In the world of crypto, minting NFTs is similar to minting coins. Albeit, instead of stamping a coin, minting a NFT adds the digital asset to a blockchain like Ethereum. 

In recent years, NFTs have seen a meteoric rise in popularity among confident investors and digital art collectors. Because digital artwork has been recently purchased for millions of dollars, some speculators are buying up NFTs in the hopes of becoming wealthy quickly.

The jury is still out on whether or not this is merely a passing craze or a suitable category of investments. One thing is for sure, though: NFTs represent an encouraging step forward for creators and artists.

What is minting a NFT?

You must wonder, “what does it mean to mint a NFT.” For beginners, it might sound complex, but I’ll break it down for you.

An NFT is minted when digital data is transformed into cryptographic tokens or digital assets stored on the blockchain. The digital items or files cannot be altered, modified, or removed in a distributed ledger or decentralized database.

When a file is created electronically, it is called a digital asset. This may be anything from a photograph to a video. Adding a digital asset to a blockchain like Ethereum and transforming it into an NFT is called “minting.” 

Adding an asset to the blockchain creates a permanent record that can’t be altered, amended, or removed. People can trade NFTs on an NFT marketplace once they have been minted.

NFT creators pay an additional cost (known as gas fees) to mint an NFT. Gas fees are the backbone of the Ethereum blockchain, representing the cost of resources spent to fulfill transactions.

The cost of gas fluctuates in response to changes in supply and demand on the network. However, due to the popularity of NFTs and the high demand for Ethereum, gas fees on the blockchain might get expensive.

Factors to consider before minting a NFT

Adding NFTs to a blockchain is called “minting,” like minting paper bills is called “creating currencies.” 

Different types of artworks can be bought or sold on the open market with the non-fungible technology’s guarantee. In addition, ownership tracking and the ability to resell or collect the item are provided by this system. 

As the last point, a basic understanding of NFTs can offer a credible sense of how they should be produced and represented. Some of the factors that need to be considered before minting NFTs are:

1. Blockchain network

Several different blockchain networks are available to you where you can mint your NFT. However, each platform has its perks and drawbacks. Therefore, it is essential to have an ample understanding of the NFT blockchain platform from which you choose to select. 

The following are examples of blockchain platforms:

• Binance Smart Chain
• Cosmos
• EOS
• Ethereum
• Flow by Dapper Labs
• Polkadot
• Tezos
• Tron
• WAX

2. The ecosystem of the NFT

When looking for the most cost-effective method to mint new currencies, consider how well-informed you are about the NFT features supported by the blockchain of your choice.

3. NFT marketplace features

If you want to mint new NFTs and trade existing ones, the marketplace you choose should have several beneficial features. In addition, you want to ensure that the market makes rapid NFT transfers and sales possible across various platforms.

OpenSea is the most popular platform due to its robust features and easy navigation; LooksRare, on the other hand, offers staking rewards for purchases and sales.

4. An affordable marketplace

In the beginning, thousands of enthusiastic creators tried their hand at transforming their artwork into NFTs. But unfortunately, the costs of minting NFTs add up, and artists now strive to find a means through which they may mint an NFT at no charge.

The use of well-known options can be beneficial in circumstances like these. At this time, the most popular blockchains for minting non-fungible tokens are Ethereum and Binance Smart Chain. Because of their enormous scale, these two platforms operate as the largest NFT markets, giving purchasers extended insight and flexibility.

5. Does minting an NFT cost money?

When minting NFTs, prepare for additional expenses on gas. Also, you may or may not be required to pay a mint fee for the collection. But, if you feel clueless, fret not—we wrote an entire article about the costs of minting that you’ll incur through the process. 

Thankfully, some marketplaces offer free minting for NFTs on an individual level. However, this is rare, and you’ll typically pay extra for minting.

How long does it take to mint a NFT?

It isn’t necessary to spend several days minting an NFT. If you follow all the instructions and prompts on NFT marketplaces, you can quickly generate your very first NFT or collection—all it takes is a few minutes.

You will be able to start the process of minting NFTs after you put some ETH in your wallet and you’re set up as a creator. However, even though the process of stamping the NFT itself is quick, you shouldn’t let the simplicity of the procedure fool you. 

Make sure that your work of digital art is in perfect shape before you save it, as it will be the final product users add to the blockchain.

How to mint NFTs?

1. Decide on a NFT marketplace

There’s a variety of NFT marketplaces where you can mint NFTs, and each has its own set of requirements, features, and even blockchain. However, it is vital to remember that most marketplaces use the Ethereum blockchain. 

Currently, the following are some of the most successful NFT marketplaces:

• Axie Marketplace
• NFT ShowRoom
• Nifty Gateway
• OpenSea
• Rarible
• SuperRare

2. Choose a wallet to buy cryptocurrencies

The proliferation of NFT marketplaces using ETH as their primary currency is evidence of the popularity of the growing blockchain ecosystem.

You’ll have to create a wallet and purchase some ETH to get started. Follow our guide here for a step-by-step process of buying ETH through MetaMask. 

After this step, you will use this wallet to buy, sell, or trade on your marketplace of choice.

Despite the sheer diversity of compatible wallets and blockchain, you shouldn’t be concerned. I highly recommend you use one of these five tried-and-true wallets so you won’t have to worry about making any blunders in the confusing world of NFTs:

• Alpha Wallet
• Coinbase Wallet
• Math Wallet
• MetaMask
• Trust Wallet

Before you continue, remember one thing: keep some extra ETH in your wallet for gas fees. It’s common for people to miss out on deals of their lifetime because they forgot about additional NFT costs.

3. Follow the NFT platform guidelines

The guidelines for minting new NFTs and putting them on exchanges can vary from one market to the next. Therefore, if you wish to list an NFT, you will need to adhere to the standards established by the platform.

Some standard procedures tend to be the same across marketplaces. For example, the platform will request that you submit a file containing the content you wish to mint into an NFT.

At this point, you should also jot down some information about the NFT you intend to create. Your ability to sell items and build interest in collectors is directly proportional to the quality of the properties, description and title you provide.

Should I mint an NFT?

It depends on your outlook on the NFT project. If you think the project will succeed in the long run, minting an NFT will guarantee the lowest entry point for the collection.

If you’re in it for a quick flip or short-term trade, it also may lock in profits once the hype kicks in. But if both of these options are not on the table for you, then I would recommend you don’t mint an NFT out of the collection, as there’s too much risk the project will fail.

Summary

Minting an NFT is the process of transforming a digital asset into a cryptographic collection that is kept on a blockchain. NFTs cannot be changed, altered, or removed from the blockchain. 

Creators who enjoy generating artworks and other artistic assets can utilize NFTs to reach an audience that is significantly larger than ever.

Some public companies have even turned a profit by producing their own NFTs. However, remember that this movement is still in its formative stages, and plenty of risks are still involved.

Now, the capacity to create a new form of passive income through secondary sales has been a game-changer for creative professionals such as musicians, artists, content creators, and video game developers.

Nevertheless, creating and trading NFTs should not be viewed as a scheme to amass wealth rapidly. To mint and sell your digital assets using this method, you will need to pay some fees upfront, and there is no guarantee that anyone will be interested in purchasing your creations.

In addition, you’ll have to figure out how to buy an NFT from your favourite artists if you want to support their work.