Anime-themed NFT project Azuki has inched further towards growing its IP in the crypto market. This time, the project disclosed plans to launch a native crypto asset dubbed $ANIME. The team behind the Azuki NFT collection stated that holders of the anime-themed digital collectibles would receive 37.5% of $ANIME’s total supply, proving its commitment to bringing the most utility to its community.
Since its 2022 debut, Azuki has become one of the leading NFTs by market capitalization ranking. The non-fungible collection has blurred the boundaries between anime and non-fungibility. It has also established a platform to connect anime enthusiasts across Web2 and Web3 ecosystems. Over the past three years, the project has unveiled various initiatives to grow its digital presence. These milestones are reflected in Azuki’s market record.
In September 2024, Azuki’s creator, Chiru Labs, acquired Anime.com as part of its efforts to promote anime-themed initiatives. Fast-forward to the present, Azuki and Anime Foundation has announced $ANIME to launch this month. The digital token, capped at a total supply of 10 billion units, will debut on the Ethereum and Arbitrum networks. The crypto asset’s tokenomics reveal that the Azuki community will receive 37.5% of $ANIME’s supply, all of which will be unlocked at launch. The remaining supply is earmarked for the team, advisors, domain expansion, partners, and others.
$ANIME aims to take anime fandom to new frontiers. As Azuki puts it, launching the crypto asset will aid its effort to “build the open anime universe.” Azuki follows a path similar to most NFT projects that have launched a native cryptocurrency in the market. Among them are Pudgy Penguins, Nifty Island, and Magic Eden.
Azuki’s market metrics have soared since the announcement of the incoming $ANIME token. When writing, the NFT collection’s floor price is 12.86 ETH. It has also seen 144 sales, a 75.6% increase in the past 24 hours. Its 24-hour traded volume was 1,736 ETH at the time of documentation, signaling a 45% surge.
Launching a native token to reward the Azuki community demonstrates the developer team’s commitment to bringing the most utility to anime lovers across the ecosystem. It also represents the project’s efforts to grow the ecosystem as it intends to onboard new users.