NFT Lab Report: IBC Frens NFT Project

In this post, I’m excited to share about a project that I’ve always enjoyed interacting with: IBC Frens.

This is a 10,000 NFT collection launching on Stargaze (in the Cosmos ecosystem) on 11th of March.

Here’s why I’ve liked the project, and some areas of development I’m looking out for during the launch.

No Whitelist

The first thing that caught my attention when I chanced upon them on Crypto Twitter was their no whitelist rationale.

Typically in most NFT projects today, you see everyone grinding and often empty posting on Discord, just to get their levels up and earn a whitelist in projects they are bullish on.

IBC Frens recognises this.

Instead of going with this conventional whitelist sale mechanism, they have chosen to eschew whitelists altogether, allowing for a ‘fair’ launch.

This was definitely something that I was also in support of, and is reflected in the friendlier and less spammy vibes I get from their Discord channel.

Cute, positive art style

Another area that I enjoy about this project is its art style and direction.

With its recent reveals, it has showcased unique aliens, all with bright pastel colours and a cool space theme to boot.

As someone who has always been interested in space-related themes and designs, this was definitely a huge attraction to me.

The overall art style was also cute and friendly, which in a simplistic way, offers good vibes all around. I’m a fan!

Product roadmap

I’m a big fan of the product roadmap too.

Unlike many other NFT projects that are building on clouds, IBC Frens has a clear roadmap that actually already has proven traction.

They are aiming to build a Decentralized Product Organization that allows members to decide on future product developments through governance.

Governance will then only be accessible through ownership of the IBC Frens NFT.

Their current product IBCNFTs.com is also a good Minimum Viable Product (MVP) of what they are able to build, and likely a good sign of what’s to come.

Owners of IBC Frens NFTs will also be part-owners of IBCNFTs via the DAO, and have a share in its successes and developments.

Engaged community with games and giveaways

Another unique aspect of the Discord community is its fun games!

The IBC Frens has Russian roulette and dice games for users to play and keep engaged in the community.

Top winners can even win an IBC NFT!

Potential challenges

To be clear, there are some potential challenges with the project.

A 10,000 NFT supply might be rather large, considering the bearish market sentiments and relative anonymity of Stargaze to many crypto investors.

To their credit, they have recognized this potential challenge and will be splitting the 10,000 supply into two different waves of 5,000 each.

Aliens would be characters in focus during the first wave, and Frens would be included in the second wave.

Prices are likely 10-25% higher for the second wave, but overall benefits for both waves of NFTs are the same.

Conclusion

This is a rather fun NFT project overall, giving off good vibes with a unique roadmap.

With its relatively affordable mint price, doxxed team and usable, proven product, I am rather bullish of the project and excited to see how it will pan out.