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Real Solutions to Music on Tezos
How Objkt.com Could Build Towards A Music Renaissance
Music has always had a presence on Tezos. From the early days of HEN Radio, to the current wave of musicians attending events like Tezcon, and contributing to collectives like TezTones, the passion for music is undeniable. When it comes to minting art of any kind on Tezos, Objkt has become the most widely used marketplace, likely due to offering a feature-rich and polished experience for collectors and creators alike. However, music is a unique art form, and still longs for the tools to properly reflect that. From how minting templates handle formats like WAV and MP3, to the way audio pieces are displayed and discovered, there’s still room for growth.
For music to thrive rather than stall, the community needs better music discoverability tools, audio-first display options, and more flexibility in how cover art and sound are minted. With just a few thoughtful upgrades, Objkt could position itself as the leading platform for music in Web3.
As one of the first musicians on Tezos, now with over 50 singles and 2 interactive albums discoverable on Objkt, I am forever grateful for the platform offering me new ways to share my art. The intention of this article is to explore and relay real, practical solutions, compiled from conversations with fellow musicians, collectors, and builders active in the Tezos community. When we come together, the opportunities are abundant.
File Prioritization
One of the ongoing challenges musicians face when minting on Objkt is that when you upload music files first, the size limits for visual components are small, only 10mb. Audio files like WAV and MP3 are often smaller than video files, yet musicians have limited flexibility when pairing tracks with strong visuals. As a result, many artists mint their songs as MP4s just to fit audio and visuals into one file with access to the full 250MB limit every other art form on Objkt benefits from.
There is nothing necessarily wrong with MP4 quality, but for music this workaround creates a bigger problem. MP4s are widely used for many art forms being minted through Objkt, and music within an MP4 isn’t recognized by Objkt filters or search tools. The music minted this way doesn’t get categorized separately. In other words, unless someone clicks on every MP4 with the sound turned on, there is no way to know music exists from a simple thumbnail within a vast feed of art. Musicians are sacrificing visibility and discoverability just to present their work without compression hindering the quality. This imbalance is also stifling innovation for music on Tezos.
A more music-friendly solution would be to flip the current logic: allowing musicians to upload audio-first files like WAV or MP3, with the space available for visuals honoring the general platform size limits. This way, artists can keep the integrity of their audio format and still present compelling visuals, without compromising quality or how their work is categorized and discovered.
Visual Playback
There is no option to simply mint music. Music artists are essentially forced to produce visual cover art to even gain access to this art movement. As another way to balance the playing field, Objkt could introduce CC0 generative visualizers. These visualizers could be collaborative or even an open call, with plenty of code-based artists in the Tezos ecosystem available to commission. Selected artists could create a default library of reactive visualizers that become available when an artist uploads a music file to the minting template on Objkt.
CC0 visualizers could respond to the rhythm and mood of each sound, giving audio-based art a distinct visual identity. For musicians who don’t have the time or resources to create custom cover art or full videos, this would be a game-changer, allowing them to focus on the music while still standing out in the feed.
Offering these tools would instantly improve both presentation and discoverability for Music NFTs. Audio-based art would look and sound better on the platform, while remaining properly indexed and searchable with the unique categories they require. This kind of thoughtful, lightweight upgrade would signal that Objkt is serious about supporting musicians and setting a new standard for audio-based art on Tezos.
Dedicated Music Discovery
As more musicians continue to mint on Objkt, one of the clearest opportunities for growth is improving how music is discovered on the platform. Right now, there is no dedicated section or layout tailored to audio. Music NFTs are scattered across feeds and categories that prioritize visuals, creating an unpleasant experience for those searching for music.
A strong step forward would be building a music-focused corner of the platform. This space could be dedicated entirely to audio-based works. A well-designed audio hub that prioritizes listening, featuring music-first filters, showcasing trending tracks, new drops, and curated playlists. A stage of sorts, built specifically for browsing, collecting, and enjoying audio-based art.
There are existing tools and open-source models within the Tezos ecosystem that Objkt could build on. HEN Radio was one of the first open-source and community-run audio streams in Web3. More recently, TEIA Cafe has developed better support for audio formats including default cover art, midi minting, and license/copyright agreements that align with professional standards. These contributions lay important groundwork. By adapting this code, collaborating directly with the Teia Cafe, and/or integrating parts of HEN Radio’s streaming model, Objkt could rapidly deepen its music offering without starting from scratch.
Album Minting, Metadata & Format Standards
Most music on Objkt is released one track at a time, with no clear way to group songs into albums or playlists. There’s no built-in support for album releases. Artists are left to figure it out on their own, often without the tools to present their work properly.
A dedicated music minting contract could fix this. Artists could upload full albums, tag each track individually, and structure releases with track lists and visual coherence, all without needing to code. Listeners would see the full scope of a release, bringing back the magic of listening to an album “cover to cover”. This would allow collectors to engage with complete projects rather than isolated songs, forming a deeper connection to the musicians of Tezos.
Adding Web3-native stats would also make a huge difference. Artists and fans should be able to see top music NFT collectors, most collected tracks, secondary sales, royalties earned, and so much more. Most of these stats are already on-chain, and the Objkt UI already has a structure for collection stats. Repackaging this tech is all it would take to support and improve how music is valued and shared in this space.
Giving music the equal opportunity and visibility as visual art, by acknowledging and building for how it is different, would improve the experience for everyone. The foundation is already there. What’s missing is a dedicated space for music to live, as music.
Rethinking Music Partnerships, Less Big Names More Grass Roots
When people talk about the future of music on the blockchain, there’s always a rush to imagine big integrations with major artists and streaming platforms. While visibility is important, not every artist wants to rely on companies like Spotify or Apple to legitimize their work, and collectors want to discover new sounds in fresh ways. Web2 platforms aren’t built for independent musicians, and generally speaking, music is in a sad state globally. Let’s ditch the old and create something new.
Instead of chasing platforms that are centralized and mis-aligned music giants, Objkt could explore partnerships with open source projects that share the same goals of transparency, accessibility, and sovereignty. Tools like Reaper, an open source DAW with a strong community and flexible licensing, represent a shift in how music can be created, shared, and controlled by the artist.
By learning from the pioneers, and collaborating with projects like Teia Cafe, who are already exploring new licensing models and experimenting with ways to structure music NFTs responsibly, Objkt could create a foundation for distribution and discovery that respects the artist from the start.
The point isn’t to compete with traditional music services, it’s to disrupt them with a real alternative that is decades overdue. Something rooted in the same values that brought artists to Tezos in the first place. Objkt is in a rare position to solve a massive problem. By choosing to build the right partnerships, and empower musicians, it can help lead the way forward for all of web3, replacing the models that created the cliche “Starving Artist”, and giving the digital common wealth the music revolution it deserves.
Shifting the Narrative
Tezos has always been about empowering people to build and create. Music deserves the same level of care, support, and experimental curiosity that visual art and tech has received and benefited from. The tools are already here. The community is already here. What’s missing is the thoughtful design choices that make music and independent music artists feel welcome, visible, and supported.
Every suggestion in this article is actionable. Successful music integration only requires listening to the artists who are already here, and the belief that music matters. That’s the invitation. Support music and audio-based art on Tezos. Help shape the future of music and empower musicians. Be the first movers that remind the world how much music matters.
Real Solutions To Music On Tezos was originally published in Tezos Commons on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
Music has always had a presence on Tezos. From the early days of HEN Radio, to the current wave of musicians attending events like Tezcon, and contributing to collectives like TezTones, the passion for music is undeniable. When it comes to minting art of any kind on Tezos, Objkt has become the most widely used marketplace, likely due to offering a feature-rich and polished experience for collectors and creators alike. However, music is a unique art form, and still longs for the tools to properly reflect that. From how minting templates handle formats like WAV and MP3, to the way audio pieces are displayed and discovered, there’s still room for growth.
For music to thrive rather than stall, the community needs better music discoverability tools, audio-first display options, and more flexibility in how cover art and sound are minted. With just a few thoughtful upgrades, Objkt could position itself as the leading platform for music in Web3.
As one of the first musicians on Tezos, now with over 50 singles and 2 interactive albums discoverable on Objkt, I am forever grateful for the platform offering me new ways to share my art. The intention of this article is to explore and relay real, practical solutions, compiled from conversations with fellow musicians, collectors, and builders active in the Tezos community. When we come together, the opportunities are abundant.
File Prioritization
One of the ongoing challenges musicians face when minting on Objkt is that when you upload music files first, the size limits for visual components are small, only 10mb. Audio files like WAV and MP3 are often smaller than video files, yet musicians have limited flexibility when pairing tracks with strong visuals. As a result, many artists mint their songs as MP4s just to fit audio and visuals into one file with access to the full 250MB limit every other art form on Objkt benefits from.
There is nothing necessarily wrong with MP4 quality, but for music this workaround creates a bigger problem. MP4s are widely used for many art forms being minted through Objkt, and music within an MP4 isn’t recognized by Objkt filters or search tools. The music minted this way doesn’t get categorized separately. In other words, unless someone clicks on every MP4 with the sound turned on, there is no way to know music exists from a simple thumbnail within a vast feed of art. Musicians are sacrificing visibility and discoverability just to present their work without compression hindering the quality. This imbalance is also stifling innovation for music on Tezos.
A more music-friendly solution would be to flip the current logic: allowing musicians to upload audio-first files like WAV or MP3, with the space available for visuals honoring the general platform size limits. This way, artists can keep the integrity of their audio format and still present compelling visuals, without compromising quality or how their work is categorized and discovered.
Visual Playback
There is no option to simply mint music. Music artists are essentially forced to produce visual cover art to even gain access to this art movement. As another way to balance the playing field, Objkt could introduce CC0 generative visualizers. These visualizers could be collaborative or even an open call, with plenty of code-based artists in the Tezos ecosystem available to commission. Selected artists could create a default library of reactive visualizers that become available when an artist uploads a music file to the minting template on Objkt.
CC0 visualizers could respond to the rhythm and mood of each sound, giving audio-based art a distinct visual identity. For musicians who don’t have the time or resources to create custom cover art or full videos, this would be a game-changer, allowing them to focus on the music while still standing out in the feed.
Offering these tools would instantly improve both presentation and discoverability for Music NFTs. Audio-based art would look and sound better on the platform, while remaining properly indexed and searchable with the unique categories they require. This kind of thoughtful, lightweight upgrade would signal that Objkt is serious about supporting musicians and setting a new standard for audio-based art on Tezos.
Dedicated Music Discovery
As more musicians continue to mint on Objkt, one of the clearest opportunities for growth is improving how music is discovered on the platform. Right now, there is no dedicated section or layout tailored to audio. Music NFTs are scattered across feeds and categories that prioritize visuals, creating an unpleasant experience for those searching for music.
A strong step forward would be building a music-focused corner of the platform. This space could be dedicated entirely to audio-based works. A well-designed audio hub that prioritizes listening, featuring music-first filters, showcasing trending tracks, new drops, and curated playlists. A stage of sorts, built specifically for browsing, collecting, and enjoying audio-based art.
There are existing tools and open-source models within the Tezos ecosystem that Objkt could build on. HEN Radio was one of the first open-source and community-run audio streams in Web3. More recently, TEIA Cafe has developed better support for audio formats including default cover art, midi minting, and license/copyright agreements that align with professional standards. These contributions lay important groundwork. By adapting this code, collaborating directly with the Teia Cafe, and/or integrating parts of HEN Radio’s streaming model, Objkt could rapidly deepen its music offering without starting from scratch.
Album Minting, Metadata & Format Standards
Most music on Objkt is released one track at a time, with no clear way to group songs into albums or playlists. There’s no built-in support for album releases. Artists are left to figure it out on their own, often without the tools to present their work properly.
A dedicated music minting contract could fix this. Artists could upload full albums, tag each track individually, and structure releases with track lists and visual coherence, all without needing to code. Listeners would see the full scope of a release, bringing back the magic of listening to an album “cover to cover”. This would allow collectors to engage with complete projects rather than isolated songs, forming a deeper connection to the musicians of Tezos.
Adding Web3-native stats would also make a huge difference. Artists and fans should be able to see top music NFT collectors, most collected tracks, secondary sales, royalties earned, and so much more. Most of these stats are already on-chain, and the Objkt UI already has a structure for collection stats. Repackaging this tech is all it would take to support and improve how music is valued and shared in this space.
Giving music the equal opportunity and visibility as visual art, by acknowledging and building for how it is different, would improve the experience for everyone. The foundation is already there. What’s missing is a dedicated space for music to live, as music.
Rethinking Music Partnerships, Less Big Names More Grass Roots
When people talk about the future of music on the blockchain, there’s always a rush to imagine big integrations with major artists and streaming platforms. While visibility is important, not every artist wants to rely on companies like Spotify or Apple to legitimize their work, and collectors want to discover new sounds in fresh ways. Web2 platforms aren’t built for independent musicians, and generally speaking, music is in a sad state globally. Let’s ditch the old and create something new.
Instead of chasing platforms that are centralized and mis-aligned music giants, Objkt could explore partnerships with open source projects that share the same goals of transparency, accessibility, and sovereignty. Tools like Reaper, an open source DAW with a strong community and flexible licensing, represent a shift in how music can be created, shared, and controlled by the artist.
By learning from the pioneers, and collaborating with projects like Teia Cafe, who are already exploring new licensing models and experimenting with ways to structure music NFTs responsibly, Objkt could create a foundation for distribution and discovery that respects the artist from the start.
The point isn’t to compete with traditional music services, it’s to disrupt them with a real alternative that is decades overdue. Something rooted in the same values that brought artists to Tezos in the first place. Objkt is in a rare position to solve a massive problem. By choosing to build the right partnerships, and empower musicians, it can help lead the way forward for all of web3, replacing the models that created the cliche “Starving Artist”, and giving the digital common wealth the music revolution it deserves.
Shifting the Narrative
Tezos has always been about empowering people to build and create. Music deserves the same level of care, support, and experimental curiosity that visual art and tech has received and benefited from. The tools are already here. The community is already here. What’s missing is the thoughtful design choices that make music and independent music artists feel welcome, visible, and supported.
Every suggestion in this article is actionable. Successful music integration only requires listening to the artists who are already here, and the belief that music matters. That’s the invitation. Support music and audio-based art on Tezos. Help shape the future of music and empower musicians. Be the first movers that remind the world how much music matters.
Real Solutions To Music On Tezos was originally published in Tezos Commons on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
Month At a Glance — May 2025
Month At A Glance — May 2025
A quick rundown of the latest happenings and significant milestones within the Tezos ecosystem for May 2025.
Welcome to our latest issue, Month At A Glance (May 2025), where we give a quick rundown of the latest happenings and significant milestones in the Tezos ecosystem on a monthly cadence.
This month wasn’t just busy, it was transformative. From major protocol upgrades and the activation of the Data Availability Layer (DAL), to new integrations, trailblazing community recognitions, and rapid growth across Layer 2, May delivered real progress across the board.
Let’s break it all down.
Ecosystem Insights
Rio Protocol Upgrade Activated
After passing on-chain governance in April, the Rio upgrade officially went live on May 1st at block #8,767,488, bringing with it meaningful changes that push Tezos further into high-performance territory.
Key highlights:
Cycle length reduced: from 3 days to just 1, speeding up staking operations and governance responsiveness.
Stricter inactivity thresholds: Bakers now get flagged after 2 days of inactivity (down from 5), helping reinforce active participation.
10% of participation rewards now go to DAL contributors, tying protocol rewards directly to scaling infrastructure.
Rio isn’t just a performance bump, it’s the protocol paving the way for Tezos X, aligning incentives with participation and setting the stage for a new era of decentralized scalability. It’s a building block, but a big one.
Data Availability Layer (DAL) Activation
The Data Availability Layer (DAL) officially went live on Tezos at block #9,057,834, with over 145 bakers running attester nodes and contributing to the first DAL-attested slot on mainnet. It’s a huge step forward for scaling rollups on Tezos, and this time, it’s not theory, it’s real.
In short: rollups can now store transaction data off-chain, and any node can verify that data that’s available, without bloating Layer 1 or relying on trusted third parties. Bakers have become decentralized storage validators, and Tezos just gained the ability to scale without giving up decentralization.
Oh, and if you’re a baker not running a DAL node? You’re leaving 10% in rewards on the table.
Tezos is no longer preparing for scalable rollups. It’s shipping them.
Etherlink’s Dionysus Upgrade Activated
The Dionysus upgrade, Etherlink’s most significant kernel upgrade yet, was officially activated on May 21st, 2025, at block #15,262,162, following successful governance votes by Tezos bakers and the wider community.
Developed by Nomadic Labs, TriliTech, and Functori, Dionysus addresses real network bottlenecks observed during previous spikes in activity and turns those lessons into tangible performance gains. Here’s what it brings:
Smarter Gas Pricing: A reworked cost model eliminates unnecessary fee spikes during high-traffic periods, improving user experience and economic stability.
Support for Large Transactions: This fixes a key issue where near-limit transactions were rejected. The upgrade corrects gas estimates and safely allows the full use of Etherlink’s block capacity.
Fast Withdrawals for FA Tokens: Introduces the foundation for fast L2-to-L1 withdrawals of FA-standard tokens, expanding on the bridge improvements introduced in Calypso.
Streamlined FA Deposits: Updates the internal flow of token deposits, lifting restrictions, and aligning their behavior with standard transactions.
DAL Integration: Enables the sequencer to publish blocks through Tezos’ Data Availability Layer, setting the stage for increased throughput and future scalability.
EVM Cancun Compatibility: Brings full support for Ethereum’s Cancun upgrade, keeping Etherlink aligned with EVM standards. Support for Pectra is already underway.
Dionysus isn’t just a technical release, it’s a proof point. Etherlink is scaling up, governance is functioning, and Tezos Layer 2 is evolving into a high-performance environment ready for real-world use.
News From The Tezos Ecosystem: Quick Bits
Beyond those insights, the ecosystem saw plenty of other noteworthy developments worth a quick look:
Messari Q1 2025 Tezos Report: Messari’s latest report highlights major momentum, Etherlink’s TVL surged 6,200% QoQ to $10.8M, real-world asset DeFi projects like Uranium.io and Hanji Protocol gained ground, and DAL activation efforts picked up steam. The report also notes a strong cultural presence and 167+ active monthly developers across the ecosystem. Read the full report!
sogni.ai Joins Tezos via Etherlink: Generative AI platform sogni.ai is now building on Tezos and integrating with Etherlink to deliver lightning-fast AI tools for creators. Backed by TZ APAC’s Fortify Labs, sogni is kicking off its first chapter in the Tezos ecosystem.
The first Waves of Tezos Trailblazers Announced: May saw the reveal of multiple batches of Tezos Trailblazers, creators, bakers, educators, and builders recognized for their deep contributions to the ecosystem. From glitch artists and art curators to devs and community hosts, this diverse group is helping spread the Tezos mission across the globe. More Trailblazers are on the way, stay tuned.
IDRX Launches on Etherlink: The Indonesian Rupiah stablecoin $IDRX is now live on Etherlink, Tezos’ EVM-compatible Layer 2. Users can mint, redeem, and earn 3.5% yield simply by holding IDRX, all with fast transactions and low fees.
OddsHub Announces Integration with Etherlink: Prediction market platform OddsHub is bringing its on-chain betting and forecasting tools to Etherlink, turning tweets, headlines, and public sentiment into tradable markets.
AFI Protocol Joins Etherlink: Artificial Financial Intelligence (AFI) is coming to Etherlink, bringing AI-powered agents to Tezos’ fast, scalable L2. The integration aims to support more efficient, secure, and automated dApps for developers and users alike.
Events
Artz Fridays w Mikey de la Crème — May 2nd
Tuesday🎙Tezday Community Call — May 6th
Artz Fridays w Juniper Paisley —May 9th
Tuesday🎙Tezday w Amir Mushich —May 13th
Artz Fridays w Sansfomo (Randall) — May 16th
Tuesday🎙Tezday Community Call — May 20th
Tezos Town Hall #9: Rio Protocol Upgrade — May 22nd
Artz Fridays w Jams2Blues — May 23rd
Tuesday🎙Tezday w Malicious Sheep —May 27th
Artz Fridays Community Call — May 30th
Stay in the Conversation, Stay in the Know
Tezos Commons hosts a variety of community-oriented events and content. From podcasts, X-spaces, and long-form content, there’s something for everyone.
