Looking for a brilliant gift for a crypto and NFT enthusiast? Your local shops might not have a lot of options, but as ever, the internet comes to the rescue.
We’ve rounded up an array of great ideas—from apparel to books and other curiosities—that you can hopefully still have delivered in time for the holidays (shipping delays be damned).
BlockClock mini
Jack Dorsey, CEO of Block (formerly Square) and ex-CEO of Twitter, is one of the world’s best-known Bitcoin enthusiasts. If someone you know and love aspires to match his level of Bitcoin maximalism, then you might want to get them the BlockClock mini, which was famously seen behind Dorsey in a streamed U.S. Senate interview in March.
This compact, internet-connected e-Ink panel cycles through various current stats about the leading cryptocurrency, including the current price, new blocks, and how many satoshis (that’s 1/100,000,000 of 1 BTC) add up to a dollar.
$399, blockclockmini.com
Gitcoin t-shirts
Gitcoin supports the Ethereum open-source development community by providing matching funds via grants for all sorts of projects. It also makes some of the most eye-catching ETH-themed apparel around.
The Gitcoin “schwag” goes beyond simple crypto logos and names to fun, futuristic shirts, hoodies, and more that you might actually want to wear in public. Better yet, their stuff is pretty affordable, with t-shirts starting at just $16 apiece, and it supports the development of public goods across the Ethereum ecosystem.
$16+, store.gitcoin.co
Coinbase crypto gift
Want to give the gift of cryptocurrency, whether it’s to an existing hodler or someone who has yet to take the plunge? Coinbase is now offering holiday-themed digital gift cards, letting you send a crypto gift with ease. Existing Coinbase users can receive any of the exchange’s listed coins and tokens, while total newcomers can be gifted one of a handful of top coins, such as Bitcoin or Ethereum.
Varies, coinbase.com
The Infinite Machine
Ethereum continues to rise, with the leading smart contract platform coasting to new highs in 2021 on the back of the NFT boom and DeFi growth, but how did it grow from a bright idea to a roughly half-trillion-dollar market cap? Camila Russo’s The Infinite Machine charts the blockchain network’s incredible ascent, based on interviews with all of the key early players and exhaustive research. It’s a gripping tale—one that’s being turned into a film, in fact.
$26.67, bookshop.org
Merry Cryptmas sweater
Put a little festive spirit on the crypto lover in your life with NotJust’s Merry Cryptmas sweater, which brings together a bunch of familiar iconography and slang onto a single, wearable canvas. Along with Bitcoin and Ethereum logos, you’ll find money bags, bulls, rockets to the moon, and the phrases “HODL,” “FOMO,” and “BTFD” (“buy the f’ing dip”). If you distilled the chaos of Crypto Twitter into a holiday sweater, essentially, it’d be this one.
£38 (about $50), notjustclothing.co.uk
Heat-activated GM mug
Whether you spend your days in Discord servers or you’re a Crypto Twitter enthusiast, you’ve surely seen a “GM” flung around hundreds or thousands of times. Short of “good morning,” it’s the greeting of choice for many crypto frens (yes, frens) day or night. And if you want to bring a warm “GM” into your real life, this heat-activated mug from Visualize Value reveals the term on both sides when you pour hot liquids within.
$18, visualizevalue.com
Doge Moon Lamp
Dogecoin to the moon? While the recent price action hasn’t matched the meme-worthy phrase, at least fans can bask in the glow of this Doge-themed lamp. It features the image of the classic Doge meme on a 3D-printed mini lamp with a USB-chargeable battery pack installed. It also has multiple color and dimming settings. And yes, the website accepts DOGE payments in case you want to part with some meme coins.
$42, thedogemoon.shop
Ledger Nano X
If someone you know is investing big into cryptocurrency or NFTs, yet doesn’t have a hardware wallet to keep everything extra-safe, then you can lend a helping hand with the Ledger Nano X. This popular option has plenty of bells and whistles, including Bluetooth connectivity with computers and an OLED screen, but it’s not cheap at $119. Alternatively, the Nano S model is half the price and still effective at keeping crypto assets secured.
$119, ledger.com
Bubble or Revolution?
You might have already made up your mind about the titular question, but for anyone in your life that doesn’t understand blockchain technology or why anyone would invest in cryptocurrency, Bubble or Revolution? is a perfect primer. The writing is super approachable, deftly covering the underlying technology, the rise of Bitcoin and altcoins, and the potential opportunities and hurdles ahead.
$29.99, bookshop.org
Bitcoin face mask
We had another Bitcoin face mask in last year’s gift guide as we reflected on the “hell year” we had just been through. Well, make that two hell years, then. For those still masking up on the regular, might we suggest this classy-looking Bitcoin mask from Etsy seller QueenBeaShop? There are several options available, but they all look pretty durable and nicely stylish, and the seller has a glowing user review rating.
$18, etsy.com
Tungsten cube
Why tungsten cubes? Well, they’re amazingly heavy for their size thanks to their density, so that’s fun. But also, they’ve become a weird meme trend amongst crypto collectors in recent months, with industry members photographed admiring their cubes, while some creators released charity-focused NFTs based on tungsten cubes. It’s silly, but even if your pals aren’t in the joke, these hefty ‘lil cubes may still impress.
$30+, midwesttungsten.com
American Kingpin
Looking to give a gripping read set in the crypto world? Here’s one that focuses more on people than blockchains and software. American Kingpin by Nick Bilton is all about the Silk Road, the early Bitcoin-fueled illicit online marketplace—and the manhunt that finally turned up the creator, Ross Ulbricht, who allegedly ordered a hit on a former accomplice in addition to facilitating drug sales and more. It’s a wild, true story of an early crypto industry icon.
$15, amazon.com
Disclaimer
The views and opinions expressed by the author are for informational purposes only and do not constitute financial, investment, or other advice.