Krista Kim joins us for our first-ever tokenized podcast episode announced live on-stage in an exclusive fireside chat at The Gateway: Korea. Krista Kim is a Canadian Korean contemporary artist who has been active at the forefront of web3, wellness, and digital consciousness for more than a decade. Krista is a cultural leader for the World Economic Forum who has collaborated with the likes of Loui...

Julie Pacino is a photographer and filmmaker known for her upcoming feature-length psychological thriller, I Live Here Now . As an early adopter at the intersection of film and Web3, Pacino has used photography NFT projects, including “I Live Here Now” and “Keepers of the Inn” to crowdfund her film projects and bypass traditional Hollywood gatekeepers. As the eldest daughter of acclaimed actor Al...

Zeneca is a creator, collector, and community leader who, prior to entering the NFT space, was a seasoned crypto trader and poker player. After becoming discouraged during the crypto bear market of 2018, Zeneca took a few years away from the blockchain, only to return during the early NFT boom as a thought leader and educator.  One of Zeneca’s most significant contributions to the NFT space i...

Sam is a New York based artist best known for his Luci series, comprised of digital paintings paired with written psalms, released as episodic pieces of an evolving story about the rediscovery of our most ancient human values in a post-historic world. The first Chapter released in October of 2021 and since then, the project has generated seven figures in primary sales and six-figure sales at major...

For the nft now podcast’s 100th episode, we welcome Beeple (Mike Winkelmann), one of the most well-known figures in the NFT space. He made history in selling Everydays: the First 5000 Days for $69.3 million at Christie’s in 2021, the first time a major auction house offered a fully-digital artwork. Since then, Beeple has remained at the forefront of the web3 space by collaborating with Madonna and...

Fxnction is an expert trader, investor, and advisor in the NFT and crypto space. Previously known by the crypto alias Shill Nye, he is best known for being early to Solana NFTs, as well as his deep dives on crypto, AI, and different NFT communities. Fnxction has garnered a significant Twitter following of more than 120,000 due to his expertise in trading and offbeat humor. He is also the host of C...

Daria Shapovalova and Natalia Modenova are the founders of DressX, a leading digital fashion retailer with an app and NFT marketplace. Over the last three years, they’ve partnered with the likes of Bershka, H&M, DUNDAS, and Agoria. Recently, the brand raised a $15 million series A round led by Greenfield with participation from Slow Ventures, Warner Music, Red DAO, The Artemis Fund, and others...

Ed Balloon is an active Web3 artist, musician, and community leader within the NFT space. In an ecosystem that is often overrun by PFPs and memes, his stunning pieces showcase his unique existence as a prolific stop-motion NFT artist. To help uplift his fellow artists, 50 percent of the proceeds from his flagship Run Ed collection secondary sales go to The Ed Balloon Generational Wealth Fund, whic...

Trevor Owens is the CEO of Ninjalerts — an app for NFT trading alerts — and GP at Bitcoin Frontier Fund, where he invests in teams building new use cases for Bitcoin. Before this, Owens spent a decade coaching founders in the Lean Startup Methodology and authored The Lean Enterprise: How Corporations Can Innovate Like Startups. A leading voice in the Bitcoin Ordinals movement, he also hosts our No...

Kenny Schachter is an artist, curator, and University of Zurich professor who has been curating contemporary art exhibits for nearly 30 years. He writes a regular column for Artnet and has an upcoming project called “Open Book,” an ever-evolving digital book on Polygon, powered by Async Art. In addition, he’s written for various international publications including New York Magazine and The Times...

Michael Bouhanna is the Vice-President, Contemporary Art Specialist, and Head of Digital Art and NFTs at Sotheby’s. In June 2021, he facilitated Sotheby’s first curated NFT auction, Natively Digital, resulting in a total sale of $40 million across three editions. The sale included the first-ever NFT, Quantum by Kevin and Jennifer McCoy, and pieces by Snowfro, Dmitri Cherniak, Pak, Sarah Zucker, Fv...

Grant Yun is a breakdancer and med student who has emerged as one of the top-selling artists of the NFT space. While he insists that his entrance into the NFT space was a leap of faith, his Neo-Precisionist style has gained him numerous accolades in Web3. The high-profile sale of his piece “Cow” sparked a conversation about the utility and value of fine art NFTs. Some saw the piece as too simple t...

Valued at over $1 billion and with an estimated annual revenue of over $53 million, Ledger is one of the world’s most well-known and popular providers of hardware wallets. In May 2023, the company experienced a significant backlash around its Ledger Recover feature — a key recovery service that provides a backup of your seedphrase and allows you to restore your private keys. Many in the Web3 commu...

Luca Netz (Luca Schnetzler) is the CEO of Pudgy Penguins, an 8,888 NFT collection of adorable cartoon penguins. In April 2022, Netz took up leadership of the project and community in the aftermath of its fall from grace at the hands of its founding team. Since acquiring the Pudgy brand, Netz has turned Pudgy Penguins into both a comeback story and a breakout project that extends far beyond the wal...

Shira Lazar is an Emmy-nominated host, interviewer, and content creator covering social media, Web3, and digital wellness. Founding member of the Web3 community BFF and Co-Founder of the online yoga and meditation studio Peace Inside Live, Lazar has been a consistent proponent of mental health in Web3 — a dynamic often overlooked in the online-heavy ecosystem. She recently launched The JOMO Effect...