TezTalks Live
TezTalks Radio
X Spaces
X Shorts
Baking Sheet Newsletter
In-Depth Articles
You can also contact us on X or via email at [email protected].
Month At A Glance — May 2025 was originally published in Tezos Commons on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
A quick rundown of the latest happenings and significant milestones within the Tezos ecosystem for May 2025.
Welcome to our latest issue, Month At A Glance (May 2025), where we give a quick rundown of the latest happenings and significant milestones in the Tezos ecosystem on a monthly cadence.
This month wasn’t just busy, it was transformative. From major protocol upgrades and the activation of the Data Availability Layer (DAL), to new integrations, trailblazing community recognitions, and rapid growth across Layer 2, May delivered real progress across the board.
Let’s break it all down.
Ecosystem Insights
Rio Protocol Upgrade Activated
After passing on-chain governance in April, the Rio upgrade officially went live on May 1st at block #8,767,488, bringing with it meaningful changes that push Tezos further into high-performance territory.
Key highlights:
Cycle length reduced: from 3 days to just 1, speeding up staking operations and governance responsiveness.
Stricter inactivity thresholds: Bakers now get flagged after 2 days of inactivity (down from 5), helping reinforce active participation.
10% of participation rewards now go to DAL contributors, tying protocol rewards directly to scaling infrastructure.
Rio isn’t just a performance bump, it’s the protocol paving the way for Tezos X, aligning incentives with participation and setting the stage for a new era of decentralized scalability. It’s a building block, but a big one.
Data Availability Layer (DAL) Activation
The Data Availability Layer (DAL) officially went live on Tezos at block #9,057,834, with over 145 bakers running attester nodes and contributing to the first DAL-attested slot on mainnet. It’s a huge step forward for scaling rollups on Tezos, and this time, it’s not theory, it’s real.
In short: rollups can now store transaction data off-chain, and any node can verify that data that’s available, without bloating Layer 1 or relying on trusted third parties. Bakers have become decentralized storage validators, and Tezos just gained the ability to scale without giving up decentralization.
Oh, and if you’re a baker not running a DAL node? You’re leaving 10% in rewards on the table.
Tezos is no longer preparing for scalable rollups. It’s shipping them.
Etherlink’s Dionysus Upgrade Activated
The Dionysus upgrade, Etherlink’s most significant kernel upgrade yet, was officially activated on May 21st, 2025, at block #15,262,162, following successful governance votes by Tezos bakers and the wider community.
Developed by Nomadic Labs, TriliTech, and Functori, Dionysus addresses real network bottlenecks observed during previous spikes in activity and turns those lessons into tangible performance gains. Here’s what it brings:
Smarter Gas Pricing: A reworked cost model eliminates unnecessary fee spikes during high-traffic periods, improving user experience and economic stability.
Support for Large Transactions: This fixes a key issue where near-limit transactions were rejected. The upgrade corrects gas estimates and safely allows the full use of Etherlink’s block capacity.
Fast Withdrawals for FA Tokens: Introduces the foundation for fast L2-to-L1 withdrawals of FA-standard tokens, expanding on the bridge improvements introduced in Calypso.
Streamlined FA Deposits: Updates the internal flow of token deposits, lifting restrictions, and aligning their behavior with standard transactions.
DAL Integration: Enables the sequencer to publish blocks through Tezos’ Data Availability Layer, setting the stage for increased throughput and future scalability.
EVM Cancun Compatibility: Brings full support for Ethereum’s Cancun upgrade, keeping Etherlink aligned with EVM standards. Support for Pectra is already underway.
Dionysus isn’t just a technical release, it’s a proof point. Etherlink is scaling up, governance is functioning, and Tezos Layer 2 is evolving into a high-performance environment ready for real-world use.
News From The Tezos Ecosystem: Quick Bits
Beyond those insights, the ecosystem saw plenty of other noteworthy developments worth a quick look:
Messari Q1 2025 Tezos Report: Messari’s latest report highlights major momentum, Etherlink’s TVL surged 6,200% QoQ to $10.8M, real-world asset DeFi projects like Uranium.io and Hanji Protocol gained ground, and DAL activation efforts picked up steam. The report also notes a strong cultural presence and 167+ active monthly developers across the ecosystem. Read the full report!
sogni.ai Joins Tezos via Etherlink: Generative AI platform sogni.ai is now building on Tezos and integrating with Etherlink to deliver lightning-fast AI tools for creators. Backed by TZ APAC’s Fortify Labs, sogni is kicking off its first chapter in the Tezos ecosystem.
The first Waves of Tezos Trailblazers Announced: May saw the reveal of multiple batches of Tezos Trailblazers, creators, bakers, educators, and builders recognized for their deep contributions to the ecosystem. From glitch artists and art curators to devs and community hosts, this diverse group is helping spread the Tezos mission across the globe. More Trailblazers are on the way, stay tuned.
IDRX Launches on Etherlink: The Indonesian Rupiah stablecoin $IDRX is now live on Etherlink, Tezos’ EVM-compatible Layer 2. Users can mint, redeem, and earn 3.5% yield simply by holding IDRX, all with fast transactions and low fees.
OddsHub Announces Integration with Etherlink: Prediction market platform OddsHub is bringing its on-chain betting and forecasting tools to Etherlink, turning tweets, headlines, and public sentiment into tradable markets.
AFI Protocol Joins Etherlink: Artificial Financial Intelligence (AFI) is coming to Etherlink, bringing AI-powered agents to Tezos’ fast, scalable L2. The integration aims to support more efficient, secure, and automated dApps for developers and users alike.
Events
Artz Fridays w Mikey de la Crème — May 2nd
Tuesday🎙Tezday Community Call — May 6th
Artz Fridays w Juniper Paisley —May 9th
Tuesday🎙Tezday w Amir Mushich —May 13th
Artz Fridays w Sansfomo (Randall) — May 16th
Tuesday🎙Tezday Community Call — May 20th
Tezos Town Hall #9: Rio Protocol Upgrade — May 22nd
Artz Fridays w Jams2Blues — May 23rd
Tuesday🎙Tezday w Malicious Sheep —May 27th
Artz Fridays Community Call — May 30th
Stay in the Conversation, Stay in the Know
Tezos Commons hosts a variety of community-oriented events and content. From podcasts, X-spaces, and long-form content, there’s something for everyone.
TezTalks Live
TezTalks Radio
X Spaces
X Shorts
Baking Sheet Newsletter
In-Depth Articles
You can also contact us on X or via email at [email protected].
Month At A Glance — May 2025 was originally published in Tezos Commons on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
Reading Rooms and Maker Spaces: What Tezos Gets Right About Building
A closer look at how Tezos supports both careful builders and fast movers.
The elevator’s been waiting in the corner. Now the button’s lit.
There’s an elevator in the library that most people ignore. It’s quiet, tucked in the corner, past the card catalog and the community bulletin board. For years, it was just there. Most assumed it didn’t work. It could be for staff only. Perhaps it went nowhere.
But then someone pressed the button. The doors opened. What people once ignored or misunderstood turned out to be real. Upstairs wasn’t for storage. It had been a maker space all along.
Laptops. Printers. Soldering stations. People are moving fast, testing ideas, and building without waiting for approval. It’s a different kind of room. It’s louder and looser but still part of the same structure. It draws power from the same circuits. It stands on the same foundation.
That’s Etherlink. Tezos Layer 1 hasn’t gone anywhere. It’s still the quiet reading wing. It’s careful, steady, and grounded in structure and trust. Etherlink sits upstairs now. It’s where people can experiment, use familiar tools, and build without starting from zero.
The elevator was always there. People just hadn’t noticed where it could go.
Two Floors, One Foundation
Etherlink isn’t a separate building. It’s the floor above. Structurally different but still part of the same framework. Power, plumbing, and permits all run through the same base: Tezos Layer 1. That distinction matters.
Builders didn’t create Etherlink as a separate tower. They added it to the same foundation Tezos already runs on.
Some Layer 2s float beside their base layers, loosely connected and syncing only when necessary. Etherlink is different. It’s an optimistic enshrined smart rollup that lives inside the Tezos protocol. That means every transaction, every confirmation, and every upgrade benefits from the same governance, finality, and security that define Tezos.
The experience might feel different. You get faster speeds, Ethereum-style tools, and a new interface. But what’s beneath the surface hasn’t changed. The core structure still runs on the Tezos mainnet. Etherlink doesn’t bypass the base layer. It leans on it.
Builder Needs Are Different Upstairs
Walk into the main wing of a library, and you’ll see people heads-down, reading, researching, and working on papers that might take weeks to finish. It’s quiet by design. That’s Tezos Layer 1: a place for steady, deliberate building.
Upstairs in the maker space, things are louder. People are prototyping, testing, hitting roadblocks, and trying again. That’s Etherlink. It’s the same building, just a different pace.
Upstairs in the maker space, builders move fast. They test, adjust, and deploy as they go.
Developers coming from Ethereum expect to move fast. They’re used to MetaMask, Solidity, and quick feedback loops. On Tezos Layer 1, the rhythm is different. Tools like Michelson or SmartPy take longer to learn, and the chain’s design encourages long-term thinking. That’s a strength, but not every project can begin there.
Etherlink lowers the barrier to entry. Developers can use the tools they already know and start building right away. There’s no need to relearn how the system works or adopt a brand-new stack. That flexibility makes testing ideas, moving fast, and staying connected to Tezos for finality and governance easier.
What’s Already Happening in the Maker Space
People aren’t just talking about the maker space. They’re already upstairs, building, testing, and shipping.
The tools are real, and so are the builders. Hanji, Iguana DEX, and Superlend are already live on Etherlink, and development is picking up.
Hanji Protocol is a decentralized spot exchange with a fully on-chain order book. Traders looking for tight spreads, quick trades, and a familiar workflow will feel right at home. Running on Etherlink, Hanji connects directly to Tezos for governance and finality. At the same time, it benefits from sub-second confirmation times and native MetaMask integration. It’s a clear example of how Etherlink can offer speed without breaking ties to the base layer.
Iguana DEX offers a simplified trading experience, using a Uniswap-style interface that makes asset swaps quick and intuitive. It’s built for ease of use and will feel familiar to anyone interacting with a DEX. The design takes full advantage of Etherlink’s speed while each trade still settles on the Tezos base layer. That’s the same infrastructure responsible for securing the network and handling on-chain upgrades.
Superlend connects liquidity across blockchains, giving lenders and borrowers more reach. It runs on Etherlink and uses bridges like LayerZero to move assets between networks, including Arbitrum and BNB Chain. While it doesn’t operate solely within Tezos, it highlights how Etherlink can serve as a coordination layer, connecting Tezos-native assets with broader cross-chain liquidity.
Each project solves a different problem: trading, swapping, or lending. Whether trading, swapping, or lending, these platforms lean on Etherlink to move fast and Tezos to settle securely.
The Foundation Holds
Things are louder upstairs now, and some have started to question what’s going on below. But the base of the building hasn’t moved.
Builders upstairs can move quickly because the foundation below is solid.
Etherlink doesn’t replace Tezos Layer 1. It builds on it. That’s where blocks finalize, where governance decisions are made, and where upgrades begin. It’s still the place where people are running bakers, voting on proposals, testing smart rollups, and developing the protocol itself.
When everything depends on what’s underneath, the foundation isn’t optional.
You can’t add floors to a building with cracks underneath. The L1 has to hold, and on Tezos, it does. That isn’t only a technical requirement. The rest only works because the foundation carries the weight. People built it that way, knowing what would come next.
Two Ways In, One Network
Some builders always prefer a quiet floor with reference books and deep archives. Others head straight to the maker space, building fast, testing constantly, and shipping without delay. Tezos now offers both.
The elevator goes both ways. You don’t have to pick a side. You just have to build.
Crucially, they’re not separate. There’s no wall between them. The tools used upstairs connect to the same infrastructure below. The books in the study wing and the workshop parts are also funded, governed, and secured by the same system.
That kind of flexibility isn’t common. You don’t have to choose one path. Start on Etherlink and move to Layer 1 when it makes sense. Or begin on the base chain and launch a version upstairs. The elevator goes both ways.
What matters isn’t which floor you start on. It’s that you’re in the building and building something that lasts.
Reading Rooms and Maker Spaces: What Tezos Gets Right About Building was originally published in Tezos Commons on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
The elevator’s been waiting in the corner. Now the button’s lit.
There’s an elevator in the library that most people ignore. It’s quiet, tucked in the corner, past the card catalog and the community bulletin board. For years, it was just there. Most assumed it didn’t work. It could be for staff only. Perhaps it went nowhere.
But then someone pressed the button. The doors opened. What people once ignored or misunderstood turned out to be real. Upstairs wasn’t for storage. It had been a maker space all along.
Laptops. Printers. Soldering stations. People are moving fast, testing ideas, and building without waiting for approval. It’s a different kind of room. It’s louder and looser but still part of the same structure. It draws power from the same circuits. It stands on the same foundation.
That’s Etherlink. Tezos Layer 1 hasn’t gone anywhere. It’s still the quiet reading wing. It’s careful, steady, and grounded in structure and trust. Etherlink sits upstairs now. It’s where people can experiment, use familiar tools, and build without starting from zero.
The elevator was always there. People just hadn’t noticed where it could go.
Two Floors, One Foundation
Etherlink isn’t a separate building. It’s the floor above. Structurally different but still part of the same framework. Power, plumbing, and permits all run through the same base: Tezos Layer 1. That distinction matters.
Builders didn’t create Etherlink as a separate tower. They added it to the same foundation Tezos already runs on.
Some Layer 2s float beside their base layers, loosely connected and syncing only when necessary. Etherlink is different. It’s an optimistic enshrined smart rollup that lives inside the Tezos protocol. That means every transaction, every confirmation, and every upgrade benefits from the same governance, finality, and security that define Tezos.
The experience might feel different. You get faster speeds, Ethereum-style tools, and a new interface. But what’s beneath the surface hasn’t changed. The core structure still runs on the Tezos mainnet. Etherlink doesn’t bypass the base layer. It leans on it.
Builder Needs Are Different Upstairs
Walk into the main wing of a library, and you’ll see people heads-down, reading, researching, and working on papers that might take weeks to finish. It’s quiet by design. That’s Tezos Layer 1: a place for steady, deliberate building.
Upstairs in the maker space, things are louder. People are prototyping, testing, hitting roadblocks, and trying again. That’s Etherlink. It’s the same building, just a different pace.
Upstairs in the maker space, builders move fast. They test, adjust, and deploy as they go.
Developers coming from Ethereum expect to move fast. They’re used to MetaMask, Solidity, and quick feedback loops. On Tezos Layer 1, the rhythm is different. Tools like Michelson or SmartPy take longer to learn, and the chain’s design encourages long-term thinking. That’s a strength, but not every project can begin there.
Etherlink lowers the barrier to entry. Developers can use the tools they already know and start building right away. There’s no need to relearn how the system works or adopt a brand-new stack. That flexibility makes testing ideas, moving fast, and staying connected to Tezos for finality and governance easier.
What’s Already Happening in the Maker Space
People aren’t just talking about the maker space. They’re already upstairs, building, testing, and shipping.
The tools are real, and so are the builders. Hanji, Iguana DEX, and Superlend are already live on Etherlink, and development is picking up.
Hanji Protocol is a decentralized spot exchange with a fully on-chain order book. Traders looking for tight spreads, quick trades, and a familiar workflow will feel right at home. Running on Etherlink, Hanji connects directly to Tezos for governance and finality. At the same time, it benefits from sub-second confirmation times and native MetaMask integration. It’s a clear example of how Etherlink can offer speed without breaking ties to the base layer.
Iguana DEX offers a simplified trading experience, using a Uniswap-style interface that makes asset swaps quick and intuitive. It’s built for ease of use and will feel familiar to anyone interacting with a DEX. The design takes full advantage of Etherlink’s speed while each trade still settles on the Tezos base layer. That’s the same infrastructure responsible for securing the network and handling on-chain upgrades.
Superlend connects liquidity across blockchains, giving lenders and borrowers more reach. It runs on Etherlink and uses bridges like LayerZero to move assets between networks, including Arbitrum and BNB Chain. While it doesn’t operate solely within Tezos, it highlights how Etherlink can serve as a coordination layer, connecting Tezos-native assets with broader cross-chain liquidity.
Each project solves a different problem: trading, swapping, or lending. Whether trading, swapping, or lending, these platforms lean on Etherlink to move fast and Tezos to settle securely.
The Foundation Holds
Things are louder upstairs now, and some have started to question what’s going on below. But the base of the building hasn’t moved.
Builders upstairs can move quickly because the foundation below is solid.
Etherlink doesn’t replace Tezos Layer 1. It builds on it. That’s where blocks finalize, where governance decisions are made, and where upgrades begin. It’s still the place where people are running bakers, voting on proposals, testing smart rollups, and developing the protocol itself.
When everything depends on what’s underneath, the foundation isn’t optional.
You can’t add floors to a building with cracks underneath. The L1 has to hold, and on Tezos, it does. That isn’t only a technical requirement. The rest only works because the foundation carries the weight. People built it that way, knowing what would come next.
Two Ways In, One Network
Some builders always prefer a quiet floor with reference books and deep archives. Others head straight to the maker space, building fast, testing constantly, and shipping without delay. Tezos now offers both.
The elevator goes both ways. You don’t have to pick a side. You just have to build.
Crucially, they’re not separate. There’s no wall between them. The tools used upstairs connect to the same infrastructure below. The books in the study wing and the workshop parts are also funded, governed, and secured by the same system.
That kind of flexibility isn’t common. You don’t have to choose one path. Start on Etherlink and move to Layer 1 when it makes sense. Or begin on the base chain and launch a version upstairs. The elevator goes both ways.
What matters isn’t which floor you start on. It’s that you’re in the building and building something that lasts.
Reading Rooms and Maker Spaces: What Tezos Gets Right About Building was originally published in Tezos Commons on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
‘ART’icle of May 2025
Expanding the Spotlight for Artists of Tezos
Welcome to the May 2025 edition of ‘ART’icle of the Month, where the mission is to spotlight artists minting on Tezos who capture the community’s attention. I may do the writing, but the community drives this project. If you see a Tezos artist whose work deserves more love, just drop a nomination by commenting under their art on X with the hashtag #tezARTicle. Whether it’s a one-off masterpiece or a consistently growing body of work, your nominations help surface talent that might otherwise fly under the radar.
Each month, I comb through the hashtag to curate five featured artists. If there are more than five names with a single nomination, I turn to a randomizer (wheelofnames.com) to fairly select who gets the spotlight. This also helps create a list of backup nominees for months with fewer nominations. A nomination doesn’t guarantee a feature right away, but it always puts an artist on my radar for future ‘ART’icles.
This month’s featured artists each bring their creativity and talent to Tezos in unique form. From intimate expressions of identity to bold exploration in form, their work reflects the incredible range found across the ecosystem. Thanks to your nominations, for this month, let’s spotlight @lensonskin, @Kathara_l, @stereohopper, @nymiart, and @zvarniara.
Rosaline @lensonskin: Self-Portrait Photographer
Rosaline creates nude self-portraits using natural light, shadows, and props to strike a delicate balance of detail, mystery, and meaning. Throughout art history, the female form has remained a constant subject, from cave carvings to AI prompts and every art form in between. Though nudity in art is a long tradition, it is still often censored. Decentralized, censorship-resistant NFT platforms now offer artists like Rosaline the freedom to share art more freely.
In the 1/1 Black and White Self-Portrait, “Bridge”, Rosaline represents a bridge between two worlds. Despite all the darkness, we must build a bridge to the light of our dreams. There is a cloud of smoke in the air, perhaps representing the fog above the water often found under bridges. The pose for this photo is balanced and purposeful, like the architecture to a bridge’s structure.
Rosaline’s photography is a bold and thoughtful exploration of the self. You can discover all of her available art by visiting her linktree here.
Katy Lakatos @Kathara_l: Visual Poetic Symbolism
Katy Lakatos has been minting on Tezos since November 2023. Her art welcomes you into a world of soft pastels and gentle nostalgia, like a quiet walk through childhood memories. Each piece carries emotional depth and poetic calmness.
