In recent years, the sports collectibles landscape has rapidly changed. Projects without collectibility, repeatability, and utility have fallen by the wayside. A few weeks ago, NBA legend Baron Davis and Dibbs co-founder and CEO Evan Vandenberg explored the current collectibles landscape at Collision Conference, one of the largest tech conferences in the world.

Baron discusses his passion for collectibles and how he sees the future of the industry. He believes that collectibles should be more than just digital objects. They should also provide access, utility, and storytelling elements. Evan shares his vision for Dibbs' Taas (Tokenization-as-a-Service) solution, a platform that allows brands to tokenize their high-value items as physical-backed digital collectibles on the blockchain. He believes that Dibbs can revolutionize the collectibles industry by making it more accessible, efficient, and global.

Check out exclusive images from the conversation, and read on to hear how Baron discussed the key factors for successful collectibles projects for today and tomorrow.

A large portion of the world’s wealth is locked up in illiquid assets like real estate and commodities. While these provide long-term value and stability they also come with some glaring disadvantages. For starters, the illiquid asset class remains largely inaccessible to the average investor. 

Tokenization might be a relatively new technology but it’s set to be a $16 trillion business opportunity, according to a Boston Consulting Group report. Larry Fink, the CEO of BlackRock, an investment firm managing over $8 trillion in assets, highlighted the immense potential of asset tokenization saying, “The tokenization of asset classes offers the prospect of driving efficiencies in capital markets, shortening value chains, and improving cost and access for investors.” Clearly, asset tokenization is revolutionizing the way assets are purchased, traded, and sold across all industries. 

This article will cover what asset tokenization is and list some of the best platforms to tokenize your assets.

Although the NFT market is currently experiencing a decline in activity compared to its peak in 2021, web2 brands are charging into NFT adoption in droves.

Web3 is opening up a new frontier for brands and businesses through digital collectibles. These collectibles are not just innovative assets; they serve as a medium for deeper customer engagement, brand storytelling, and community building.

In a world where NFTs (non-fungible tokens) have ignited the imagination of creators and collectors alike, one particular avenue stands out: physical-backed digital collectibles, also known as item tokens. Beyond the hype surrounding NFTs, these tokens bridge the tangible and digital realms, offering a captivating fusion of ownership, transparency, and authenticity. But how does one bring a physical collectible into the vibrant world of blockchain in a way that the digital counterparts effectively portray the physical items? 

NFTs are rapidly evolving beyond their initial perception as mere digital collectibles or "expensive JPEGs." Major Web2 brands, including Gucci, Nike, and Adidas, are at the forefront of this transformation, leveraging NFTs to revolutionize customer engagement and establish new revenue channels.

Investors have poured nearly $94 billion into web3 companies in recent years.  As entertainment goliaths like Disney make the leap to web3, it’s becoming clear that there’s a “whole new world” of opportunity ready to tap into. But to fully capitalize on the shift, brands must be ready to create marketing strategies that focus on physical NFTs and create new ways for their audiences to engage.

People like practicality. We drive practical cars, live in practical houses, and purchase practical clothing. We gravitate to objects that can streamline and perform tasks for us, and the scope of utility has grown alongside technology. Utility NFTs (non-fungible tokens) have made it possible for digital art to have practical benefits, and the result is a game changer for business and culture.

The most useful items in our lives are often among our most valuable possessions — perhaps not in dollar value, but certainly for how they improve our lives. Cars make it easier to travel, technology makes it easier to communicate, and few people regret installing a bidet. The same goes for NFTs, which can significantly enhance our lives if they’re built with utility.