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Bulletins

Twitter and Instagram want you to show off all your apes

The social media giants are reportedly adding digital tokens to social profiles.

The Twitter logo.

Twitter Blue users can add NFTs as profile pictures.

Image: Protocol

Twitter announced Thursday that some Twitter Blue subscribers can now use one of their NFTs as their profile photo, as long as they're willing to connect their crypto wallet to their Twitter account.

Twitter will differentiate NFT and non-NFT profiles through the shape of their profile pictures — those who are displaying NFTs will have a soft hexagon, rather than a circle. Users can tap the profile image to find out more about the NFT.

Meanwhile, Meta has "early-stage" plans in the works to let users utilize NFTs on their platforms, people familiar with the matter told the Financial Times. The feature will allow users to mint NFTs as well as display them on their Instagram and Facebook profiles. Meta is also reportedly discussing the launch of a marketplace to buy and sell NFTs.

Twitter and Meta's moves are the latest sign that social media giants want in on the $40 billion NFT industry. Adam Mosseri, head of Meta-owned Instagram, said in December that the company is "actively exploring NFTs." TikTok announced plans for creator NFTs in late September, but has yet to deliver on those promises.

Would you rather not see anyone's profile apes? PCGamer kindly points out that you can use BetterTweetDeck to mass mute all NFT profiles.

Nat Rubio-Licht

Nat Rubio-Licht is a Los Angeles-based news writer at Protocol. They graduated from Syracuse University with a degree in newspaper and online journalism in May 2020. Prior to joining the team, they worked at the Los Angeles Business Journal as a technology and aerospace reporter.

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