In her collection “The Song of Womans”, ten unique works depict women in emotionally rich, collage-inspired scenes. With flowing textures and varied styles, the series maintains a cohesive feel through consistent portrait formatting.
In the artwork titled, “Gold Dust”, we see a stunning golden sunset behind an eclipsed moon or sun, the color and texture blending into a dark blue base, and that’s just the background. A woman in an oriental robe seemingly flies through the sky along with birds. Her head centered over the eclipse. A few golden leaves floating downwards give hints of motion to the static composition. Every element is delicately blended with a collage-like influence.
Another magical scene with golden skies can be found when admiring “Golden Leaf”, which is a mixed media drawing that is “an offering carrying cosmic stories”, based on the description on Objkt. The composition is visually poetic in how each element flows loosely as if in the breeze. From the girl’s detailed swirly hair to the blue bird’s wings and legs in mid-motion, down to the different strokes of the same golden hue creating a separation between sky and ground. To me, it even resembles water with the way the bird’s leg fades at the ankle line. I truly enjoyed stopping to reflect and write about Katy and her art, and I hope you will too. Visit her Objkt to find more here.
Stereohopper @Stereohopper: Artist, Director, Musician
A true Tezos OG, Stereohopper dropped his first NFT on Hicetnunc in March 2021. Since then, he’s delivered a steady stream of electronic music paired with seamless visual loops, offering collectors a rare two-in-one experience where both sound and motion are thoughtfully crafted.Exploring his work on TEIA or Objkt is a treat for anyone who enjoys electronic beats and animated digital art. He also curates a platform called hoppers.gallery, which showcases a wide range of art on Tezos. While we can’t showcase music directly here, we encourage you to dive into his world and listen through the links below.
To further illustrate my point regarding a MusicNFTs “double value”, let’s take a look at the visual component behind “Inexorably Loud Silence”. This seamlessly looping GIF stands on its own as a compelling artwork as shown above. Two figures blend into a complex network of moving shapes and textures that represent the awakening of a city and the loudness that comes with it. I found myself staring at this loop for several minutes before even hitting play on the music. However, once you begin listening to the cinematic soundtrack it brings new life and meaning to the visual aspect of the piece. The way the instrumentation builds truly feels like the awakening of a city. With the percussive elements lining up to the animation and the professional quality of the mix this is truly an audio/visual experience worth having. The NFT is also available as a 1/1 on primary, here, for those into collecting hidden gems.
In the visual artwork “It’s all just a facade — Movement 03”, we get to experience another perspective from the imagined world we see in “inexorably Loud Silence”. In fact, this artwork was minted before the 1/1 Music NFT. When considering this timeline a story is introduced: at first these two figures crossed paths going opposite directions, but in the next scene we see that they found their way back to each other. Between the thoughtful depth of the story from one release to another, and the skillful combination of so many diverse multiple media formats, a spotlight on this fantastic artist was definitely long overdue. So grab some headphones and embark on the full journey here.
Nymi @nymiart: Drawing, Storytelling, Clown
Another artist that truly puts all of themself into their art, which spans from oil on canvas, to their creative work as a literal clown. Combining these art forms to bring a unique, colorful, and imaginative world to the Tezos art community. Too often we hear the phrase “Clown” being used in a derogatory way, but the art form has been around since the time of Pharaohs. It’s a valuable piece of art history and we are lucky to have it represented on Tezos. Another interesting benefit to our digital art movement is we get to see the creativity of Nymi beyond the costume. Perhaps the first time I’ve had the pleasure of enjoying the diverse creativity of digital and physical artworks created by someone who is also a clown. Thanks to the community’s nominations, we can now experience some of Nymi’s creativity together.
In this colorful self-portrait, “Lost in Transition”, Nymi explores the shifting layers of their inner world. The masks represent different sides of themself, each one linked to a feeling or memory from childhood. It’s a personal piece about change, emotion, and identity, with a dreamy touch inspired by Marc Chagall’s approach to memory and imagination. For me, I think of the many different versions of myself that have existed and how all of them together equal who I am today. A powerful artwork with many more layers I’ll leave for you to discover for yourself.
Nymi’s most recent release on Tezos, “Gaze”, utilized the new open objkt feature as a part of the objkt4objkt event. This digital painting expresses the feeling of being an outsider, far from the spotlight and unnoticed. A lone clown and a transparent crow look from the shadows at a group of people socializing in the light. The composition forces the viewer to look over (or overlook) the clown’s shoulder in order to process the bold figures in the distance. Thoughtfully tapping into and drilling home the messages behind the artwork. Discover more of Nymi’s creativity and visual stories here.
Eleni @zvarniara: Dark Art, Drawing
Our final artist spotlight for this month’s ‘ART’icle is Eleni, who is also exploring the infinititly creative ways to showcase the human form, but with an emphasis on dark art and hand-drawn illustrations of the unusual. First joining the Tezos art community in May of 2023, let’s celebrate her two year anniversary of minting on Tezos by exploring some of her art together.
One of the pieces that instantly stood out to me, “Heavy Thoughts”, is a charcoal drawing on paper that strongly speaks for itself. It’s safe to say that every single one of us has moments where our thoughts feel like they are weighing us down. Sometimes to the point of splitting headaches. The way this composition abstracts and distorts the subject’s natural form, is exactly how it feels to me when I have a migraine or simply cannot shake heavy thoughts. It’s captivating and thought provoking.
In “Moon Monologues”, we see another charcoal drawing on paper, but this one is combined with digital moonlike textures. The composition suggests the subject as a nude female figure embracing the moon. Her arms radiated warmth. To me this piece represents our inner conversations that occur when gazing up at the moon at night, safely from our own home where we can be more exposed and free. The warmth we feel when embracing our imaginations is the same warmth I feel when viewing this art work. Enjoy the rest of Eleni’s art on Objkt here.
See You Next Month For Another ‘ART’icle
That’s a wrap for the May 2025 edition of ‘ART’icle of the Month. A heartfelt thanks to everyone who tags #tezARTicle on X. Your nominations help shine a light on creators who deserve to be seen.
If you’d like to support this series, share the article and keep tagging the artists who move you. Whether you’re a new face or a seasoned OG, your voice helps build visibility and keeps the Tezos art community thriving.
See you next month for another round of artistic discovery on Tezos.
‘ART’icle of May 2025 was originally published in Tezos Commons on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
Welcome to the May 2025 edition of ‘ART’icle of the Month, where the mission is to spotlight artists minting on Tezos who capture the community’s attention. I may do the writing, but the community drives this project. If you see a Tezos artist whose work deserves more love, just drop a nomination by commenting under their art on X with the hashtag #tezARTicle. Whether it’s a one-off masterpiece or a consistently growing body of work, your nominations help surface talent that might otherwise fly under the radar.
Each month, I comb through the hashtag to curate five featured artists. If there are more than five names with a single nomination, I turn to a randomizer (wheelofnames.com) to fairly select who gets the spotlight. This also helps create a list of backup nominees for months with fewer nominations. A nomination doesn’t guarantee a feature right away, but it always puts an artist on my radar for future ‘ART’icles.
This month’s featured artists each bring their creativity and talent to Tezos in unique form. From intimate expressions of identity to bold exploration in form, their work reflects the incredible range found across the ecosystem. Thanks to your nominations, for this month, let’s spotlight @lensonskin, @Kathara_l, @stereohopper, @nymiart, and @zvarniara.
Rosaline @lensonskin: Self-Portrait Photographer
Rosaline creates nude self-portraits using natural light, shadows, and props to strike a delicate balance of detail, mystery, and meaning. Throughout art history, the female form has remained a constant subject, from cave carvings to AI prompts and every art form in between. Though nudity in art is a long tradition, it is still often censored. Decentralized, censorship-resistant NFT platforms now offer artists like Rosaline the freedom to share art more freely.
In the 1/1 Black and White Self-Portrait, “Bridge”, Rosaline represents a bridge between two worlds. Despite all the darkness, we must build a bridge to the light of our dreams. There is a cloud of smoke in the air, perhaps representing the fog above the water often found under bridges. The pose for this photo is balanced and purposeful, like the architecture to a bridge’s structure.
Rosaline’s photography is a bold and thoughtful exploration of the self. You can discover all of her available art by visiting her linktree here.
Katy Lakatos @Kathara_l: Visual Poetic Symbolism
Katy Lakatos has been minting on Tezos since November 2023. Her art welcomes you into a world of soft pastels and gentle nostalgia, like a quiet walk through childhood memories. Each piece carries emotional depth and poetic calmness.
In her collection “The Song of Womans”, ten unique works depict women in emotionally rich, collage-inspired scenes. With flowing textures and varied styles, the series maintains a cohesive feel through consistent portrait formatting.
In the artwork titled, “Gold Dust”, we see a stunning golden sunset behind an eclipsed moon or sun, the color and texture blending into a dark blue base, and that’s just the background. A woman in an oriental robe seemingly flies through the sky along with birds. Her head centered over the eclipse. A few golden leaves floating downwards give hints of motion to the static composition. Every element is delicately blended with a collage-like influence.
Another magical scene with golden skies can be found when admiring “Golden Leaf”, which is a mixed media drawing that is “an offering carrying cosmic stories”, based on the description on Objkt. The composition is visually poetic in how each element flows loosely as if in the breeze. From the girl’s detailed swirly hair to the blue bird’s wings and legs in mid-motion, down to the different strokes of the same golden hue creating a separation between sky and ground. To me, it even resembles water with the way the bird’s leg fades at the ankle line. I truly enjoyed stopping to reflect and write about Katy and her art, and I hope you will too. Visit her Objkt to find more here.
Stereohopper @Stereohopper: Artist, Director, Musician
A true Tezos OG, Stereohopper dropped his first NFT on Hicetnunc in March 2021. Since then, he’s delivered a steady stream of electronic music paired with seamless visual loops, offering collectors a rare two-in-one experience where both sound and motion are thoughtfully crafted.Exploring his work on TEIA or Objkt is a treat for anyone who enjoys electronic beats and animated digital art. He also curates a platform called hoppers.gallery, which showcases a wide range of art on Tezos. While we can’t showcase music directly here, we encourage you to dive into his world and listen through the links below.
To further illustrate my point regarding a MusicNFTs “double value”, let’s take a look at the visual component behind “Inexorably Loud Silence”. This seamlessly looping GIF stands on its own as a compelling artwork as shown above. Two figures blend into a complex network of moving shapes and textures that represent the awakening of a city and the loudness that comes with it. I found myself staring at this loop for several minutes before even hitting play on the music. However, once you begin listening to the cinematic soundtrack it brings new life and meaning to the visual aspect of the piece. The way the instrumentation builds truly feels like the awakening of a city. With the percussive elements lining up to the animation and the professional quality of the mix this is truly an audio/visual experience worth having. The NFT is also available as a 1/1 on primary, here, for those into collecting hidden gems.
In the visual artwork “It’s all just a facade — Movement 03”, we get to experience another perspective from the imagined world we see in “inexorably Loud Silence”. In fact, this artwork was minted before the 1/1 Music NFT. When considering this timeline a story is introduced: at first these two figures crossed paths going opposite directions, but in the next scene we see that they found their way back to each other. Between the thoughtful depth of the story from one release to another, and the skillful combination of so many diverse multiple media formats, a spotlight on this fantastic artist was definitely long overdue. So grab some headphones and embark on the full journey here.
Nymi @nymiart: Drawing, Storytelling, Clown
Another artist that truly puts all of themself into their art, which spans from oil on canvas, to their creative work as a literal clown. Combining these art forms to bring a unique, colorful, and imaginative world to the Tezos art community. Too often we hear the phrase “Clown” being used in a derogatory way, but the art form has been around since the time of Pharaohs. It’s a valuable piece of art history and we are lucky to have it represented on Tezos. Another interesting benefit to our digital art movement is we get to see the creativity of Nymi beyond the costume. Perhaps the first time I’ve had the pleasure of enjoying the diverse creativity of digital and physical artworks created by someone who is also a clown. Thanks to the community’s nominations, we can now experience some of Nymi’s creativity together.
In this colorful self-portrait, “Lost in Transition”, Nymi explores the shifting layers of their inner world. The masks represent different sides of themself, each one linked to a feeling or memory from childhood. It’s a personal piece about change, emotion, and identity, with a dreamy touch inspired by Marc Chagall’s approach to memory and imagination. For me, I think of the many different versions of myself that have existed and how all of them together equal who I am today. A powerful artwork with many more layers I’ll leave for you to discover for yourself.
Nymi’s most recent release on Tezos, “Gaze”, utilized the new open objkt feature as a part of the objkt4objkt event. This digital painting expresses the feeling of being an outsider, far from the spotlight and unnoticed. A lone clown and a transparent crow look from the shadows at a group of people socializing in the light. The composition forces the viewer to look over (or overlook) the clown’s shoulder in order to process the bold figures in the distance. Thoughtfully tapping into and drilling home the messages behind the artwork. Discover more of Nymi’s creativity and visual stories here.
Eleni @zvarniara: Dark Art, Drawing
Our final artist spotlight for this month’s ‘ART’icle is Eleni, who is also exploring the infinititly creative ways to showcase the human form, but with an emphasis on dark art and hand-drawn illustrations of the unusual. First joining the Tezos art community in May of 2023, let’s celebrate her two year anniversary of minting on Tezos by exploring some of her art together.
One of the pieces that instantly stood out to me, “Heavy Thoughts”, is a charcoal drawing on paper that strongly speaks for itself. It’s safe to say that every single one of us has moments where our thoughts feel like they are weighing us down. Sometimes to the point of splitting headaches. The way this composition abstracts and distorts the subject’s natural form, is exactly how it feels to me when I have a migraine or simply cannot shake heavy thoughts. It’s captivating and thought provoking.
In “Moon Monologues”, we see another charcoal drawing on paper, but this one is combined with digital moonlike textures. The composition suggests the subject as a nude female figure embracing the moon. Her arms radiated warmth. To me this piece represents our inner conversations that occur when gazing up at the moon at night, safely from our own home where we can be more exposed and free. The warmth we feel when embracing our imaginations is the same warmth I feel when viewing this art work. Enjoy the rest of Eleni’s art on Objkt here.
See You Next Month For Another ‘ART’icle
That’s a wrap for the May 2025 edition of ‘ART’icle of the Month. A heartfelt thanks to everyone who tags #tezARTicle on X. Your nominations help shine a light on creators who deserve to be seen.
If you’d like to support this series, share the article and keep tagging the artists who move you. Whether you’re a new face or a seasoned OG, your voice helps build visibility and keeps the Tezos art community thriving.
See you next month for another round of artistic discovery on Tezos.
‘ART’icle of May 2025 was originally published in Tezos Commons on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
Month At a Glance — April 2025
Month At A Glance — April 2025
A quick rundown of the latest happenings and significant milestones within the Tezos ecosystem for April 2025.
Welcome to our latest issue, Month At A Glance (April 2025), where we give a quick rundown of the latest happenings and significant milestones in the Tezos ecosystem on a monthly cadence.
April wasn’t just another chapter in the Tezos journey, it was a month of major milestones and meaningful progress. From the launch of the Uranium Game and Exaion’s entry into Etherlink to the community vote locking in the Rio upgrade, the Tezos ecosystem saw a steady stream of activity.
Let’s break it all down.
Ecosystem Insights
Uranium Game Goes Live
Geturanium.io, the game launched by Uranium.io, puts a fresh spin on digital mining with a uranium-themed idle clicker that rewards players with real uranium tokens (xU308). Season 1 is live now, offering players the chance to collect uranium shards, upgrade their mining setups, and refine their way to xU308 tokens.
How It WorksThe game is simple yet surprisingly strategic: click to collect shards as they roll across a conveyor belt, upgrade your operation for faster collection, and refine those shards into xU308 tokens. No wallet needed to start, just log in with your Google, Discord, or X (Twitter) account.
Once you’ve gathered enough shards (100,000 to be exact), you can begin refining. Each 8-hour cycle produces 1 xU308 token, and you can keep refining as long as you have the shards. Boosters like auto-collecting, shard value multipliers, and conveyor speed boosts can speed up your progress.
Claiming RewardsAt the end of the season, you will be able to claim your xU308 tokens. The more you refine, the bigger your airdrop, so get clicking before time runs out.
Season 1 is still on, so if you’re ready to turn virtual mining into real rewards, now’s the time to jump in.
Exaion Backs Etherlink as Validator — A Power Move for Tezos
Exaion, a subsidiary of the French energy giant EDF Group, has joined Etherlink as a validator, signaling a different kind of confidence in the Tezos ecosystem. This isn’t just another validator announcement, Exaion is known for long-term, infrastructure-focused investments, not quick wins.
Why It MattersEtherlink, the Ethereum-compatible Layer 2 built on Tezos, relies on validators like Exaion to secure its network. These validators confirm transactions and post commitments to the Tezos mainnet, ensuring both scalability and accountability.
Backing with Real InfrastructureExaion has been part of the Tezos ecosystem since 2020, running one of the first corporate validators on the network. This move marks a significant step forward in its commitment to Tezos.
Early but PromisingEtherlink is still in its early days, but with projects like Spiko and Midas already live, the ecosystem is starting to take shape. Exaion’s involvement signals a vote of confidence as this Layer 2 looks to scale and prove its long-term value.
With Exaion now on board, Etherlink isn’t just running on promises, it’s running on infrastructure.
Rio Gets Voted In
In April, the Tezos community voted to adopt the Rio protocol upgrade, which was then successfully activated on May 1, 2025. This 18th protocol upgrade, jointly developed by Nomadic Labs, TriliTech, and Functori, introduced several significant changes:
Faster Cycles: Reduces the cycle length from 3 days to 1 day, allowing faster application of staking-related changes and quicker fund unstaking.
DAL Participation Rewards: Allocates 10% of participation rewards to those contributing to the Data Availability Layer (DAL), a critical component for L2 scalability and the Tezos X roadmap.
Stricter Inactivity Thresholds: Shortens the tolerance for baker inactivity from 5 days to 2 days, enhancing network resilience by reducing the risk of slowdowns.
This upgrade reflects the continued focus on scalability and performance as the Tezos ecosystem moves closer to realizing the Tezos X vision.
News From The Tezos Ecosystem: Quick Bits
Beyond those insights, the ecosystem saw plenty of other noteworthy developments worth a quick look:
Lilypad Joins Etherlink and Fortify Labs CohortLilypad, a decentralized serverless compute platform, has been selected for Fortify Labs’ 2025 cohort. By integrating with Etherlink, Lilypad aims to enhance decentralized computing capabilities within the Tezos ecosystem.
BluWhale AI Enters the Tezos EcosystemBluWhale AI, a decentralized AI protocol, has joined the Tezos ecosystem through the Fortify Labs program. The project focuses on creating user-specific knowledge graphs to deliver personalized experiences across decentralized applications.
Absolute Labs Adds Support for Tezos and EtherlinkAbsolute Labs, a Web3 CRM and marketing automation platform, has expanded its services to include support for Tezos and Etherlink. This integration enables projects within the Tezos ecosystem to leverage advanced marketing tools for growth and engagement.
Lyzi Raises $1.4M to Scale Tezos-Powered Crypto PaymentsLyzi, a crypto payment platform built on Tezos, secured $1.4 million in a seed funding round. The funds will be used to expand its services, allowing consumers to make everyday retail and e-commerce payments using cryptocurrency, with merchants receiving fiat directly to their bank accounts.
TezDev 2025: The Community Comes to CannesTezDev 2025, the flagship annual conference for the Tezos community, is set to take place on July 3rd in Cannes. Early bird tickets are still available (limited to the first 100), offering attendees a chance to engage with builders, creators, and community members in a vibrant setting. Secure your spot now!
Events
Tuesday🎙Tezday w TezCon organizers — April 1st
Artz Fridays w Dúo Dø Music— April 4th
Tuesday🎙Tezday Community Call — April 8th
Artz Fridays w Mat Nova — April 11th
Tuesday🎙Tezday w Zir0h — April 15th
Artz Fridays w Doug CriptoFace — April 18th
Tuesday🎙Tezday Community Call — April 22nd
Artz Fridays Community Call — April 25th
Tuesday🎙Tezday w Skurpy — April 29th
Stay in the Conversation, Stay in the Know
Tezos Commons hosts a variety of community-oriented events and content. From podcasts, X-spaces, and long-form content, there’s something for everyone.
