Edward Snowden Set to Auction His First NFT

By Daniel Phillips

Renowned NSA whistleblower and computer analyst Edward Snowden is the latest public figure to throw his hat into the digital collectible ring, with the launch of his first non-fungible token (NFT).

Titled "Stay Free", the NFT depicts the face of a pensive Edward Snowden as a cut-out, with the background made up of the complete documented court decision ruling that the National Security Agency's mass surveillance violated U.S. law. The portrait of Snowden was taken by prominent British photographer Platon, and was used with permission.

NFTs are unique crypto tokens that can be used to lend scarcity to digital content such as images and videos. In recent months there's been an explosion of interest in them, with artists selling NFT images and GIFs for millions of dollars.

How to buy Snowden's NFT

"Stay Free". Image: Edward Snowden

Snowden, who is not traditionally known for artistry, is selling his NFT through Foundation, a community-curated NFT marketplace that allows select artists to sell their works through a secure platform.

The platform recently made headlines after the creator of the original Nyan Cat meme auctioned off a one-of-a-kind NFT of the Nyan Cat animation for a staggering 300 ETH, while Laina Morris, the creator of the Overly Attached Girlfriend meme, sold a tokenized version of the meme for a not-too-shabby 200 ETH earlier this month.

Snowden's token will be auctioned off to the highest bidder. Bidding starts on April 16, 2021, but full details on how long the auction will run have yet to be revealed. It was minted earlier today on the Ethereum network.

As a 1 of 1 token, the winner of the auction will the sole owner of Edward Snowden's first (and possibly last) NFT.

Foundation is hosting the auction on behalf of the Freedom of the Press Foundation, a non-profit that advocates for free speech, freedom of the press, and defects public-interest journalism. Edward Snowden currently operates as the Foundation's president, a role he has held since 2016. 100% of any funds raised will be donated to the Foundation.

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