On Tuesday, Elon Musk’s X shared a grand vision for the company in 2024, which includes launching peer-to-peer payments and more AI-powered tools. Amid all this excitement, it appears that the company has silently removed a feature for paid subscribers – setting an NFT as a profile picture.
The Removed Feature: Setting NFTs as Profile Pictures
In January 2022, Twitter’s previous management launched a feature that allowed Twitter Blue subscribers to set NFTs minted on Ethereum (ERC-721 or ERC-1155 tokens) as profile pictures. These NFTs would display as hexagons in the user’s profile picture area. Users could click/tap on the profile picture to view more information about the NFT, including details like its collection, contract address, TokenID, and the app with which it was minted.
The Removal of the Feature
It appears that X has removed all descriptions related to the NFT profile picture feature from its X Premium support page. The original description on the site read:
"As a Premium subscriber, you can create a customized profile so you can show off the NFTs you own in a hex-shaped profile picture on your account. After a temporary connection to your crypto wallet that allows you to set up an NFT as your profile picture, your digital asset displays in a special hexagon shape that identifies you as the owner of that NFT."
People who had an NFT set as their profile picture still have hexagonal avatars, but it’s unclear if X will eventually remove those as well.
Not Surprising Given Industry Trends
The removal of this feature is not very surprising given other social networks have also wound down their NFT experiments. In 2022, Instagram and Facebook started experimenting with showing and posting NFTs, but Meta shut down support for NFTs in March 2023.
NFT Market Showing Signs of Recovery
While the value of some high-priced tokens like Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC) has plummeted from its peak, the NFT market has shown signs of recovery in recent months. According to NFT aggregator CryptoSlam, trade volumes have exceeded $1.6 billion.
X’s Promises for 2024
Despite this development, X promises to continue innovating and expanding its offerings in 2024. The company’s vision includes launching peer-to-peer payments and more AI-powered tools. These developments are expected to further enhance the user experience on the platform.
What’s Next for NFTs?
As the NFT market continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see how X and other social networks adapt their policies regarding NFTs. Will they continue to innovate and find new ways to integrate NFTs into their platforms, or will they follow in Meta’s footsteps and shut down support for these digital assets?
Only time will tell, but one thing is certain – the world of NFTs is constantly changing, and those who adapt quickly will be at an advantage.
Related Articles
- X Promises Peer-to-Peer Payments and More AI Advances in 2024
- The Rise and Fall of NFTs: A Brief History
- X Removes Feature for Paid Subscribers to Set NFTs as Profile Pictures
Recent News
- Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi Resigns from Aurora’s Board
- Tenable CEO Amit Yoran Dies
- Aria Alamalhodaei’s Newsletters
Follow TechCrunch for the Latest News
Stay up-to-date with the latest news in technology, startups, and more. Follow us on social media or subscribe to our newsletters for daily updates.
https://twitter.com/techcrunch
https://www.linkedin.com/company/techcrunch/
https://www.facebook.com/techcrunch/