TezTalks Live
TezTalks Radio
X Spaces
X Shorts
Baking Sheet Newsletter
In-Depth Articles
You can also contact us on X or via email at [email protected].
Month At A Glance — April 2025 was originally published in Tezos Commons on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
A quick rundown of the latest happenings and significant milestones within the Tezos ecosystem for April 2025.
Welcome to our latest issue, Month At A Glance (April 2025), where we give a quick rundown of the latest happenings and significant milestones in the Tezos ecosystem on a monthly cadence.
April wasn’t just another chapter in the Tezos journey, it was a month of major milestones and meaningful progress. From the launch of the Uranium Game and Exaion’s entry into Etherlink to the community vote locking in the Rio upgrade, the Tezos ecosystem saw a steady stream of activity.
Let’s break it all down.
Ecosystem Insights
Uranium Game Goes Live
Geturanium.io, the game launched by Uranium.io, puts a fresh spin on digital mining with a uranium-themed idle clicker that rewards players with real uranium tokens (xU308). Season 1 is live now, offering players the chance to collect uranium shards, upgrade their mining setups, and refine their way to xU308 tokens.
How It WorksThe game is simple yet surprisingly strategic: click to collect shards as they roll across a conveyor belt, upgrade your operation for faster collection, and refine those shards into xU308 tokens. No wallet needed to start, just log in with your Google, Discord, or X (Twitter) account.
Once you’ve gathered enough shards (100,000 to be exact), you can begin refining. Each 8-hour cycle produces 1 xU308 token, and you can keep refining as long as you have the shards. Boosters like auto-collecting, shard value multipliers, and conveyor speed boosts can speed up your progress.
Claiming RewardsAt the end of the season, you will be able to claim your xU308 tokens. The more you refine, the bigger your airdrop, so get clicking before time runs out.
Season 1 is still on, so if you’re ready to turn virtual mining into real rewards, now’s the time to jump in.
Exaion Backs Etherlink as Validator — A Power Move for Tezos
Exaion, a subsidiary of the French energy giant EDF Group, has joined Etherlink as a validator, signaling a different kind of confidence in the Tezos ecosystem. This isn’t just another validator announcement, Exaion is known for long-term, infrastructure-focused investments, not quick wins.
Why It MattersEtherlink, the Ethereum-compatible Layer 2 built on Tezos, relies on validators like Exaion to secure its network. These validators confirm transactions and post commitments to the Tezos mainnet, ensuring both scalability and accountability.
Backing with Real InfrastructureExaion has been part of the Tezos ecosystem since 2020, running one of the first corporate validators on the network. This move marks a significant step forward in its commitment to Tezos.
Early but PromisingEtherlink is still in its early days, but with projects like Spiko and Midas already live, the ecosystem is starting to take shape. Exaion’s involvement signals a vote of confidence as this Layer 2 looks to scale and prove its long-term value.
With Exaion now on board, Etherlink isn’t just running on promises, it’s running on infrastructure.
Rio Gets Voted In
In April, the Tezos community voted to adopt the Rio protocol upgrade, which was then successfully activated on May 1, 2025. This 18th protocol upgrade, jointly developed by Nomadic Labs, TriliTech, and Functori, introduced several significant changes:
Faster Cycles: Reduces the cycle length from 3 days to 1 day, allowing faster application of staking-related changes and quicker fund unstaking.
DAL Participation Rewards: Allocates 10% of participation rewards to those contributing to the Data Availability Layer (DAL), a critical component for L2 scalability and the Tezos X roadmap.
Stricter Inactivity Thresholds: Shortens the tolerance for baker inactivity from 5 days to 2 days, enhancing network resilience by reducing the risk of slowdowns.
This upgrade reflects the continued focus on scalability and performance as the Tezos ecosystem moves closer to realizing the Tezos X vision.
News From The Tezos Ecosystem: Quick Bits
Beyond those insights, the ecosystem saw plenty of other noteworthy developments worth a quick look:
Lilypad Joins Etherlink and Fortify Labs CohortLilypad, a decentralized serverless compute platform, has been selected for Fortify Labs’ 2025 cohort. By integrating with Etherlink, Lilypad aims to enhance decentralized computing capabilities within the Tezos ecosystem.
BluWhale AI Enters the Tezos EcosystemBluWhale AI, a decentralized AI protocol, has joined the Tezos ecosystem through the Fortify Labs program. The project focuses on creating user-specific knowledge graphs to deliver personalized experiences across decentralized applications.
Absolute Labs Adds Support for Tezos and EtherlinkAbsolute Labs, a Web3 CRM and marketing automation platform, has expanded its services to include support for Tezos and Etherlink. This integration enables projects within the Tezos ecosystem to leverage advanced marketing tools for growth and engagement.
Lyzi Raises $1.4M to Scale Tezos-Powered Crypto PaymentsLyzi, a crypto payment platform built on Tezos, secured $1.4 million in a seed funding round. The funds will be used to expand its services, allowing consumers to make everyday retail and e-commerce payments using cryptocurrency, with merchants receiving fiat directly to their bank accounts.
TezDev 2025: The Community Comes to CannesTezDev 2025, the flagship annual conference for the Tezos community, is set to take place on July 3rd in Cannes. Early bird tickets are still available (limited to the first 100), offering attendees a chance to engage with builders, creators, and community members in a vibrant setting. Secure your spot now!
Events
Tuesday🎙Tezday w TezCon organizers — April 1st
Artz Fridays w Dúo Dø Music— April 4th
Tuesday🎙Tezday Community Call — April 8th
Artz Fridays w Mat Nova — April 11th
Tuesday🎙Tezday w Zir0h — April 15th
Artz Fridays w Doug CriptoFace — April 18th
Tuesday🎙Tezday Community Call — April 22nd
Artz Fridays Community Call — April 25th
Tuesday🎙Tezday w Skurpy — April 29th
Stay in the Conversation, Stay in the Know
Tezos Commons hosts a variety of community-oriented events and content. From podcasts, X-spaces, and long-form content, there’s something for everyone.
TezTalks Live
TezTalks Radio
X Spaces
X Shorts
Baking Sheet Newsletter
In-Depth Articles
You can also contact us on X or via email at [email protected].
Month At A Glance — April 2025 was originally published in Tezos Commons on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
The Tezos Art Community Matters
A Grassroots Movement That Became the Heart of Tezos
From the monumental rise of NFTs in 2021, one of the most diverse, creative, and passionate communities I’ve ever seen began to take shape. Enabled by the accessibility and affordability of the Tezos blockchain, the vision of a truly decentralized, peer-to-peer network flourished, specifically around art. This cultivated a strong art-focused community on Tezos that continues to expand and even dominate the on-chain usage of Tezos today.
Innovation and the pursuit of creative freedom are part of what makes blockchains like Tezos so important. That’s why I believe Tezos will always be a home for digital art that enables creativity. Any expansions to the underlying technology will honor but also ensure a sustainable path forward for all people who want to build and explore the possibilities of a truly decentralized digital commonwealth.
A sustainable path for the growth of the Tezos ecosystem cannot be built with art alone, but can and should be complimented with it. The developments proposed in the Tezos X roadmap are highly technical and offer foresight. Ideas from core developers should not be seen as threats to anyone currently enjoying Tezos, but as opportunities to strengthen the foundation of Tezos as a whole.
As conversations around the Tezos X roadmap continue, it’s natural for questions and concerns to arise, especially from those who have helped shape the cultural identity of Tezos through art. Rather than viewing these technical evolutions as a divergence, it’s worth exploring how they can preserve, amplify, and future-proof the values that have nurtured the arts so far. Let’s take a closer look at why the art is still at the heart of it all and how the unique vision of Tezos X can ensure it stays that way.
Decentralization Can Feel Like Fragmentation
One of the most beautiful and confusing aspects of the Tezos art community is that it mirrors the decentralized architecture of the chain itself. Just as bakers scattered across the globe validate blocks and keep the network alive, the culture on Tezos has evolved in similarly distributed ways. Communities are formed naturally, often independently, each driven by shared values, aesthetics, or goals. Music collectives, artists, curators, collectors, and hybrid builder-artist-technologists are all growing in parallel, sometimes unaware of one another’s contributions to the ecosystem.
A decentralized network can give the illusion of fragmentation, but it’s a sign of strength. A monolithic culture can be brittle, but a decentralized one is resilient, adaptive, and full of potential. On Tezos, there are many communities and voices. The absence of a central or singular voice is not a flaw, it’s part of what allowed so many distinct subcultures to take root and thrive.
Art is the Heart, Technology is the Brain
Just like the underlying protocol, the communities of Tezos continue to expand, evolve, and refine over time. The magic lies in the permissionless nature of Tezos, with the possibility that anyone, anywhere, can contribute to the ongoing story. When we begin to resist change in favor of protecting the current culture, we risk stagnation. We risk becoming a cult. When we let fear of innovation override our pioneering spirit, we lose sight of what makes this place special. Any proposal to make the ecosystem more capable of real-world utility should be met with thoughtful curiosity. That’s the mindset Tezos was built on, and what enabled the art movement to form.
It’s time to pause and remember what we are here for. We need to zoom out and embrace the bigger picture. The art movement on Tezos Layer 1 has become the beating heart of the network, but that heart needs to keep pumping blood to the brain (core development) no matter where it leads the body (Ecosystem). Right now, the brain of Tezos is in the middle of navigating uncharted territory, and it needs the heART more than ever.
Zooming Out: What is Tezos X Really About?
Tezos has always upgraded itself without drama. Unlike other blockchains that split their communities through forks, Tezos evolves seamlessly. Every upgrade so far has brought real improvements like faster transactions, lower gas fees, and better tools for artists, without leaving anyone behind. Why would that suddenly change?
Tezos X is the next step in that same journey, making Tezos faster, more flexible, and ready to take on new challenges. Obstacles that no other blockchain has dared to take on. It focuses on improving how everything works together, so the network can scale towards real-world adoption, without losing what makes Layer-1 so powerful.
The Tezos art community is heArt-strong, but most artists, including myself, have to try harder to grasp the technical aspect of what makes this ecosystem function. Now more than ever, we should respect and support those using Tezos for its other use cases and recognize that the art alone won’t be enough. We need to “let them cook.” Because Tezos X is about giving the heart a stronger, more capable body and mind. An ecosystem that flows with purpose into an unknown future. The same upgrade process that supported the early NFT boom is now laying the groundwork for what comes next. And as always, it’s being done with the whole community in mind.
Governance Is Greater Than Trust, Let’s Shape the Future
Many of the core developers who made NFTs on Tezos possible are still building today. Many of the minds behind Tezos X are grounded in the same values that drew artists here in the first place: accessibility, decentralization, and creative freedom. No one needs permission to mint art, and no one needs permission to propose upgrades.
It’s all transparent. Upgrade proposals don’t happen in the shadows. They go through a public governance process. Anyone can read the proposals, ask questions, share concerns, and participate in governance. That’s how we got this far, through collaboration, not conflict.
Questions and debates are healthy. However, there is a line where questions fueled by curiosity are lost to fear-based complaints or manufactured and misinformed drama. Unlike healthy debates, these escalations don’t help the art, the tech, or the community. They only muddy the waters and distract us from the real work that needs to be done.
Tezos X isn’t about leaving people behind. Stop with the FUD (Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt). It’s about inviting more people in. It’s about creating a recipe for more FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out). If we stay open, curious, and willing to participate, we can help shape a future where artists, developers, builders, and collectors can grow stronger together.
We All Found Our Way Here For Similar Reasons
Change can feel overwhelming, especially when it comes to technical complexity. But no one has to figure it out alone. There are resources, community spaces, and people willing to help explain things, answer questions, or just listen. Whether it’s Tezos Agora, Tezos Commons, Community Telegram and Discord channels, or spaces on X, there are places to turn when things feel unclear. More importantly, there are people to turn to.
This community is made of humans first. Most of us are doing our best. Before posting something that stirs tension, consider direct messaging someone who can help. A private message can go a long way. A kind question can spark a thoughtful conversation. Showing someone you care enough to talk with them instead of talking at them or accusing them of something. That’s how we strengthen the connection we all came here to make.
The art community on Tezos is powerful because of its shared values and giant beating heart. Empathy, resilience, curiosity, and care are unmatched. We can protect that spirit while staying engaged with open hearts and minds. We can continue to be a meaningful force in Web3, but we need to do so in a way that acknowledges all that Web3 can be. Art alone can’t be the only utility, but it will always be a core value to the Tezos Community.
The Tezos Art Community Matters was originally published in Tezos Commons on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
From the monumental rise of NFTs in 2021, one of the most diverse, creative, and passionate communities I’ve ever seen began to take shape. Enabled by the accessibility and affordability of the Tezos blockchain, the vision of a truly decentralized, peer-to-peer network flourished, specifically around art. This cultivated a strong art-focused community on Tezos that continues to expand and even dominate the on-chain usage of Tezos today.
Innovation and the pursuit of creative freedom are part of what makes blockchains like Tezos so important. That’s why I believe Tezos will always be a home for digital art that enables creativity. Any expansions to the underlying technology will honor but also ensure a sustainable path forward for all people who want to build and explore the possibilities of a truly decentralized digital commonwealth.
A sustainable path for the growth of the Tezos ecosystem cannot be built with art alone, but can and should be complimented with it. The developments proposed in the Tezos X roadmap are highly technical and offer foresight. Ideas from core developers should not be seen as threats to anyone currently enjoying Tezos, but as opportunities to strengthen the foundation of Tezos as a whole.
As conversations around the Tezos X roadmap continue, it’s natural for questions and concerns to arise, especially from those who have helped shape the cultural identity of Tezos through art. Rather than viewing these technical evolutions as a divergence, it’s worth exploring how they can preserve, amplify, and future-proof the values that have nurtured the arts so far. Let’s take a closer look at why the art is still at the heart of it all and how the unique vision of Tezos X can ensure it stays that way.
Decentralization Can Feel Like Fragmentation
One of the most beautiful and confusing aspects of the Tezos art community is that it mirrors the decentralized architecture of the chain itself. Just as bakers scattered across the globe validate blocks and keep the network alive, the culture on Tezos has evolved in similarly distributed ways. Communities are formed naturally, often independently, each driven by shared values, aesthetics, or goals. Music collectives, artists, curators, collectors, and hybrid builder-artist-technologists are all growing in parallel, sometimes unaware of one another’s contributions to the ecosystem.
A decentralized network can give the illusion of fragmentation, but it’s a sign of strength. A monolithic culture can be brittle, but a decentralized one is resilient, adaptive, and full of potential. On Tezos, there are many communities and voices. The absence of a central or singular voice is not a flaw, it’s part of what allowed so many distinct subcultures to take root and thrive.
Art is the Heart, Technology is the Brain
Just like the underlying protocol, the communities of Tezos continue to expand, evolve, and refine over time. The magic lies in the permissionless nature of Tezos, with the possibility that anyone, anywhere, can contribute to the ongoing story. When we begin to resist change in favor of protecting the current culture, we risk stagnation. We risk becoming a cult. When we let fear of innovation override our pioneering spirit, we lose sight of what makes this place special. Any proposal to make the ecosystem more capable of real-world utility should be met with thoughtful curiosity. That’s the mindset Tezos was built on, and what enabled the art movement to form.
It’s time to pause and remember what we are here for. We need to zoom out and embrace the bigger picture. The art movement on Tezos Layer 1 has become the beating heart of the network, but that heart needs to keep pumping blood to the brain (core development) no matter where it leads the body (Ecosystem). Right now, the brain of Tezos is in the middle of navigating uncharted territory, and it needs the heART more than ever.
Zooming Out: What is Tezos X Really About?
Tezos has always upgraded itself without drama. Unlike other blockchains that split their communities through forks, Tezos evolves seamlessly. Every upgrade so far has brought real improvements like faster transactions, lower gas fees, and better tools for artists, without leaving anyone behind. Why would that suddenly change?
Tezos X is the next step in that same journey, making Tezos faster, more flexible, and ready to take on new challenges. Obstacles that no other blockchain has dared to take on. It focuses on improving how everything works together, so the network can scale towards real-world adoption, without losing what makes Layer-1 so powerful.
The Tezos art community is heArt-strong, but most artists, including myself, have to try harder to grasp the technical aspect of what makes this ecosystem function. Now more than ever, we should respect and support those using Tezos for its other use cases and recognize that the art alone won’t be enough. We need to “let them cook.” Because Tezos X is about giving the heart a stronger, more capable body and mind. An ecosystem that flows with purpose into an unknown future. The same upgrade process that supported the early NFT boom is now laying the groundwork for what comes next. And as always, it’s being done with the whole community in mind.
Governance Is Greater Than Trust, Let’s Shape the Future
Many of the core developers who made NFTs on Tezos possible are still building today. Many of the minds behind Tezos X are grounded in the same values that drew artists here in the first place: accessibility, decentralization, and creative freedom. No one needs permission to mint art, and no one needs permission to propose upgrades.
It’s all transparent. Upgrade proposals don’t happen in the shadows. They go through a public governance process. Anyone can read the proposals, ask questions, share concerns, and participate in governance. That’s how we got this far, through collaboration, not conflict.
Questions and debates are healthy. However, there is a line where questions fueled by curiosity are lost to fear-based complaints or manufactured and misinformed drama. Unlike healthy debates, these escalations don’t help the art, the tech, or the community. They only muddy the waters and distract us from the real work that needs to be done.
Tezos X isn’t about leaving people behind. Stop with the FUD (Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt). It’s about inviting more people in. It’s about creating a recipe for more FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out). If we stay open, curious, and willing to participate, we can help shape a future where artists, developers, builders, and collectors can grow stronger together.
We All Found Our Way Here For Similar Reasons
Change can feel overwhelming, especially when it comes to technical complexity. But no one has to figure it out alone. There are resources, community spaces, and people willing to help explain things, answer questions, or just listen. Whether it’s Tezos Agora, Tezos Commons, Community Telegram and Discord channels, or spaces on X, there are places to turn when things feel unclear. More importantly, there are people to turn to.
This community is made of humans first. Most of us are doing our best. Before posting something that stirs tension, consider direct messaging someone who can help. A private message can go a long way. A kind question can spark a thoughtful conversation. Showing someone you care enough to talk with them instead of talking at them or accusing them of something. That’s how we strengthen the connection we all came here to make.
The art community on Tezos is powerful because of its shared values and giant beating heart. Empathy, resilience, curiosity, and care are unmatched. We can protect that spirit while staying engaged with open hearts and minds. We can continue to be a meaningful force in Web3, but we need to do so in a way that acknowledges all that Web3 can be. Art alone can’t be the only utility, but it will always be a core value to the Tezos Community.
The Tezos Art Community Matters was originally published in Tezos Commons on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
Etherlink Feels New, but It’s Still Tezos.
How Etherlink expands Tezos without replacing what made it matter.
A familiar library, upgraded quietly: sunlight warms the shelves while new tools sit ready on every desk.
I remember when the internet finally showed up at my local library.
Until then, it had always been this calm, reliable place. Rows of books, that soft shuffle of the card catalog, and a librarian who always knew where to find whatever odd subject I was into.
That was more than enough.
When the Library Changed
Then, one day, a few bulky monitors showed up, and they set up a public terminal near the reference desk. You had to sign up for 30-minute slots. The connection was slow. The screens flickered. But to me, the walls had shifted a little. It felt like the library had opened up to something bigger.
The library stayed the same, but its reach expanded.
Things didn’t change all at once. The books were still there, even with a web browser on the screen. Some got scanned and put online. Others didn’t. Audiobooks showed up on CDs, then as downloads. DVDs had their shelf. The formats changed, but the purpose stayed the same: providing people access to their needs.
That’s what Etherlink feels like to me.
Still the same blueprint. Just with more room to build. What Etherlink Actually Is
Etherlink isn’t a reset or a rebrand. It’s an addition: a new format, another way in. The Tezos main chain stays right where it is, still doing what it does best. Etherlink allows people to build with the tools they already know and how they’re used to working. It’s like a new road that just opened that takes you to the same place, but with a different route.
People call Etherlink a “Layer 2,” and technically, that’s true. It runs on top of the Tezos main chain using smart rollup technology and posts its data and finality back to Layer 1.
But when most people hear “L2,” they picture something else: sidechains loosely attached to a network or systems that only occasionally check in with the base chain.
