CTT introduces the first Portuguese crypto stamp in physical and NFT format
- CTT – Correios de Portugal presents February 28th, the first Portuguese crypto stamp, issued in physical and NFT format (non-fungible Token), with exclusive benefits for collectors.
Partnership with StampsDaq
CTT Correios de Portugal, February 28th 2023, CTT – Correios de Portugal will present, this Tuesday, February 28th, the first Portuguese crypto stamp, issued in physical and NFT format (non-fungible Token), with exclusive benefits for collectors. The development of this crypto stamp was carried out in partnership with the Estonian start-up Stampsdaq, a company dedicated to cooperation with postal operators worldwide, bridging the gap with collectors.
This presentation, under the theme “Sailing to Discover the Future”, reinforces CTT’s role as one of the most disruptive and active postal operators in the development of new products and services in all areas of the company, including philately.
According to Raul Moreira, CTT’s Philately Director, “CTT has maintained an excellent reputation for technological development and artistic innovation throughout its 170 years as official stamp issuer. We were the first in the world to issue a cork stamp, the first to produce stamps in silk fabric, the first also to include remotely activated LEDs on stamps and even the first to insert a graphene sheet (crystalline form of carbon) on a philatelic block, on which a poem by Miguel Torga was engraved and read through an application. This investment is part of our mission to be highly innovative in the stamps we release, and we believe that this crypto-stamp will appeal to both our old and new collectors. We chose StampsDaq as a partner for the digital stamp because we share a common vision about the future of philately.”
“Our partnership with CTT is an important milestone for StampsDaq and represents a validation of our business model by one of the most important European postal operators,” said Andrii Shapovalov, CEO of StampsDaq. “All elements of the philatelic value chain are valuable, but collectors should benefit the most, and I am pleased that CTT has the same vision and strategy to make this happen. The possibilities offered by blockchain will complement and definitely enhance the traditional stamp collecting experience by enabling new, authentic and rewarding opportunities for collectors.”
NFT are digital files with rare features, that can be compared to pieces of art with a certain market value and are based on blockchain (a structure that stores transactional records of the general public in the form of databases) to ensure authenticity and security.
This crypto stamp “Caravela” will have a total issue of 40 thousand copies, with a face value of €9.90: 30 thousand in physical format, with its digital “twin”, in NFT, and 10 thousand exclusively digital copies, available on the StampsDaq platform. In the physical version, available for sale at CTT’s post offices and online store, the buyer receives a card with the physical stamp and a 10-digit numerical code. This code must be entered into the StampsDaq platform to allow digital access to the corresponding NFT stamp.
The digital format NFT stamp has various degrees of rarity and the level of the stamp you have purchased is only known when you access the StampsDaq platform. In physical format there is only the common stamp, but when redeeming the NFT the collector can receive a digital stamp with another rarity level. There are four categories: common, with 35,000 copies; rare, with 4,900 copies; super rare, with 99 copies; and unique, with only one copy. When you buy it you don’t know the rarity level and you can’t choose the NFT, which makes this stamp very interesting for traditional collectors, digital native consumers, and for those interested in strengthening their portfolio.
The digital stamp is accessible in the crypto wallet and can be paid with Matic – the native cryptocurrency of the Polygon network or using a credit card. Once the NFT is accessed it must be stored in the crypto wallet, which allows the digital stamp to be stored and viewed at any time.
This initiative is another example of co-innovation within CTT developed in partnership with the start-up ecosystem. CTT has in CTT 1520 StartUProgram its relationship program with start-ups that seeks to open the doors of the company to the corresponding ecosystem, looking for projects that fit in with our business, enhancing areas of joint collaborative work and with the resulting reciprocal benefits. Since its creation, the program has mapped more than 1800 companies, with 32 projects currently underway: 15 in business partnerships, 17 in co-creation projects (5 in technical pilot and 12 in production), 1 acquisition and 3 investments via Techtree, KIT-AR, Sensefinity and Habit.
This investment by CTT in philately innovation is part of the company’s long-term strategy, which will involve greater interaction and exploration of new philatelic experiences, reinforcing the collector’s component to the stamp’s practical role.
About Stampsdaq
Stampsdaq is an EU-based NFT company founded in 2021 and exclusively dedicated to cooperating with designated postal operators worldwide. It’s recently launched platform for NFT Stamps is designed to bridge the interests of postal operators and the global community of collectors. Stampsdaq provides a One-Stop-Shop solution with no investment required from a postal operator side. The company promotes and implements “Collect with Benefits” vision of creating an extra utility value and real-world experiences for NFT Stamps owners to drive the interest to NFT Stamps collecting and to stamp collecting in general. Stampsdaq currently holds several license agreements with different designated postal operators and is in active negotiations with over 60 postal operators worldwide. It is also an associate member of the Consultative Committee and World Association for Development of Philately (WADP) of the Universal Postal Union.
About CTT – Correios de Portugal:
CTT – Correios de Portugal employs 12,015 people in Portugal, where it operates with 2,356 CTT Post Offices and over 5,000 Payshop agents. In 2021, CTT had operating revenues of €848 million and a net profit of €38.4 million. In that same year, CTT transported 484.6 million addressed mail items and 73.8 million express items, with Spain representing 45.9% of the revenues of the Express & Parcels segment.
Gabinete de Imprensa CTT – Correios de Portugal
Cátia Simões – 915707396/ [email protected]
Lara Ferin – 927350411/ [email protected]
