ANA Launches GranWhale NFT Marketplace
All Nippon Airways sets a precedent for other corporations to explore the opportunities offered by the Web3 era.
ANA GranWhale NFT Marketplace
All Nippon Airways (ANA), Japan's largest airline, has made a significant move at the intersection of aviation and blockchain technology by launching the ANA GranWhale NFT Marketplace in collaboration with its subsidiary, ANA Neo. This marketplace marks a unique venture in the digital realm for the aviation industry.
The ANA GranWhale NFT Marketplace begins with an inaugural collection of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) featuring aerial photographs captured by renowned aerial photographer Luke Ozawa. These breathtaking images have been digitized and transformed into NFT format, offering aviation and art enthusiasts a unique opportunity. Each NFT in this collection, which includes the original positive film, is priced at 100,000 yen.
Building on the success of the first collection, ANA plans to launch a second NFT collection on June 7. This collection will feature NFTs of a 3D model airplane representing ANA's first Boeing 787 aircraft. The NFTs will be priced at 7,870 yen, with 1,574 items available across two types.
ANA's Vision for NFTs
ANA's entry into the NFT space holds significant weight, given its position as Japan's largest airline and its impressive revenues of $12.2 billion in the last fiscal year. The launch of the ANA GranWhale NFT Marketplace reflects the company's intention to enhance the customer experience by commercializing NFTs and exploring the potential of blockchain technology.
ANA Neo's GranWhale project, which served as the foundation for the marketplace, was initially established as a virtual travel platform last August. By leveraging technologies like Virtual Reality, the platform aimed to recreate global destinations and cultures within metaverse parks.
Mitsuo Tomita, President of ANA Neo, emphasized the ambitious nature of the ANA GranWhale, symbolized by its logo, stating that it represents the fusion of the virtual and the real. ANA envisions a future where Web 3.0 and metaverse travel become more commonplace, and the company aims to fly straight into that future with stability and growth.