That’s not how Tezos does things. Etherlink doesn’t drift off on its own. Etherlink relies on Tezos for security, governance, upgrades, and finality. Every transaction, every confirmation, and every permanent record still flows through the main chain.
The system is layered, but it holds together. That’s the difference.
Calling Etherlink an “L2” can set the wrong expectation. It sounds like a separate network when it’s just another way to use the same one. Structurally, it stays aligned with Tezos. That’s what makes it different.
A modern entrance in a familiar building. New doors, same foundation. Why It Still Feels Like Tezos
I’ve heard people say, “It doesn’t even feel like Tezos,” and I get why. It’s fast. It works with Ethereum tools. It has its branding. The entry point feels different, like a separate door with glass panels and motion sensors.
But that door leads into the same building. And if you look closely, the support beams are all still there.
So what do you find on the other side? First, it’s fast. Not just at handling transactions but also at helping people test and deploy. On the Tezos base layer, things move more deliberately. That’s by design. It’s focused on long-term thinking and keeping the system stable.
But if you’re trying something new or shipping an early version of an dApp, waiting weeks for approvals isn’t always an option. Sometimes, you need to try it and see what happens.
A new interface on the same shelves. Faster access, same collection. Faster, Yes. But Also Familiar
Etherlink is fast, but speed isn’t the only thing that matters. It changes how people build. On Tezos L1, developers often use specialized tools like Michelson or SmartPy and design around the chain’s careful architecture. Etherlink lowers that bar. It supports familiar Ethereum-based tools, shortens dev cycles, and skips the need to relearn a new stack. It’s like adding a self-checkout kiosk to the library. Familiar tools speed things up, but the books come from the same shelves.
Etherlink speaks Ethereum’s language, letting you bring your code, wallet, and setup to start building with minimal changes. No relearning is required.
It simplifies joining, contributing, and inviting newcomers to Tezos. Etherlink is a new floor: a bit sleeker, a little brighter. But the plumbing, power, and foundation all run through the Tezos core layer. The foundation of the house is built and powered by Tezos.
Libraries have always adapted to what people need quietly and reliably. None of this is all that new.
A snapshot of the quiet transition: old tools alongside newer ones, each serving the same purpose in a changing library. Libraries Grow This Way
There was a time when a library meant printed books, maybe a VHS tape if you were lucky. Then came microfiche for researchers. Then, internet access. Later, it was DVDs, downloadable audiobooks, and even a 3D printer in the corner. Even with new tools and formats, its role stayed the same.
Those additions didn’t replace the shelves or wipe out the archives. They added more ways to learn, create, and share. Different tools for different people.
Etherlink is the same kind of shift. The original structure is still there. What’s changed is that you don’t need the same setup to do something useful. And sometimes, adding a new tool brings in new people.
That doesn’t take anything away from the library. It just adds another floor.
Looking up at the new tower, wondering what it means for the quiet room below. Concerns from Downstairs
Still, a few folks are raising eyebrows at what’s happening upstairs. A few longtime Tezos users have been watching the buzz around Etherlink. With the sudden focus, the branding, and the pace, they’re left wondering what happened to the base layer.
If you’ve spent years building on Tezos, it hits differently. You helped shape the quiet reading room. You showed up during the bear markets. You waited through every upgrade, proposal, and drawn-out debate. And now there’s a new tower going up, and it feels like everyone’s looking at that instead.
That concern deserves serious attention. Dismissing it only deepens the disconnect.
What’s new only works because the foundation still holds. The Foundation Still Holds
The truth is, Etherlink doesn’t stand on its own. It depends on Tezos doing precisely what it is supposed to do. The main chain isn’t some forgotten basement. It’s where transactions finalize. It’s the foundation of trust. It’s the part that holds everything together.
The base layer hasn’t gone quiet. People are still building: launching apps, joining in governance, baking blocks, and testing new rollup frameworks. They’re not packing up. They’re just taking up more space. And that added activity benefits everyone. More apps mean more transactions, attention, and, ultimately, more value flowing back into the core network.
Etherlink doesn’t lessen the role of the L1. If anything, it leans on it more. The higher you build, the more you need the foundation to hold. You don’t add floors to a building with cracks underneath. You reinforce it first.
Tezos L1 hasn’t faded into the background. It matters now more than ever. It’s not just the starting point. It allows Tezos to scale while holding on to the core principles that made it worth building on.
You don’t have to guess what Etherlink might lead to. It’s already taking shape, quietly and steadily.
These aren’t mockups. Apps are live, tested, and in use. Right now. What’s Already Being Built
Take Superlend, for example. It lets you lend or borrow digital assets like stablecoins and crypto without leaving the Tezos network. No bridging, no jumping between chains. Just one system, one interface, one place to manage it all.
Hanji Protocol is for traders who care about speed and accuracy. It’s already live, and the team is thinking ahead. They want DeFi on Tezos to feel more stable in performance, user experience, and trust. If you’ve dealt with slow or clunky interfaces before, this is a change of pace. It’s faster, smoother, and easier to rely on.
IguanaDEX is a token swap platform that lets you trade one asset for another in just a few clicks. It’ll feel familiar if you’ve used crypto exchanges before. But what sets it apart is what you don’t see. Every trade settles on the same Tezos core layer that keeps everything else secure.
These aren’t test runs. They’re live, and people are already using them. More importantly, they’re bringing in folks who didn’t start with Tezos. They came for familiar tools and later discovered Tezos as the bedrock.
That’s worth paying attention to. Not because it’s loud, but because it fits. For many developers, it simply works. Once they’re in, they start to see what’s holding it all together.
Some people will stay in the library. They like the quiet. They want the structure. They prefer building on something they trust. Others will spend their time in the tower, moving fast and using the tools that fit their needs. There’s room for both. What matters is that both places exist and that they’re connected.
Tezos hasn’t moved or rebranded. It’s making space for new builders, new ideas, and more than one way to come in.
An elevator between floors: New tools above, quiet foundations below. Both part of the same building. The Elevator Goes Both Ways
Some who enter through the tower might wander downstairs, curious about the quiet. And some in the library might take the elevator up to see what’s happening upstairs. And just because you might not see the cables pulling the elevator up and down, trust me, it’s there, and it’s powered by Tezos.
Real systems don’t abandon what’s working. They grow by layering on what’s next, inviting everyone to explore the library and the tower.
Etherlink Feels New, But It’s Still Tezos. was originally published in Tezos Commons on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
A familiar library, upgraded quietly: sunlight warms the shelves while new tools sit ready on every desk.
I remember when the internet finally showed up at my local library.
Until then, it had always been this calm, reliable place. Rows of books, that soft shuffle of the card catalog, and a librarian who always knew where to find whatever odd subject I was into.
That was more than enough.
When the Library Changed
Then, one day, a few bulky monitors showed up, and they set up a public terminal near the reference desk. You had to sign up for 30-minute slots. The connection was slow. The screens flickered. But to me, the walls had shifted a little. It felt like the library had opened up to something bigger.
The library stayed the same, but its reach expanded.
Things didn’t change all at once. The books were still there, even with a web browser on the screen. Some got scanned and put online. Others didn’t. Audiobooks showed up on CDs, then as downloads. DVDs had their shelf. The formats changed, but the purpose stayed the same: providing people access to their needs.
That’s what Etherlink feels like to me.
Still the same blueprint. Just with more room to build. What Etherlink Actually Is
Etherlink isn’t a reset or a rebrand. It’s an addition: a new format, another way in. The Tezos main chain stays right where it is, still doing what it does best. Etherlink allows people to build with the tools they already know and how they’re used to working. It’s like a new road that just opened that takes you to the same place, but with a different route.
People call Etherlink a “Layer 2,” and technically, that’s true. It runs on top of the Tezos main chain using smart rollup technology and posts its data and finality back to Layer 1.
But when most people hear “L2,” they picture something else: sidechains loosely attached to a network or systems that only occasionally check in with the base chain.
That’s not how Tezos does things. Etherlink doesn’t drift off on its own. Etherlink relies on Tezos for security, governance, upgrades, and finality. Every transaction, every confirmation, and every permanent record still flows through the main chain.
The system is layered, but it holds together. That’s the difference.
Calling Etherlink an “L2” can set the wrong expectation. It sounds like a separate network when it’s just another way to use the same one. Structurally, it stays aligned with Tezos. That’s what makes it different.
A modern entrance in a familiar building. New doors, same foundation. Why It Still Feels Like Tezos
I’ve heard people say, “It doesn’t even feel like Tezos,” and I get why. It’s fast. It works with Ethereum tools. It has its branding. The entry point feels different, like a separate door with glass panels and motion sensors.
But that door leads into the same building. And if you look closely, the support beams are all still there.
So what do you find on the other side? First, it’s fast. Not just at handling transactions but also at helping people test and deploy. On the Tezos base layer, things move more deliberately. That’s by design. It’s focused on long-term thinking and keeping the system stable.
But if you’re trying something new or shipping an early version of an dApp, waiting weeks for approvals isn’t always an option. Sometimes, you need to try it and see what happens.
A new interface on the same shelves. Faster access, same collection. Faster, Yes. But Also Familiar
Etherlink is fast, but speed isn’t the only thing that matters. It changes how people build. On Tezos L1, developers often use specialized tools like Michelson or SmartPy and design around the chain’s careful architecture. Etherlink lowers that bar. It supports familiar Ethereum-based tools, shortens dev cycles, and skips the need to relearn a new stack. It’s like adding a self-checkout kiosk to the library. Familiar tools speed things up, but the books come from the same shelves.
Etherlink speaks Ethereum’s language, letting you bring your code, wallet, and setup to start building with minimal changes. No relearning is required.
It simplifies joining, contributing, and inviting newcomers to Tezos. Etherlink is a new floor: a bit sleeker, a little brighter. But the plumbing, power, and foundation all run through the Tezos core layer. The foundation of the house is built and powered by Tezos.
Libraries have always adapted to what people need quietly and reliably. None of this is all that new.
A snapshot of the quiet transition: old tools alongside newer ones, each serving the same purpose in a changing library. Libraries Grow This Way
There was a time when a library meant printed books, maybe a VHS tape if you were lucky. Then came microfiche for researchers. Then, internet access. Later, it was DVDs, downloadable audiobooks, and even a 3D printer in the corner. Even with new tools and formats, its role stayed the same.
Those additions didn’t replace the shelves or wipe out the archives. They added more ways to learn, create, and share. Different tools for different people.
Etherlink is the same kind of shift. The original structure is still there. What’s changed is that you don’t need the same setup to do something useful. And sometimes, adding a new tool brings in new people.
That doesn’t take anything away from the library. It just adds another floor.
Looking up at the new tower, wondering what it means for the quiet room below. Concerns from Downstairs
Still, a few folks are raising eyebrows at what’s happening upstairs. A few longtime Tezos users have been watching the buzz around Etherlink. With the sudden focus, the branding, and the pace, they’re left wondering what happened to the base layer.
If you’ve spent years building on Tezos, it hits differently. You helped shape the quiet reading room. You showed up during the bear markets. You waited through every upgrade, proposal, and drawn-out debate. And now there’s a new tower going up, and it feels like everyone’s looking at that instead.
That concern deserves serious attention. Dismissing it only deepens the disconnect.
What’s new only works because the foundation still holds. The Foundation Still Holds
The truth is, Etherlink doesn’t stand on its own. It depends on Tezos doing precisely what it is supposed to do. The main chain isn’t some forgotten basement. It’s where transactions finalize. It’s the foundation of trust. It’s the part that holds everything together.
The base layer hasn’t gone quiet. People are still building: launching apps, joining in governance, baking blocks, and testing new rollup frameworks. They’re not packing up. They’re just taking up more space. And that added activity benefits everyone. More apps mean more transactions, attention, and, ultimately, more value flowing back into the core network.
Etherlink doesn’t lessen the role of the L1. If anything, it leans on it more. The higher you build, the more you need the foundation to hold. You don’t add floors to a building with cracks underneath. You reinforce it first.
Tezos L1 hasn’t faded into the background. It matters now more than ever. It’s not just the starting point. It allows Tezos to scale while holding on to the core principles that made it worth building on.
You don’t have to guess what Etherlink might lead to. It’s already taking shape, quietly and steadily.
These aren’t mockups. Apps are live, tested, and in use. Right now. What’s Already Being Built
Take Superlend, for example. It lets you lend or borrow digital assets like stablecoins and crypto without leaving the Tezos network. No bridging, no jumping between chains. Just one system, one interface, one place to manage it all.
Hanji Protocol is for traders who care about speed and accuracy. It’s already live, and the team is thinking ahead. They want DeFi on Tezos to feel more stable in performance, user experience, and trust. If you’ve dealt with slow or clunky interfaces before, this is a change of pace. It’s faster, smoother, and easier to rely on.
IguanaDEX is a token swap platform that lets you trade one asset for another in just a few clicks. It’ll feel familiar if you’ve used crypto exchanges before. But what sets it apart is what you don’t see. Every trade settles on the same Tezos core layer that keeps everything else secure.
These aren’t test runs. They’re live, and people are already using them. More importantly, they’re bringing in folks who didn’t start with Tezos. They came for familiar tools and later discovered Tezos as the bedrock.
That’s worth paying attention to. Not because it’s loud, but because it fits. For many developers, it simply works. Once they’re in, they start to see what’s holding it all together.
Some people will stay in the library. They like the quiet. They want the structure. They prefer building on something they trust. Others will spend their time in the tower, moving fast and using the tools that fit their needs. There’s room for both. What matters is that both places exist and that they’re connected.
Tezos hasn’t moved or rebranded. It’s making space for new builders, new ideas, and more than one way to come in.
An elevator between floors: New tools above, quiet foundations below. Both part of the same building. The Elevator Goes Both Ways
Some who enter through the tower might wander downstairs, curious about the quiet. And some in the library might take the elevator up to see what’s happening upstairs. And just because you might not see the cables pulling the elevator up and down, trust me, it’s there, and it’s powered by Tezos.
Real systems don’t abandon what’s working. They grow by layering on what’s next, inviting everyone to explore the library and the tower.
Etherlink Feels New, But It’s Still Tezos. was originally published in Tezos Commons on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
ZeroContract: Fully On-Chain NFTs
An Expansion of the Tezos Art Movement, Empowering Artists
Not All NFTs Are Created Equal
When it comes to NFTs, it’s critical to understand where the art actually lives. Most NFTs today use IPFS (Interplanetary File System) to store artwork and metadata. Others take a different approach with Fully On-Chain (FOC) storage, and the differences are significant. Let’s take a look at some of those differences and then discuss an exciting project called Zero Contract, which is improving the accessibility of FOC NFTs for artists minting on Tezos.
The “Standard” Solution For NFT Storage
IPFS is a decentralized file storage system that links external files to a token on-chain. It’s scalable, relatively easy to use, and has become the standard. However, the files containing the art must be “pinned” in order to persist. This means someone has to keep paying to host the data. If they stop, forget, or disappear without a custodian, the files can vanish. The token remains on-chain, but the ability to view and enjoy the art itself is lost forever.
The “Advanced” Method
Fully On-Chain NFTs, on the other hand, store the image, metadata, and even thumbnails directly on the blockchain. This removes outside dependencies and ensures the art stays accessible for as long as the blockchain exists. The trade-off is dealing with file size limits, higher up-front minting costs, and a more technical setup.
Where IPFS offers flexibility and ease for users, FOC focuses on permanence and independence. Both have their place, but for artists who want full control over their work and legacy, the fully on-chain route is gaining traction. Tools like ZeroContract are helping lead the way.
What Is ZeroContract and ZeroApp?
ZeroContract is a smart contract on Tezos, built from the ground up by artist-developer @JestemZero. It gives artists a way to mint without relying on IPFS or any external services. By minting through ZeroContract, your art lives inside the blockchain, not beside it.
Zero Contract follows TZIP-12 and TZIP-16 standards, which means any NFTs minted through it can show up correctly on platforms like Objkt. There’s a few edge cases with certain file types that will not display properly, but with every update comes even more compatibility. The contract is also connected to the ZeroArt App, a no-code interface that allows artists to deploy contracts, mint tokens, and manage their collections in one place.
Together, ZeroContract and the ZeroArt App give creators a toolkit for building permanent, self-sovereign NFT collections. Let’s walk through the different parts of this emerging on-chain ecosystem, the developers behind it, and how the artists are using it.
The Suite of Apps at ZeroArt.app
Zero Contract WebAppDeveloped by Jams2Blues, this is the primary interface used for minting with ZeroContract. Artists can deploy their own fully on-chain smart contract, which serves as their own collection, and then mint FOC NFTs from it. These collections are automatically recognized by Objkt, but can also be managed entirely through the ZeroArt dashboard.
The dashboard includes a built-in contract manager. You can mint, burn, and transfer tokens, update operators, and add collaborators. You can also set the permissions of who can help manage the contract. It’s essentially your one-stop shop for minting FOC NFTs on Tezos, with huge updates soon, that I’ll cover later in this article.
ZeroViewThis lightweight viewer app, developed by JestemZero, shows fully on-chain tokens directly from the Tezos blockchain. It’s a handy tool for collectors and a clean way for FOC art to be shared and enjoyed.
Zero TerminalZero Terminal was created by ccubetez and SerP. On top of the ability to mint FOC NFTs, it adds direct sales features, allowing artists to list their works independently of other marketplaces. This means no platform fees and fewer concerns about outages or censorship. The project’s current focus is on FOC art, with a long-lerm goal of providing users with decentralized tools for interacting with Tezos blockchain data.
Artists Leading the Charge
Since launch, ZeroContract has attracted more and more artists wanting to push the boundaries of what on-chain art can be. Where some artists see file limitations as a deal breaker, others have been turning the minimizing and compression of files into its own art form. Once you take the time to browse the art already being minted through ZeroContract, it’s hard not to get inspired.
The ZeroContract x Trilitech ZeroContract Contest is a recent initiative that escalated the excitement even more. It invited artists to explore the theme of “Zero” using ZeroApps collaborative contract feature, with 2000 tez in prizes up for grabs. This brought more awareness to ZeroContract and highlighted its capabilities.
Fifty-four artists participated, contributing fifty-seven fully on-chain artworks across nine collaborative collections. All entries remain viewable through ZeroView, a living, permanent archive. Check out all the ZeroContest art here, and a big shoutout to the winners showcased below!
“1, 0, 100000”: Zero theme winner ft @neur0mancer1, @LoveFromGaia &@unrealb0x. See the official announcement here.
“b.l.o.c.k.s_o.n-c.h.a.i.n.”: Collaboration theme winner ft @_pixellare, @aethersovereign, @vjentter, @LoveFromGaia, @spike_0124, @luizandregama, @OriginalGoldCat, @mat__nova, @Isakost, @malsheep56
The Next Evolution: ZeroUnbound
The ZeroContract movement is far from static. A new version called ZeroUnbound is already being tested and will bring some serious upgrades. One of the biggest challenges in FOC minting has been the 20 KB file size limit. ZeroUnbound raises that ceiling by splitting the data into 32 KB chunks and bundling them in a single Beacon transaction. This means that ZeroUnbound allows for more detailed, animated, or even interactive artwork to be minted fully on-chain.
This upgrade is being developed by Jams2Blues with contract design by JestemZero. A new front-end app, styled like a retro arcade game, replaces the earlier interface. It’s fully open-source, runs locally, and needs no servers. Artists can even download and customize it for their own use.
ZeroUnbound will offer more freedom and a broader canvas for artists who want permanence without limits.
A Quote From Jams2Blues: “I am doing this for the sake of defeating entropy, the inevitable heat death of the universe is not actually the end if we work together in creation to overcome our limitations and to do it sustainably. Tezos is my choice because of their massively low carbon footprint compared to other blockchains, and I know I was put on this planet to Save The World With Art™”
How to Mint Your First FOC NFT on Tezos
If you’ve minted on Tezos before, the process will feel familiar to most marketplaces minting templates, with just a few changes. Follow these steps or reach out to the ZeroContract team on their Discord here for further help. It is recommended to learn and experiment on Ghostnet (testnet) first.
Go to the ZeroContract WebApp and connect your wallet.
Click “Deploy Contract”, fill out the form, upload your thumbnail, agree to the terms, and confirm the transaction. Deploying costs around 6.5 tez, there will be a fee estimation pop-up pre-transaction.
