Ledger, the leading provider of hardware wallets for cryptocurrencies, has announced a strategic partnership with Sotheby’s, the world’s largest auction house. The partnership aims to enhance the security and trust of digital art transactions on the blockchain.
According to a press release, Ledger will provide its Ledger Vault technology to Sotheby’s, enabling the auction house to store and manage its NFTs (non-fungible tokens) in a secure and scalable way. Ledger Vault is a multi-authorization governance platform that allows institutions to manage their digital assets with the highest level of security and efficiency.
The partnership will also allow Sotheby’s to offer its clients the option to receive their NFTs directly on their Ledger hardware wallets, giving them full ownership and control over their digital assets. Ledger hardware wallets are the most trusted devices for storing and transacting cryptocurrencies and NFTs, as they protect the private keys from hackers and malware.
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Charles Stewart, CEO of Sotheby’s, said: “We are thrilled to partner with Ledger, the leader in crypto security, to offer our clients a best-in-class solution for storing and managing their NFTs. As the demand for digital art continues to grow, so does the need for a secure and reliable way to ensure its authenticity and provenance. Ledger’s technology will help us provide our clients with the highest level of service and confidence in this new market.”
Pascal Gauthier, CEO of Ledger, said: “We are honored to partner with Sotheby’s, a prestigious institution with a rich history and expertise in the art world. This partnership is a milestone for the adoption of blockchain technology and NFTs, as it demonstrates how they can bring more value and innovation to the art industry. By leveraging Ledger’s security and infrastructure, Sotheby’s will be able to offer its clients a seamless and secure experience for buying and selling digital art on the blockchain.”
Opensea Introduces Opensea Studio
Opensea, the leading marketplace for non-fungible tokens (NFTs), has announced the launch of Opensea Studio, a new platform that aims to make NFT creation and distribution easier and more accessible for artists, developers and brands. Opensea Studio is designed to provide a comprehensive suite of tools and services for NFT creators, including:
A user-friendly interface that allows anyone to create, mint and sell NFTs on Opensea without coding or technical knowledge.
A flexible smart contract framework that supports various NFT standards, such as ERC-721, ERC-1155 and EIP-2981, as well as custom features and functionalities.
A robust API that enables developers to integrate Opensea Studio with their own applications and platforms, such as games, social media and websites.
A curated marketplace that showcases the best NFT collections and projects created with Opensea Studio, as well as provides discovery and promotion opportunities for creators.
A community of support and education that offers guidance, feedback and resources for NFT creators of all levels and backgrounds.
Opensea Studio is currently in beta and invites are being sent out to select creators who have expressed interest in the platform. According to Opensea, the goal is to open up the platform to the public in the near future and to empower more people to participate in the NFT ecosystem.
Opensea CEO Devin Finzer said in a blog post: “We believe that NFTs are not just a new way of collecting digital art, but a fundamental shift in how we create, share and monetize our creative work. With Opensea Studio, we want to lower the barriers to entry and make NFT creation accessible to anyone with an idea and a vision.”
Opensea Studio is the latest initiative by Opensea to expand its offerings and reach in the NFT space. Earlier this year, the company raised $100 million in a Series B funding round led by Andreessen Horowitz, valuing it at $1.5 billion. It also acquired Dibbles, a platform that allows users to buy and sell fractions of NFTs, and launched Opensea Labs, a research and development arm that explores new possibilities for NFTs.