Ever wonder what makes Solana tick? Let's start with a protocol you use every day (unknowingly). The @Metaplex story: 🧵

1/ The year was 2021. NFTs on ETH were popping off. There was just one problem... Gas. A faster + cheaper alternative-L1 named 'Solana' gained traction in response; and the mints followed. But it wouldn't have happened without Metaplex's standard running under the hood. 👇

2/ Metaplex is a protocol that makes handling digital assets (i.e. tokens, NFTs) stupidly simple. But it started as an NFT platform for artists. Its token metadata standard powered the first NFTs on Solana. And eventually became THE standard via Candy Machine V1.

3/ The ecosystem was exploding –– and creators needed tools. Candy Machine enabled creators to customize their NFTs and bring them on-chain. CM V1, V2 & eventually; V3 revolutionized NFT minting and distribution on Solana. But Metaplex didn't stop at NFTs.

4/ After the NFT craze, tokens saw a surge in popularity and Metaplex became the go-to protocol for all of them. Currently 99% of ALL tokens + NFTs on Solana are powered by Metaplex. All major launchpads indirectly use Metaplex. Thus, all traders directly use it as well.

5/ Metaplex isn't just one protocol; it's a hybrid suite of them. Some of them include: → Core → Token Metadata → Candy Machine You've interacted with Metaplex in more ways than you think. How do they pull it off? 👇

6/ Here's what they're doing: 1. Enable anyone to launch/manage assets. 2. Earn revenue (fees) via expansion. 3. Use that revenue to buy back $MPLX. In layman's terms: → Value generated is reinvested back into the DAO. → The DAO influences the direction of Metaplex.

7/ The TL;DR? Metaplex is a behemoth. Tokens, launchpads & NFTs all feed the protocol. - More creators = more fees. - More fees = more buybacks. - More buybacks = stronger DAO. It's an unstoppable force in the background of everything you do.

This thread is the 1st in a three part series partnership I have with Metaplex. So expect to see more Metaplex related content from me in the near future. Also be sure to shoot @Metaplex a follow. Thanks for reading.