Once deployed, go to “Manage Contract”. Click “Load Contract”, scroll down, and select “Mint”.
Fill out the form (mint template). The current file size limit is about 32 KB total which includes all metadata, like the description. After uploading your artwork, check the size indicator at the bottom to ensure you are within limitations.
If you’re within the limit, click “Mint NFT” and approve the transaction (also about 6.5 tez).
That’s it. You’ve minted a fully on-chain NFT that lives directly on Tezos. For a visual walkthrough, there’s also a video tutorial by Jams2Blues available here.
Why It Matters
The crypto art world moves fast. Convenience often takes priority over long-term thinking. ZeroContract offers a different path, one that values permanence, transparency, and artistic sovereignty.
By removing reliance on third-party storage and giving artists the tools to manage their work directly on-chain, this movement is reshaping what digital ownership really means. ZeroUnbound builds on that foundation, expanding the possibilities without losing sight of the core values.
Whether you’re a collector, an established artist, or minting your first piece, the builders and users of the Tezos ecosystem are here to help. The tool-kit keeps expanding. What you build from here is entirely up to you.
ZeroContract: Fully On-Chain NFTs was originally published in Tezos Commons on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
Not All NFTs Are Created Equal
When it comes to NFTs, it’s critical to understand where the art actually lives. Most NFTs today use IPFS (Interplanetary File System) to store artwork and metadata. Others take a different approach with Fully On-Chain (FOC) storage, and the differences are significant. Let’s take a look at some of those differences and then discuss an exciting project called Zero Contract, which is improving the accessibility of FOC NFTs for artists minting on Tezos.
The “Standard” Solution For NFT Storage
IPFS is a decentralized file storage system that links external files to a token on-chain. It’s scalable, relatively easy to use, and has become the standard. However, the files containing the art must be “pinned” in order to persist. This means someone has to keep paying to host the data. If they stop, forget, or disappear without a custodian, the files can vanish. The token remains on-chain, but the ability to view and enjoy the art itself is lost forever.
The “Advanced” Method
Fully On-Chain NFTs, on the other hand, store the image, metadata, and even thumbnails directly on the blockchain. This removes outside dependencies and ensures the art stays accessible for as long as the blockchain exists. The trade-off is dealing with file size limits, higher up-front minting costs, and a more technical setup.
Where IPFS offers flexibility and ease for users, FOC focuses on permanence and independence. Both have their place, but for artists who want full control over their work and legacy, the fully on-chain route is gaining traction. Tools like ZeroContract are helping lead the way.
What Is ZeroContract and ZeroApp?
ZeroContract is a smart contract on Tezos, built from the ground up by artist-developer @JestemZero. It gives artists a way to mint without relying on IPFS or any external services. By minting through ZeroContract, your art lives inside the blockchain, not beside it.
Zero Contract follows TZIP-12 and TZIP-16 standards, which means any NFTs minted through it can show up correctly on platforms like Objkt. There’s a few edge cases with certain file types that will not display properly, but with every update comes even more compatibility. The contract is also connected to the ZeroArt App, a no-code interface that allows artists to deploy contracts, mint tokens, and manage their collections in one place.
Together, ZeroContract and the ZeroArt App give creators a toolkit for building permanent, self-sovereign NFT collections. Let’s walk through the different parts of this emerging on-chain ecosystem, the developers behind it, and how the artists are using it.
The Suite of Apps at ZeroArt.app
Zero Contract WebAppDeveloped by Jams2Blues, this is the primary interface used for minting with ZeroContract. Artists can deploy their own fully on-chain smart contract, which serves as their own collection, and then mint FOC NFTs from it. These collections are automatically recognized by Objkt, but can also be managed entirely through the ZeroArt dashboard.
The dashboard includes a built-in contract manager. You can mint, burn, and transfer tokens, update operators, and add collaborators. You can also set the permissions of who can help manage the contract. It’s essentially your one-stop shop for minting FOC NFTs on Tezos, with huge updates soon, that I’ll cover later in this article.
ZeroViewThis lightweight viewer app, developed by JestemZero, shows fully on-chain tokens directly from the Tezos blockchain. It’s a handy tool for collectors and a clean way for FOC art to be shared and enjoyed.
Zero TerminalZero Terminal was created by ccubetez and SerP. On top of the ability to mint FOC NFTs, it adds direct sales features, allowing artists to list their works independently of other marketplaces. This means no platform fees and fewer concerns about outages or censorship. The project’s current focus is on FOC art, with a long-lerm goal of providing users with decentralized tools for interacting with Tezos blockchain data.
Artists Leading the Charge
Since launch, ZeroContract has attracted more and more artists wanting to push the boundaries of what on-chain art can be. Where some artists see file limitations as a deal breaker, others have been turning the minimizing and compression of files into its own art form. Once you take the time to browse the art already being minted through ZeroContract, it’s hard not to get inspired.
The ZeroContract x Trilitech ZeroContract Contest is a recent initiative that escalated the excitement even more. It invited artists to explore the theme of “Zero” using ZeroApps collaborative contract feature, with 2000 tez in prizes up for grabs. This brought more awareness to ZeroContract and highlighted its capabilities.
Fifty-four artists participated, contributing fifty-seven fully on-chain artworks across nine collaborative collections. All entries remain viewable through ZeroView, a living, permanent archive. Check out all the ZeroContest art here, and a big shoutout to the winners showcased below!
“1, 0, 100000”: Zero theme winner ft @neur0mancer1, @LoveFromGaia &@unrealb0x. See the official announcement here.
“b.l.o.c.k.s_o.n-c.h.a.i.n.”: Collaboration theme winner ft @_pixellare, @aethersovereign, @vjentter, @LoveFromGaia, @spike_0124, @luizandregama, @OriginalGoldCat, @mat__nova, @Isakost, @malsheep56
The Next Evolution: ZeroUnbound
The ZeroContract movement is far from static. A new version called ZeroUnbound is already being tested and will bring some serious upgrades. One of the biggest challenges in FOC minting has been the 20 KB file size limit. ZeroUnbound raises that ceiling by splitting the data into 32 KB chunks and bundling them in a single Beacon transaction. This means that ZeroUnbound allows for more detailed, animated, or even interactive artwork to be minted fully on-chain.
This upgrade is being developed by Jams2Blues with contract design by JestemZero. A new front-end app, styled like a retro arcade game, replaces the earlier interface. It’s fully open-source, runs locally, and needs no servers. Artists can even download and customize it for their own use.
ZeroUnbound will offer more freedom and a broader canvas for artists who want permanence without limits.
A Quote From Jams2Blues: “I am doing this for the sake of defeating entropy, the inevitable heat death of the universe is not actually the end if we work together in creation to overcome our limitations and to do it sustainably. Tezos is my choice because of their massively low carbon footprint compared to other blockchains, and I know I was put on this planet to Save The World With Art™”
How to Mint Your First FOC NFT on Tezos
If you’ve minted on Tezos before, the process will feel familiar to most marketplaces minting templates, with just a few changes. Follow these steps or reach out to the ZeroContract team on their Discord here for further help. It is recommended to learn and experiment on Ghostnet (testnet) first.
Go to the ZeroContract WebApp and connect your wallet.
Click “Deploy Contract”, fill out the form, upload your thumbnail, agree to the terms, and confirm the transaction. Deploying costs around 6.5 tez, there will be a fee estimation pop-up pre-transaction.
Once deployed, go to “Manage Contract”. Click “Load Contract”, scroll down, and select “Mint”.
Fill out the form (mint template). The current file size limit is about 32 KB total which includes all metadata, like the description. After uploading your artwork, check the size indicator at the bottom to ensure you are within limitations.
If you’re within the limit, click “Mint NFT” and approve the transaction (also about 6.5 tez).
That’s it. You’ve minted a fully on-chain NFT that lives directly on Tezos. For a visual walkthrough, there’s also a video tutorial by Jams2Blues available here.
Why It Matters
The crypto art world moves fast. Convenience often takes priority over long-term thinking. ZeroContract offers a different path, one that values permanence, transparency, and artistic sovereignty.
By removing reliance on third-party storage and giving artists the tools to manage their work directly on-chain, this movement is reshaping what digital ownership really means. ZeroUnbound builds on that foundation, expanding the possibilities without losing sight of the core values.
Whether you’re a collector, an established artist, or minting your first piece, the builders and users of the Tezos ecosystem are here to help. The tool-kit keeps expanding. What you build from here is entirely up to you.
ZeroContract: Fully On-Chain NFTs was originally published in Tezos Commons on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
Tezos Staking Is Doing What It Was Designed to Do — And It’s Just Getting Started
Tezos Staking Is Doing What It Was Designed to Do — And It’s Just Getting Started
How the last upgrades changed everything and why Tezos staking is a no-brainer.
Quietly and steadily, staking participation on Tezos has recently reached an all-time high. More tez than ever before is actively contributing to the network’s security and decentralization, while the total issuance is trending downward, the result of mechanisms that were carefully designed and recently activated.
This isn’t driven by a flashy campaign or sudden hype. It’s the outcome of a staking system built to adapt, reward participation, and promote long-term sustainability. Now that the pieces are in place, with adaptive issuance live and the Rio upgrade reducing the staking lock-up period from 12 days to just 4, the momentum is building.
The Staking Flywheel Is Turning- A Quick Recap
Tezos introduced Adaptive Issuance with the Paris upgrade (prior 2 upgrades before Rio) to create a dynamic relationship between participation and inflation. As more tez is staked, the protocol reduces the total issuance, ensuring that token rewards remain meaningful while the overall supply growth stays in check.
The result is a reinforcing loop. Higher participation leads to lower issuance, which preserves value for everyone involved, while those who do stake continue to earn solid rewards. Over time, this strengthens both the economic and technical resilience of the chain.
We’re seeing this mechanism perform in real time. Staking participation is climbing, issuance is decreasing, and rewards remain attractive. It’s not a campaign, it’s the system working as intended.
A Better Experience for Stakers
https://ai.xtzchad.xyz/
Recent protocol upgrades have made staking even more accessible and flexible. With the Rio upgrade, the unstaking period for stakers has dropped from around 12 days to just 4. This means those who stake directly, locking their tez to help secure the chain, now regain liquidity much faster if they choose to exit.
Combined with the self-custodial nature of Tezos staking, it’s a uniquely user-friendly experience. Whether you choose to delegate your tez or take on the active role of a staker, your funds stay in your wallet, and the process is simple to start and stop.
But perhaps the most important improvement isn’t just usability, it’s how incentives have shifted to promote stronger participation and long-term security.
A System Evolving — With Stronger Incentives
https://ai.xtzchad.xyz/
One of the clearest signs that the staking system is working as intended is the combination of record-high participation and a downward trend in issuance. Thanks to adaptive issuance, the network now adjusts its inflation rate based on real staking activity, helping preserve value while encouraging participation.
This shift didn’t happen overnight. Prior to the introduction of adaptive issuance and the staker role, most tez was delegated, but because delegated tez wasn’t staked(locked), it didn’t actively contribute to network security. Issuance was steady, based on a fixed number of tez created per block, and delegators earned modest returns around 5–6% APY. There was no way to participate in consensus unless you were running a validator yourself.
https://ai.xtzchad.xyz/
That changed with the introduction of the staker role and adaptive issuance. Now, anyone can stake their tez directly through their wallet, contribute to network security, and earn more rewards, currently around 11% APY, depending on the baker. Also, the percentage of staked tez has climbed from under 10% (before adaptive issuance) to over 25% (recent ATH), and issuance is trending below the previous 4.6% baseline.
It’s a compelling moment for tez holders: you can help secure the network, earn meaningful yield, and reduce inflation, all without giving up control of your assets.
Don’t Leave Your Tez Sitting Idle
https://stake.tezos.com/
There’s really no reason to keep your tez sitting idle. Staking today gives you real yield, currently around 11% APY, while also contributing directly to the network’s security. Thanks to the staker role, you no longer need to run a validator to participate in consensus. You can simply stake your tez through your wallet, stay in full control of your funds, and start earning.
The unstaking period is now just four days, and the entire process is designed to be simple, secure, and self-custodial. At the same time, by staking, you’re not only earning, you’re also helping reduce issuance and strengthen the protocol.
Higher rewards. Greater accessibility. Less inflation. Real impact.
Don’t wait. If you hold tez, make it work for you — and for the network. Head over to stake.tezos.com, connect your wallet, and start staking today.
Tezos Staking Is Doing What It Was Designed to Do — And It’s Just Getting Started was originally published in Tezos Commons on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
How the last upgrades changed everything and why Tezos staking is a no-brainer.
Quietly and steadily, staking participation on Tezos has recently reached an all-time high. More tez than ever before is actively contributing to the network’s security and decentralization, while the total issuance is trending downward, the result of mechanisms that were carefully designed and recently activated.
This isn’t driven by a flashy campaign or sudden hype. It’s the outcome of a staking system built to adapt, reward participation, and promote long-term sustainability. Now that the pieces are in place, with adaptive issuance live and the Rio upgrade reducing the staking lock-up period from 12 days to just 4, the momentum is building.
The Staking Flywheel Is Turning- A Quick Recap
Tezos introduced Adaptive Issuance with the Paris upgrade (prior 2 upgrades before Rio) to create a dynamic relationship between participation and inflation. As more tez is staked, the protocol reduces the total issuance, ensuring that token rewards remain meaningful while the overall supply growth stays in check.
The result is a reinforcing loop. Higher participation leads to lower issuance, which preserves value for everyone involved, while those who do stake continue to earn solid rewards. Over time, this strengthens both the economic and technical resilience of the chain.
We’re seeing this mechanism perform in real time. Staking participation is climbing, issuance is decreasing, and rewards remain attractive. It’s not a campaign, it’s the system working as intended.
A Better Experience for Stakers
https://ai.xtzchad.xyz/
Recent protocol upgrades have made staking even more accessible and flexible. With the Rio upgrade, the unstaking period for stakers has dropped from around 12 days to just 4. This means those who stake directly, locking their tez to help secure the chain, now regain liquidity much faster if they choose to exit.
Combined with the self-custodial nature of Tezos staking, it’s a uniquely user-friendly experience. Whether you choose to delegate your tez or take on the active role of a staker, your funds stay in your wallet, and the process is simple to start and stop.
But perhaps the most important improvement isn’t just usability, it’s how incentives have shifted to promote stronger participation and long-term security.
A System Evolving — With Stronger Incentives
https://ai.xtzchad.xyz/
One of the clearest signs that the staking system is working as intended is the combination of record-high participation and a downward trend in issuance. Thanks to adaptive issuance, the network now adjusts its inflation rate based on real staking activity, helping preserve value while encouraging participation.
This shift didn’t happen overnight. Prior to the introduction of adaptive issuance and the staker role, most tez was delegated, but because delegated tez wasn’t staked(locked), it didn’t actively contribute to network security. Issuance was steady, based on a fixed number of tez created per block, and delegators earned modest returns around 5–6% APY. There was no way to participate in consensus unless you were running a validator yourself.
https://ai.xtzchad.xyz/
That changed with the introduction of the staker role and adaptive issuance. Now, anyone can stake their tez directly through their wallet, contribute to network security, and earn more rewards, currently around 11% APY, depending on the baker. Also, the percentage of staked tez has climbed from under 10% (before adaptive issuance) to over 25% (recent ATH), and issuance is trending below the previous 4.6% baseline.
It’s a compelling moment for tez holders: you can help secure the network, earn meaningful yield, and reduce inflation, all without giving up control of your assets.
Don’t Leave Your Tez Sitting Idle
https://stake.tezos.com/
There’s really no reason to keep your tez sitting idle. Staking today gives you real yield, currently around 11% APY, while also contributing directly to the network’s security. Thanks to the staker role, you no longer need to run a validator to participate in consensus. You can simply stake your tez through your wallet, stay in full control of your funds, and start earning.
The unstaking period is now just four days, and the entire process is designed to be simple, secure, and self-custodial. At the same time, by staking, you’re not only earning, you’re also helping reduce issuance and strengthen the protocol.
Higher rewards. Greater accessibility. Less inflation. Real impact.
Don’t wait. If you hold tez, make it work for you — and for the network. Head over to stake.tezos.com, connect your wallet, and start staking today.
Tezos Staking Is Doing What It Was Designed to Do — And It’s Just Getting Started was originally published in Tezos Commons on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
Tezos Community Rewards — April 2025
Tezos Community Rewards — April 2025
Announcing the CRP Winners for April 2025!
Greetings Tezos Community,
We are pleased to announce the winners of the “Community Rewards Program” CRP for the month of April 2025!
For more details about the various categories, please refer to the rewards page on the Tezos Commons website.
The Community Rewards Program is a Tezos Commons Foundation initiative aimed at fostering adoption and supporting the Tezos ecosystem. Every month up to 5,000 tez are rewarded to those that stand out in merit and act in the interest of the Tezos ecosystem as a whole.
In an endeavor to make it easier for community members to nominate their favorite contributors to the ecosystem, the nomination form has been drastically streamlined. Now containing only three questions, it takes less than 30 seconds to submit a nomination.
Don’t have 30 seconds? You can tag any discord message, Reddit post or tweet with #TezosCRP and we will collect them as well!
This is the fifth iteration of the program and we will continue to make changes based on community feedback. Just like the Tezos blockchain, we will be continually evolving this program.
Numerous factors are used when evaluating submissions such as, quality of submissions, quality of activity, number of submissions, and verifiable proof of activity done by the nominee (no single factor is determinative of a winner, as all factors were weighed to select winners). The judges would like to note that for each category, they are looking for the respective monthly related activity meaning submissions should reflect activities done for that current month, i.e.; month of April activities.
Without further delay here are the results of the winners, below.
Drill Sergeant Award
@LMTGT_
Helping Hand Award
@bors___
@malsheep56
@UnitedSaints
@sutanz
Influencer Award
@TezosTeddy
@Salawaki_3000
@SkullDegenClub_
@WTF_gameshow
Tez Dev Award
@jams2blues
@webidente
@TezCapital
@SkurpySocial
@skllzarmy
Assimilation Award
@StrokeDriven
@xSAMGADx
@August35750182
@Limbouniverse
@NewtroArts
@artcommissiontz
@0xEdwoods
Patissier Award
@blockbakery
@libertez_baker
@Zir0h
Tezos Tutor Award
@TozartWeb3
@TheTezos
@TeraBitcoins
@tezos_australia
Formal Verification Award
@retro_manni
TEO Award
@jakestudyos
@ALCrego_
@AuRo404
Nominations Are Open For May
With May underway, we have begun accepting nominations for this month. If you know someone who deserves a reward for their contributions to the community or have ideas about other categories that should be recognized, then please fill out a nomination form located here, or you can tag a post (or discord message) with #TezosCRP.
As mentioned previously, we are still working on long-term improvements to this program. We know this program is far from perfect, so please bear with us while we strive to improve this program based on community feedback. Stay tuned, stay creative, and keep nominating!
As a reminder to the reward winners, the awards are all distributed through Kukai and DirectAuth. If you have issues claiming your awards, please message us here.
Tezos Community Rewards — April 2025 was originally published in Tezos Commons on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
Announcing the CRP Winners for April 2025!
Greetings Tezos Community,
We are pleased to announce the winners of the “Community Rewards Program” CRP for the month of April 2025!
For more details about the various categories, please refer to the rewards page on the Tezos Commons website.
The Community Rewards Program is a Tezos Commons Foundation initiative aimed at fostering adoption and supporting the Tezos ecosystem. Every month up to 5,000 tez are rewarded to those that stand out in merit and act in the interest of the Tezos ecosystem as a whole.
In an endeavor to make it easier for community members to nominate their favorite contributors to the ecosystem, the nomination form has been drastically streamlined. Now containing only three questions, it takes less than 30 seconds to submit a nomination.
Don’t have 30 seconds? You can tag any discord message, Reddit post or tweet with #TezosCRP and we will collect them as well!
This is the fifth iteration of the program and we will continue to make changes based on community feedback. Just like the Tezos blockchain, we will be continually evolving this program.
Numerous factors are used when evaluating submissions such as, quality of submissions, quality of activity, number of submissions, and verifiable proof of activity done by the nominee (no single factor is determinative of a winner, as all factors were weighed to select winners). The judges would like to note that for each category, they are looking for the respective monthly related activity meaning submissions should reflect activities done for that current month, i.e.; month of April activities.
