X, formerly known as Twitter and now under the ownership of Elon Musk, has decided to discontinue a feature allowing premium users to utilize non-fungible token (NFT) images as their profile pictures.
Introduced two years ago in January, the feature targeted Twitter Blue subscribers, enabling them to showcase a verifiable NFT as their profile image. This move was considered pioneering in the social media realm, validating NFT use when major platforms like Meta’s Facebook and Instagram had yet to integrate such technology.
Recent developments reveal that the option to activate this feature on the iPhone version of the Twitter app is no longer available.
While Elon Musk’s X has not officially commented on this decision, the absence of the feature suggests a strategic shift.
The NFT profile picture feature allowed users to leverage Ethereum blockchain technology to verify NFT ownership, presenting the NFT as a distinctive hexagonal image, differentiating it from standard circular profile pictures. The fate of this verification method and hexagonal profile picture format remains uncertain, especially for users with existing NFT-equipped profile pictures.
This change occurs amid shifting attitudes toward NFTs and blockchain technology in the social media sector. Meta recently announced a reduced focus on NFTs on Instagram, redirecting attention toward AI development and its broader metaverse vision.
The removal of the NFT profile picture feature follows crypto-related incidents on Twitter, such as the compromise of the official United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) account on X, leading to a false announcement regarding the approval of Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs). The cybersecurity lapse prompted an FBI investigation, attributed to the lack of two-factor authorization and unauthorized access to a linked phone number.
Despite Elon Musk’s decision, NFT trading volume witnessed a surge of $99 million in October, reaching $405 million—an indication of sales levels not seen since August. Additionally, NFT sales on the Bitcoin network surpassed $881 million in December 2023, a new milestone. BTC-focused NFT sales outperformed Ethereum’s by 2.34 times, with Solana securing the third spot in NFT sales.
Following the top three blockchains, Polygon and Arbitrum emerged as subsequent leaders in terms of NFT sales.