Without further delay here are the results of the winners, below.
Drill Sergeant Award
@LMTGT_
Helping Hand Award
@bors___
@malsheep56
@UnitedSaints
@sutanz
Influencer Award
@TezosTeddy
@Salawaki_3000
@SkullDegenClub_
@WTF_gameshow
Tez Dev Award
@jams2blues
@webidente
@TezCapital
@SkurpySocial
@skllzarmy
Assimilation Award
@StrokeDriven
@xSAMGADx
@August35750182
@Limbouniverse
@NewtroArts
@artcommissiontz
@0xEdwoods
Patissier Award
@blockbakery
@libertez_baker
@Zir0h
Tezos Tutor Award
@TozartWeb3
@TheTezos
@TeraBitcoins
@tezos_australia
Formal Verification Award
@retro_manni
TEO Award
@jakestudyos
@ALCrego_
@AuRo404
Nominations Are Open For May
With May underway, we have begun accepting nominations for this month. If you know someone who deserves a reward for their contributions to the community or have ideas about other categories that should be recognized, then please fill out a nomination form located here, or you can tag a post (or discord message) with #TezosCRP.
As mentioned previously, we are still working on long-term improvements to this program. We know this program is far from perfect, so please bear with us while we strive to improve this program based on community feedback. Stay tuned, stay creative, and keep nominating!
As a reminder to the reward winners, the awards are all distributed through Kukai and DirectAuth. If you have issues claiming your awards, please message us here.
Tezos Community Rewards — April 2025 was originally published in Tezos Commons on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
It’s Not Tezos L1 Vs Etherlink — It’s All Tezos
It’s Not Tezos L1 vs Etherlink — It’s All Tezos
Why Etherlink fits into the bigger picture, and what we might be overlooking
Let’s be honest: there’s been a growing tension in the Tezos community lately. Some are excited about Etherlink, while others feel like it’s distracting from the core L1 or even undermining the very ecosystem they’ve been supporting for years.
If you’ve felt confused or even skeptical, you’re not alone. The messaging around Etherlink hasn’t always been clear. And when something new shows up looking and feeling quite different from what you’re used to, it’s natural to question it.
What follows is my perspective based on what I’ve observed. I’m not speaking on behalf of any team or project, just sharing how I’ve come to understand Etherlink’s place in the bigger picture.
From where I stand, Etherlink is not a separate project that competes with Tezos. It’s not an attempt to replace the L1. To some it may feel like it’s taking the attention away from the L1, but I’d argue the differ in that it’s actually enhancing it by showing the world what the L1 is capable of.
Where the Confusion Comes From
Etherlink feels different. It speaks the language of Ethereum: Solidity, Metamask, EVM. That can create the impression that it’s external, or even a pivot away from the values of Tezos. Combine that with some unclear communication and a fast-moving roadmap, and it’s easy to see why people have concerns.
But at its core, Etherlink is a smart rollup built directly on the Tezos L1. It’s secured by Tezos consensus, governed through the same mechanisms, uses tez as the main token, and is part of the long-term evolution of the chain.
The Bigger Picture: Tezos X
To really understand Etherlink, we have to understand what Tezos X is aiming for.
Tezos X is a major upgrade that will reshape how Tezos works under the hood. Rather than having multiple rollups, the plan is to have one canonical rollup, a single, unified environment that supports multiple runtimes inside it.
Think of it like a strand of DNA. Inside that single chain are different sequences, TezLink, Etherlink, JSTZ, each with a specific purpose. They speak different languages, attract different kinds of developers, and offer different ways to build.
But they’re all part of the same system, bound together and able to interact seamlessly within it. A contract or app running in one runtime will be able to communicate with another, without needing external bridges or duplicated infrastructure.
Another example, would be to think of it like a massive Lego baseplate. TezLink, Etherlink, JSTZ, each of these environments is like a unique Lego piece that snaps into that foundation. Each has its own shape, language, and audience, but they’re all designed to fit together.
And here’s the key: they’re not just sitting side by side, they’re built to connect. Contracts and applications running in one runtime will be able to interact with those in another, without the need for complex bridging. It’s modular, yes, but it’s also deeply interoperable.
That means environments like:
TezLink: where the state of the L1, including all transaction history and apps, will migrate, still using Michelson and Tezos-native wallets.
Etherlink: an EVM-compatible rollup to onboard Ethereum devs and users.
JSTZ: a JavaScript VM rollup to make blockchain development accessible to an even broader range of builders.
These won’t be separate rollups, but coexist within the same canonical rollup. They’ll share the same data availability layer, governance, token, and security, while giving users and developers different tools and interfaces to build and interact with.
So instead of fragmenting Tezos, this approach is meant to broaden access while keeping everything connected under one roof.
Use What You Like — That’s the Point
Don’t want to use Etherlink? That’s totally fine. You can stick with Tezos-native wallets, tools, and apps. That choice will always be there.
The beauty of Tezos X is that it’s being designed for interoperability without forcing uniformity. It’s about giving builders and users the freedom to use what fits them best, without cutting themselves off from others.
Imagine Etherlink users being able to interact with marketplaces like objkt.com or TEIA. And vice versa. That’s where we’re headed. We’re not quite there yet, but Etherlink is a step toward that future.
We Can’t Afford to Turn This Into a Civil War
The worst outcome here wouldn’t be that Etherlink “fails.” It would be that we, as a community, divide ourselves so much that we lose sight of what we’re trying to build.
Tezos has always been about thoughtful evolution. On-chain governance. Security. Smart design choices. Etherlink, TezLink, and JSTZ are all part of applying those principles at scale.
Let’s not treat this as a zero-sum game. Growth in one part of the ecosystem doesn’t have to mean loss in another.
There’s still strong activity and ongoing initiatives on Tezos L1, especially in the art scene, which remains one of the chain’s strongest and most vibrant communities. That continues to matter deeply. But if we want to welcome people from outside the current Tezos ecosystem, we need to meet them where they are. Etherlink and other environments make it easier for those users and developers to join, without asking them to change everything about how they already build or interact with blockchains.
And while Etherlink may feel separate right now, it’s important to remember that any value created there is designed to feed into the broader Tezos X ecosystem, which includes everything we know and use today on L1. The long-term goal is interoperability, not isolation. Oh, and by the way, this goal might not be as “long-term” as we have been thinking:
<a href="https://medium.com/media/acf57105b0278d43ccfdb2b9f67803e2/href">https://medium.com/media/acf57105b0278d43ccfdb2b9f67803e2/href</a>
I know this might not be what some people want to hear. But it’s not Tezos L1 vs Etherlink.
It’s all Tezos all the way down.
Different frontiers, same destination. We all want the same thing: for Tezos to grow, evolve, and deliver on the vision we’ve believed in since day one.
Let’s keep supporting each other and let’s keep building. Together.
It’s Not Tezos L1 vs Etherlink — It’s All Tezos was originally published in Tezos Commons on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
Why Etherlink fits into the bigger picture, and what we might be overlooking
Let’s be honest: there’s been a growing tension in the Tezos community lately. Some are excited about Etherlink, while others feel like it’s distracting from the core L1 or even undermining the very ecosystem they’ve been supporting for years.
If you’ve felt confused or even skeptical, you’re not alone. The messaging around Etherlink hasn’t always been clear. And when something new shows up looking and feeling quite different from what you’re used to, it’s natural to question it.
What follows is my perspective based on what I’ve observed. I’m not speaking on behalf of any team or project, just sharing how I’ve come to understand Etherlink’s place in the bigger picture.
From where I stand, Etherlink is not a separate project that competes with Tezos. It’s not an attempt to replace the L1. To some it may feel like it’s taking the attention away from the L1, but I’d argue the differ in that it’s actually enhancing it by showing the world what the L1 is capable of.
Where the Confusion Comes From
Etherlink feels different. It speaks the language of Ethereum: Solidity, Metamask, EVM. That can create the impression that it’s external, or even a pivot away from the values of Tezos. Combine that with some unclear communication and a fast-moving roadmap, and it’s easy to see why people have concerns.
But at its core, Etherlink is a smart rollup built directly on the Tezos L1. It’s secured by Tezos consensus, governed through the same mechanisms, uses tez as the main token, and is part of the long-term evolution of the chain.
The Bigger Picture: Tezos X
To really understand Etherlink, we have to understand what Tezos X is aiming for.
Tezos X is a major upgrade that will reshape how Tezos works under the hood. Rather than having multiple rollups, the plan is to have one canonical rollup, a single, unified environment that supports multiple runtimes inside it.
Think of it like a strand of DNA. Inside that single chain are different sequences, TezLink, Etherlink, JSTZ, each with a specific purpose. They speak different languages, attract different kinds of developers, and offer different ways to build.
But they’re all part of the same system, bound together and able to interact seamlessly within it. A contract or app running in one runtime will be able to communicate with another, without needing external bridges or duplicated infrastructure.
Another example, would be to think of it like a massive Lego baseplate. TezLink, Etherlink, JSTZ, each of these environments is like a unique Lego piece that snaps into that foundation. Each has its own shape, language, and audience, but they’re all designed to fit together.
And here’s the key: they’re not just sitting side by side, they’re built to connect. Contracts and applications running in one runtime will be able to interact with those in another, without the need for complex bridging. It’s modular, yes, but it’s also deeply interoperable.
That means environments like:
TezLink: where the state of the L1, including all transaction history and apps, will migrate, still using Michelson and Tezos-native wallets.
Etherlink: an EVM-compatible rollup to onboard Ethereum devs and users.
JSTZ: a JavaScript VM rollup to make blockchain development accessible to an even broader range of builders.
These won’t be separate rollups, but coexist within the same canonical rollup. They’ll share the same data availability layer, governance, token, and security, while giving users and developers different tools and interfaces to build and interact with.
So instead of fragmenting Tezos, this approach is meant to broaden access while keeping everything connected under one roof.
Use What You Like — That’s the Point
Don’t want to use Etherlink? That’s totally fine. You can stick with Tezos-native wallets, tools, and apps. That choice will always be there.
The beauty of Tezos X is that it’s being designed for interoperability without forcing uniformity. It’s about giving builders and users the freedom to use what fits them best, without cutting themselves off from others.
Imagine Etherlink users being able to interact with marketplaces like objkt.com or TEIA. And vice versa. That’s where we’re headed. We’re not quite there yet, but Etherlink is a step toward that future.
We Can’t Afford to Turn This Into a Civil War
The worst outcome here wouldn’t be that Etherlink “fails.” It would be that we, as a community, divide ourselves so much that we lose sight of what we’re trying to build.
Tezos has always been about thoughtful evolution. On-chain governance. Security. Smart design choices. Etherlink, TezLink, and JSTZ are all part of applying those principles at scale.
Let’s not treat this as a zero-sum game. Growth in one part of the ecosystem doesn’t have to mean loss in another.
There’s still strong activity and ongoing initiatives on Tezos L1, especially in the art scene, which remains one of the chain’s strongest and most vibrant communities. That continues to matter deeply. But if we want to welcome people from outside the current Tezos ecosystem, we need to meet them where they are. Etherlink and other environments make it easier for those users and developers to join, without asking them to change everything about how they already build or interact with blockchains.
And while Etherlink may feel separate right now, it’s important to remember that any value created there is designed to feed into the broader Tezos X ecosystem, which includes everything we know and use today on L1. The long-term goal is interoperability, not isolation. Oh, and by the way, this goal might not be as “long-term” as we have been thinking:
<a href="https://medium.com/media/acf57105b0278d43ccfdb2b9f67803e2/href">https://medium.com/media/acf57105b0278d43ccfdb2b9f67803e2/href</a>
I know this might not be what some people want to hear. But it’s not Tezos L1 vs Etherlink.
It’s all Tezos all the way down.
Different frontiers, same destination. We all want the same thing: for Tezos to grow, evolve, and deliver on the vision we’ve believed in since day one.
Let’s keep supporting each other and let’s keep building. Together.
It’s Not Tezos L1 vs Etherlink — It’s All Tezos was originally published in Tezos Commons on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
The Baking Sheet - Issue #254
The calm before the conference storm. With Rio now live on mainnet and Apple Farm continuing to grow in scale and reach, the Tezos ecosystem is shifting into event mode, and next week, it all converges in Toronto.
From keynotes on uranium to casual coffees with the Tezos/Etherlink crew, Consensus 2025 is shaping up to be one of the most active Tezos weeks of the year. If you're attending or just tuning in from afar, here’s where the Tezos community is showing up.
Tezos at Consensus 2025: A Full Agenda in Toronto
One of the most important events in Web3 is just days away, and Tezos will be right at the center of the conversation.
Arthur Breitman, co-founder of Tezos, is set to deliver a keynote address at Consensus 2025, where he’ll explore the rise of tokenized uranium and how Tezos and Etherlink are unlocking access to new markets. In his talk, “Uranium Onchain: Bringing Yellowcake to the Digital Economy,” Arthur will lay out what it means to take a once-restricted commodity and make it available 24/7 onchain via a permissionless marketplace—powered by Tezos.
Arthur Breitman KeynoteDate: May 14–16Location: Toronto, CanadaTopic: Real-world assets, tokenized uranium, and Tezos' role in expanding onchain access
Ready to join in? Register for Consensus 2025 here.
Tezos Breakfast Club – Toronto Edition
Skip the hotel buffet and start your morning with the Tezos community. The Tezos Breakfast Club returns at Consensus, bringing together builders, developers, and curious minds for fresh coffee and even fresher conversation.
Date: Thursday, May 15Time: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM EDTLocation: 11:59 Bar:Café, TorontoRSVP: Sign up here
This casual meetup is a great way to connect with the teams shaping the future of Tezos and Etherlink. Expect a light breakfast, great company, and a front-row look at what’s happening across the ecosystem.
Tezos X-Plained: Episode 4 Breaks Down the DAL
The latest episode of Tezos X-Plained takes a close look at one of the most important pieces of the Tezos X roadmap: the Data Availability Layer (DAL).
If you’ve been wondering how Tezos is preparing for serious L2 scalability, this is where it starts. The DAL isn’t about storing data, it's about guaranteeing that data is published and verifiable. This shift enables faster, more secure rollup execution while keeping everything rooted in the Tezos Layer 1.
Hosted by Arthur Breitman and Yann Régis-Gianas, the episode walks through how the DAL boosts throughput, why it’s essential to Etherlink and future rollups, and what makes Tezos’ approach different from other L2 ecosystems.
Catch the episode to understand why this is more than just a feature, it's infrastructure for the next generation of Tezos.
📺 Watch Tezos X-Plained: Episode 4
This Week in the Tezos Ecosystem
Dionysus Proposal Aims to Power the Next Phase of Etherlink
The next upgrade to Etherlink is already in motion and it’s shaping up to be the biggest one yet.
Dionysus, the latest Etherlink kernel proposal from Nomadic Labs, Trilitech, and Functori, is built on what the teams have learned from recent network activity. The upgrade targets critical improvements in scalability, fee efficiency, and user experience, all while taking advantage of Tezos’ newly live Data Availability Layer (DAL).
Here’s what to expect:
Smarter Gas Pricing: Dionysus addresses an issue where Etherlink’s kernel prematurely raised gas fees during periods of high traffic. The new logic corrects overestimations, helping ensure the network remains affordable and responsive even when activity surges.
DAL Integration: With the Tezos DAL now live, Dionysus enables Etherlink blocks to be published on the DAL. This will significantly increase transaction capacity once DAL stability is confirmed on Mainnet.
Support for Large Transactions: Past spikes exposed limitations for larger, more complex transactions. Dionysus improves gas estimation logic, allowing apps like IguanaDEX to execute transactions closer to the block gas limit.
Fast Withdrawals & Bridge Enhancements: Following the fast XTZ withdrawals introduced in Calypso, Dionysus adds support for fast FA token withdrawals. It also overhauls how deposits work, paving the way for a more flexible and secure bridge experience.
EVM Compatibility: Dionysus supports Ethereum’s recent Dencun upgrade, with Pectra already on the radar for future compatibility.
Key Dates
Proposal Period Vote: May 13–15, 2025
Promotion Period Vote: May 15–18, 2025
Testnet Deployment: May 20, 2025
Mainnet Upgrade (Tentative): May 21, 2025
All bakers are encouraged to take part in the vote. As Etherlink continues to scale, proposals like Dionysus are critical to making sure the network keeps pace with growing demand without sacrificing usability or cost.
For more details, visit the official upgrade announcement.
Apple Farm Hits $30M TVL as Episode 4 Goes Live
Momentum keeps building on Etherlink, and Apple Farm is still at the center of it all. As of this week, Etherlink has surpassed $30 million in incentivized TVL, fueled by continuous participation in the Apple Farm program.
Now entering Episode 4, the program brings a fresh rotation of DeFi opportunities for yield-hunters and curious explorers alike. While this round doesn’t introduce sweeping changes, lending ETH has been given a reward boost, making it an attractive option for those looking to farm Apples with Ethereum-native assets.
Opportunities continue across protocols like Superlend, IguanaDEX, Uranium.io, and Hanji, with adjustments every two weeks based on TVL and user behavior. The goal remains the same: align incentives to reward real participation and drive sustainable growth on Tezos’ EVM-compatible Layer 2.
Want to see what’s new or refine your farming strategy? Head over to app.applefarm.xyz to check out the latest lineup.
And stay tuned—Episode 5 is rumored to bring even bigger updates.
Uranium Miner Sees Surge in Adoption
It’s not every day that a tap-to-earn game climbs the ranks while connecting players to physical commodities but Uranium Miner is doing exactly that.
Since launching last month, the game by Uranium.io has seen over 73,000 monthly active users and more than 400,000 on-chain transactions—a level of engagement that just earned it the #21 spot on DappRadar’s games leaderboard.
Simple on the surface, the experience invites users to tap daily, stack virtual shards, and eventually convert their progress into real-world uranium exposure—all secured by Tezos and accessible with no crypto expertise required.
With new players joining daily and word spreading fast, Uranium Miner is proving that clicker games and tokenized real-world assets might be a better match than anyone expected.
Read more in this feature from Tezos Spotlight: The Uranium Game You Didn’t Know You Needed
Upcoming Events
The Digital Art Mile in Basel
June 16–22, 2025 | Basel, Switzerland
This summer, Tezos heads to the heart of Basel for The Digital Art Mile, a week-long exploration of digital creativity woven through the city’s historic center.
Expect a vibrant circuit of exhibitions, talks, and immersive experiences that bring together top artists, collectors, galleries, and platforms—bridging the worlds of traditional and digital art. With Tezos as a recognized home for generative and digital artists, this is a key moment to connect with the community pushing boundaries in the space.
More info: artmeta.org
TezDev 2025 – Cannes Awaits
The biggest builder event in the Tezos ecosystem returns this summer—this time on the shores of the French Riviera.
TezDev 2025 is set for July 3 in Cannes, France. Join developers, founders, creators, and community members from across the globe for a day of talks, demos, and deep dives into everything being built on Tezos.
Following a packed 2024 edition in Brussels, this year’s TezDev promises even more insight into the evolving world of Tezos Layer 1 and Etherlink Layer 2, with updates from core teams, spotlights on the latest tools and projects, and chances to connect directly with those shaping what’s next.
🗓️ Date: July 3, 2025📍 Location: Cannes, France🔗 Details and RSVP: tezos.com/events/tez-dev
🔴 Now Streaming: : Identity, Ownership & Pixel Art on Tezos with MEK
This week on TezTalks Radio, Marissa Trew sits down with Michael Alexander, better known as MEK, pixel artist, developer, and one of the minds behind Sbjkt.xyz. From his design roots to building tools that empower digital artists, MEK shares how Tezos helped shape his artistic voice and his vision for the future of Web3 creativity.
Our special guest is MEK, where pixel art meets purposeful tech on Tezos.
🔍 In this episode, we’ll explore:
MEK’s Artistic Path: – How a personal transformation turned a designer into a full-time artist.
Why Tezos: – The role of community, accessibility, and creative freedom in MEK’s decision to build here.
The Sbjkt.xyz Mission: – A collector-first tool simplifying how art is tracked, viewed, and understood.
Art Meets Utility: – Building for artists and collectors, with feedback from the community at the center. People mentioned
Watch the full episode on YouTube.
Powered by beehiiv
From keynotes on uranium to casual coffees with the Tezos/Etherlink crew, Consensus 2025 is shaping up to be one of the most active Tezos weeks of the year. If you're attending or just tuning in from afar, here’s where the Tezos community is showing up.
Tezos at Consensus 2025: A Full Agenda in Toronto
One of the most important events in Web3 is just days away, and Tezos will be right at the center of the conversation.
Arthur Breitman, co-founder of Tezos, is set to deliver a keynote address at Consensus 2025, where he’ll explore the rise of tokenized uranium and how Tezos and Etherlink are unlocking access to new markets. In his talk, “Uranium Onchain: Bringing Yellowcake to the Digital Economy,” Arthur will lay out what it means to take a once-restricted commodity and make it available 24/7 onchain via a permissionless marketplace—powered by Tezos.
Arthur Breitman KeynoteDate: May 14–16Location: Toronto, CanadaTopic: Real-world assets, tokenized uranium, and Tezos' role in expanding onchain access
Ready to join in? Register for Consensus 2025 here.
Tezos Breakfast Club – Toronto Edition
Skip the hotel buffet and start your morning with the Tezos community. The Tezos Breakfast Club returns at Consensus, bringing together builders, developers, and curious minds for fresh coffee and even fresher conversation.
Date: Thursday, May 15Time: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM EDTLocation: 11:59 Bar:Café, TorontoRSVP: Sign up here
This casual meetup is a great way to connect with the teams shaping the future of Tezos and Etherlink. Expect a light breakfast, great company, and a front-row look at what’s happening across the ecosystem.
Tezos X-Plained: Episode 4 Breaks Down the DAL
The latest episode of Tezos X-Plained takes a close look at one of the most important pieces of the Tezos X roadmap: the Data Availability Layer (DAL).
If you’ve been wondering how Tezos is preparing for serious L2 scalability, this is where it starts. The DAL isn’t about storing data, it's about guaranteeing that data is published and verifiable. This shift enables faster, more secure rollup execution while keeping everything rooted in the Tezos Layer 1.
Hosted by Arthur Breitman and Yann Régis-Gianas, the episode walks through how the DAL boosts throughput, why it’s essential to Etherlink and future rollups, and what makes Tezos’ approach different from other L2 ecosystems.
Catch the episode to understand why this is more than just a feature, it's infrastructure for the next generation of Tezos.
📺 Watch Tezos X-Plained: Episode 4
This Week in the Tezos Ecosystem
Dionysus Proposal Aims to Power the Next Phase of Etherlink
The next upgrade to Etherlink is already in motion and it’s shaping up to be the biggest one yet.
Dionysus, the latest Etherlink kernel proposal from Nomadic Labs, Trilitech, and Functori, is built on what the teams have learned from recent network activity. The upgrade targets critical improvements in scalability, fee efficiency, and user experience, all while taking advantage of Tezos’ newly live Data Availability Layer (DAL).
Here’s what to expect:
Smarter Gas Pricing: Dionysus addresses an issue where Etherlink’s kernel prematurely raised gas fees during periods of high traffic. The new logic corrects overestimations, helping ensure the network remains affordable and responsive even when activity surges.
DAL Integration: With the Tezos DAL now live, Dionysus enables Etherlink blocks to be published on the DAL. This will significantly increase transaction capacity once DAL stability is confirmed on Mainnet.
Support for Large Transactions: Past spikes exposed limitations for larger, more complex transactions. Dionysus improves gas estimation logic, allowing apps like IguanaDEX to execute transactions closer to the block gas limit.
Fast Withdrawals & Bridge Enhancements: Following the fast XTZ withdrawals introduced in Calypso, Dionysus adds support for fast FA token withdrawals. It also overhauls how deposits work, paving the way for a more flexible and secure bridge experience.
EVM Compatibility: Dionysus supports Ethereum’s recent Dencun upgrade, with Pectra already on the radar for future compatibility.
Key Dates
Proposal Period Vote: May 13–15, 2025
Promotion Period Vote: May 15–18, 2025
Testnet Deployment: May 20, 2025
Mainnet Upgrade (Tentative): May 21, 2025
All bakers are encouraged to take part in the vote. As Etherlink continues to scale, proposals like Dionysus are critical to making sure the network keeps pace with growing demand without sacrificing usability or cost.
For more details, visit the official upgrade announcement.
Apple Farm Hits $30M TVL as Episode 4 Goes Live
Momentum keeps building on Etherlink, and Apple Farm is still at the center of it all. As of this week, Etherlink has surpassed $30 million in incentivized TVL, fueled by continuous participation in the Apple Farm program.
Now entering Episode 4, the program brings a fresh rotation of DeFi opportunities for yield-hunters and curious explorers alike. While this round doesn’t introduce sweeping changes, lending ETH has been given a reward boost, making it an attractive option for those looking to farm Apples with Ethereum-native assets.
Opportunities continue across protocols like Superlend, IguanaDEX, Uranium.io, and Hanji, with adjustments every two weeks based on TVL and user behavior. The goal remains the same: align incentives to reward real participation and drive sustainable growth on Tezos’ EVM-compatible Layer 2.
Want to see what’s new or refine your farming strategy? Head over to app.applefarm.xyz to check out the latest lineup.
And stay tuned—Episode 5 is rumored to bring even bigger updates.
Uranium Miner Sees Surge in Adoption
It’s not every day that a tap-to-earn game climbs the ranks while connecting players to physical commodities but Uranium Miner is doing exactly that.
Since launching last month, the game by Uranium.io has seen over 73,000 monthly active users and more than 400,000 on-chain transactions—a level of engagement that just earned it the #21 spot on DappRadar’s games leaderboard.
Simple on the surface, the experience invites users to tap daily, stack virtual shards, and eventually convert their progress into real-world uranium exposure—all secured by Tezos and accessible with no crypto expertise required.
With new players joining daily and word spreading fast, Uranium Miner is proving that clicker games and tokenized real-world assets might be a better match than anyone expected.
Read more in this feature from Tezos Spotlight: The Uranium Game You Didn’t Know You Needed
Upcoming Events
The Digital Art Mile in Basel
June 16–22, 2025 | Basel, Switzerland
This summer, Tezos heads to the heart of Basel for The Digital Art Mile, a week-long exploration of digital creativity woven through the city’s historic center.
Expect a vibrant circuit of exhibitions, talks, and immersive experiences that bring together top artists, collectors, galleries, and platforms—bridging the worlds of traditional and digital art. With Tezos as a recognized home for generative and digital artists, this is a key moment to connect with the community pushing boundaries in the space.
More info: artmeta.org
TezDev 2025 – Cannes Awaits
The biggest builder event in the Tezos ecosystem returns this summer—this time on the shores of the French Riviera.
TezDev 2025 is set for July 3 in Cannes, France. Join developers, founders, creators, and community members from across the globe for a day of talks, demos, and deep dives into everything being built on Tezos.
Following a packed 2024 edition in Brussels, this year’s TezDev promises even more insight into the evolving world of Tezos Layer 1 and Etherlink Layer 2, with updates from core teams, spotlights on the latest tools and projects, and chances to connect directly with those shaping what’s next.
🗓️ Date: July 3, 2025📍 Location: Cannes, France🔗 Details and RSVP: tezos.com/events/tez-dev
🔴 Now Streaming: : Identity, Ownership & Pixel Art on Tezos with MEK
This week on TezTalks Radio, Marissa Trew sits down with Michael Alexander, better known as MEK, pixel artist, developer, and one of the minds behind Sbjkt.xyz. From his design roots to building tools that empower digital artists, MEK shares how Tezos helped shape his artistic voice and his vision for the future of Web3 creativity.
Our special guest is MEK, where pixel art meets purposeful tech on Tezos.
🔍 In this episode, we’ll explore:
MEK’s Artistic Path: – How a personal transformation turned a designer into a full-time artist.
Why Tezos: – The role of community, accessibility, and creative freedom in MEK’s decision to build here.
The Sbjkt.xyz Mission: – A collector-first tool simplifying how art is tracked, viewed, and understood.
Art Meets Utility: – Building for artists and collectors, with feedback from the community at the center. People mentioned
Watch the full episode on YouTube.
Powered by beehiiv
Artz Fridays: Weekly Spaces on X
The Artists Of Tezos, Telling Their Stories
I’ve lived the complex, often exhausting grind of being an artist for over two decades. From dropping physical music EPs in the late ’90s to participating in today’s digital art movement, getting my multimedia creations seen and heard by people who actually care has always been an uphill battle. In an era dominated by shrinking attention spans, endless streams of fear-driven content, and low-effort engagement bait, it often feels like meaningful art gets drowned out. Unseen, unheard, and undervalued. Where can we find people wanting to participate in meaningful art discussions?
There are few spaces where people can regularly come together just to get unapologetically artsy. That’s why I started Artz Friday, with the support of Tezos Commons. As a fellow Tezos NFT artist with a few market cycles worth of experience, I’ve thrived through the highest highs and survived through the lowest lows, gaining deep respect, love, and gratitude for the Tezos community. Creating a space where fellow artists can share their stories, inspirations, workflows, and the meaning behind their work is vital because we are stronger together.
What Is Artz Friday
Artz Friday is a weekly X space powered by Tezos Commons, hosted by me, Yoeshi, alongside co-host Cryptonio. It’s entirely dedicated to spotlighting artists in the Tezos art community. Each week, we invite one artist to take the stage for a full hour (sometimes more) to share anything they want about themselves and their work minted on Tezos.
Since launching in April 2024, Artz Friday has featured deep-dive conversations with over 50 different Tezos artists. I approach each interview with my own perspective as a creator in mind, asking the kinds of questions that I would like to be asked as an artist. This means encouraging detailed discussions about the art itself. A kind of sharing that many artists feel might be a bit “too much” or too niche for public spaces, but that’s exactly what we celebrate on Artz Fridays. The nitty-gritty, ultra-nerdy, soul-bearing, wildly passionate stuff that fuels real creativity. The most exciting thing about it to me is that the community keeps showing up in larger and larger numbers to listen and support the artists bravely stepping up each Friday.
In a digital art space increasingly driven by popularity, speed, and utility, Artz Friday sets itself apart as a show by an artist, for artists initiative. It’s rooted in genuine appreciation of the arts, with a commitment to empowering artists. For those who want to understand the minds of creatives more intimately and learn more about their innovative workflows and the main motivations driving them to create, this space is definitely something worth checking out.
How Artz Friday Operates
The space usually kicks off at 6 PM UTC every Friday, though we’ve made time adjustments when needed to accommodate artists in other parts of the world. At the start and end of each session, co-host Cryptonio plays Music NFTs minted on Tezos, with some of the best sound quality you will ever hear in an X space. This sets the tone and shines a light on musicians minting on Tezos. After the opening track, our featured artist is invited to introduce themselves, and from there, the interview begins.
I don’t work from a list of pre-written questions. The direction of the conversation flows from genuine curiosity. My goal is to create a space where the artist feels encouraged and at ease. I know firsthand how intense it can feel to be in the spotlight. There are no gotcha questions here, and thankfully, the community shows up for Artz Friday with the same encouraging mentality.
As we approach the end of the first hour, we usually pause from the interview and take a moment to cover essential updates from the Tezos art scene. With so many open calls, exhibitions, and events happening regularly, this part helps keep the community informed and in the loop. After that, we often open the floor to audience questions centered around our guest artist. What I love about this segment is how much respect the community shows. We rarely get spam or self-promotion. Instead, we hear thoughtful questions and sincere curiosity. It also helps that we reserve the last Friday of each month for a full community call, where anyone making art on Tezos is welcome to share and speak.
Artz Friday Monthly Community Call
On the last Friday of every month, instead of having one dedicated guest artist, we open up the stage to the entire Tezos art community. This empowers the community while also serving as a method of discovery. Many past speakers at community calls end up being featured artists later on. The space starts and ends with music just like any other Artz Friday, but the stage has an open mic format. If you or someone you know has art or art-based projects on Tezos, be sure to join us for Artz Friday’s monthly community call.
Gem Of The Week Thread
To complement each guest’s interview, I write a “Gem of the Week” thread posted on the Tezos Commons X account. It features a handful of artworks from our guest artist, each one linked with a few thoughts from me about the art and why I love it. The thread is also pinned during the space. This helps me get in tune with the artist’s style before the interview, and it gives the community a way to engage with their work during the show.
Not everyone likes to jump into live Spaces. That’s another reason why the Gem of the Week thread plays an important role. It keeps the spotlight going by putting the artist’s work on the timeline in a clear and direct way. It also serves as a visual guide during the show, especially when we start diving into specific pieces. When an artist breaks down their process or the meaning behind a detail, people listening can actually see what they’re talking about.
This is another thing I love about Artz Friday. As the artist explains in detail how they made a piece and what it means to them, I find myself growing more appreciation for the work. I imagine this is the effect for many others in the audience as well.
Over time, these threads have become their own kind of record. Each one captures the voice and vision of an artist who took the time to share their world with us. It’s one more way Tezos Commons and I can keep showing up for artists, making sure their work is seen, respected, and remembered.
How Featured Artists Get Booked
The heart of Artz Friday is rooted in inclusion. Our goal is to feature as many Tezos artists as possible, and we keep the door wide open when it comes to who can join us. There’s no long list of requirements. If you’re actively minting art on Tezos and contributing to the community in a positive way, we want to hear your story. Whether you’re new to the space or a veteran of multiple market cycles, your voice matters. Artz Friday is a space built to amplify it.
One concern we often hear from potential guests is about language barriers. English may not be your first language, and that’s completely okay. We understand how daunting it can feel to speak live in a second language, but don’t let that stop you. If you’re able to bring along a translator, we’re more than happy to work with you and make it a smooth experience. Even if you can’t find a translator, hop up during a community call and get a feel for the mic. We don’t judge!
The same goes for time zones. While our usual time slot is 6 PM UTC, and 2PM ETC, we’ve adjusted the schedule before and we’re open to doing it again to accommodate artists worldwide as much as possible.
If you or someone you know would be a great fit for Artz Friday, I encourage you to reach out. You can find me, Yoeshi, on X and send a direct message anytime here. Whether you’re recommending yourself or someone else, we’re always on the lookout for inspiring artists to spotlight. The more voices we feature, the stronger and more vibrant the Tezos art community becomes. At the time of writing this, Artz Fridays are booked through May 2025 and we are looking for featured artists in June and beyond.
Join Our Next Artz Friday To Experience It Firsthand
Artz Friday was never meant to be just another weekly X Space. It’s a show built for artists, by an artist, and fueled by real passion. Week after week, I’ve watched creatives open up, share the heart behind their craft, and connect with a wider audience who truly listens. That connection keeps expanding.
As the Tezos art scene continues to grow and evolve, I’ll keep showing up, doing my part to hold space for the artists who make this ecosystem what it is. If you’ve been tuning in, asking questions, sharing the threads, or simply showing love to the featured guests, thank you. You’re a part of this, too.
Whether you’re an artist, collector, curator, or supporter, Artz Friday is your invitation to stay curious, keep exploring, and celebrate the stories that make this movement matter. We’re just getting started. Follow Tezos Commons on X here, and turn notifications on so you don’t miss the next show.
The door is open and waiting for you. Come get artz with us!
Artz Fridays: Weekly Spaces On X was originally published in Tezos Commons on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
I’ve lived the complex, often exhausting grind of being an artist for over two decades. From dropping physical music EPs in the late ’90s to participating in today’s digital art movement, getting my multimedia creations seen and heard by people who actually care has always been an uphill battle. In an era dominated by shrinking attention spans, endless streams of fear-driven content, and low-effort engagement bait, it often feels like meaningful art gets drowned out. Unseen, unheard, and undervalued. Where can we find people wanting to participate in meaningful art discussions?
There are few spaces where people can regularly come together just to get unapologetically artsy. That’s why I started Artz Friday, with the support of Tezos Commons. As a fellow Tezos NFT artist with a few market cycles worth of experience, I’ve thrived through the highest highs and survived through the lowest lows, gaining deep respect, love, and gratitude for the Tezos community. Creating a space where fellow artists can share their stories, inspirations, workflows, and the meaning behind their work is vital because we are stronger together.
What Is Artz Friday
Artz Friday is a weekly X space powered by Tezos Commons, hosted by me, Yoeshi, alongside co-host Cryptonio. It’s entirely dedicated to spotlighting artists in the Tezos art community. Each week, we invite one artist to take the stage for a full hour (sometimes more) to share anything they want about themselves and their work minted on Tezos.
Since launching in April 2024, Artz Friday has featured deep-dive conversations with over 50 different Tezos artists. I approach each interview with my own perspective as a creator in mind, asking the kinds of questions that I would like to be asked as an artist. This means encouraging detailed discussions about the art itself. A kind of sharing that many artists feel might be a bit “too much” or too niche for public spaces, but that’s exactly what we celebrate on Artz Fridays. The nitty-gritty, ultra-nerdy, soul-bearing, wildly passionate stuff that fuels real creativity. The most exciting thing about it to me is that the community keeps showing up in larger and larger numbers to listen and support the artists bravely stepping up each Friday.
In a digital art space increasingly driven by popularity, speed, and utility, Artz Friday sets itself apart as a show by an artist, for artists initiative. It’s rooted in genuine appreciation of the arts, with a commitment to empowering artists. For those who want to understand the minds of creatives more intimately and learn more about their innovative workflows and the main motivations driving them to create, this space is definitely something worth checking out.
How Artz Friday Operates
The space usually kicks off at 6 PM UTC every Friday, though we’ve made time adjustments when needed to accommodate artists in other parts of the world. At the start and end of each session, co-host Cryptonio plays Music NFTs minted on Tezos, with some of the best sound quality you will ever hear in an X space. This sets the tone and shines a light on musicians minting on Tezos. After the opening track, our featured artist is invited to introduce themselves, and from there, the interview begins.
I don’t work from a list of pre-written questions. The direction of the conversation flows from genuine curiosity. My goal is to create a space where the artist feels encouraged and at ease. I know firsthand how intense it can feel to be in the spotlight. There are no gotcha questions here, and thankfully, the community shows up for Artz Friday with the same encouraging mentality.
As we approach the end of the first hour, we usually pause from the interview and take a moment to cover essential updates from the Tezos art scene. With so many open calls, exhibitions, and events happening regularly, this part helps keep the community informed and in the loop. After that, we often open the floor to audience questions centered around our guest artist. What I love about this segment is how much respect the community shows. We rarely get spam or self-promotion. Instead, we hear thoughtful questions and sincere curiosity. It also helps that we reserve the last Friday of each month for a full community call, where anyone making art on Tezos is welcome to share and speak.
Artz Friday Monthly Community Call
On the last Friday of every month, instead of having one dedicated guest artist, we open up the stage to the entire Tezos art community. This empowers the community while also serving as a method of discovery. Many past speakers at community calls end up being featured artists later on. The space starts and ends with music just like any other Artz Friday, but the stage has an open mic format. If you or someone you know has art or art-based projects on Tezos, be sure to join us for Artz Friday’s monthly community call.
Gem Of The Week Thread
To complement each guest’s interview, I write a “Gem of the Week” thread posted on the Tezos Commons X account. It features a handful of artworks from our guest artist, each one linked with a few thoughts from me about the art and why I love it. The thread is also pinned during the space. This helps me get in tune with the artist’s style before the interview, and it gives the community a way to engage with their work during the show.
Not everyone likes to jump into live Spaces. That’s another reason why the Gem of the Week thread plays an important role. It keeps the spotlight going by putting the artist’s work on the timeline in a clear and direct way. It also serves as a visual guide during the show, especially when we start diving into specific pieces. When an artist breaks down their process or the meaning behind a detail, people listening can actually see what they’re talking about.
This is another thing I love about Artz Friday. As the artist explains in detail how they made a piece and what it means to them, I find myself growing more appreciation for the work. I imagine this is the effect for many others in the audience as well.
Over time, these threads have become their own kind of record. Each one captures the voice and vision of an artist who took the time to share their world with us. It’s one more way Tezos Commons and I can keep showing up for artists, making sure their work is seen, respected, and remembered.
How Featured Artists Get Booked
The heart of Artz Friday is rooted in inclusion. Our goal is to feature as many Tezos artists as possible, and we keep the door wide open when it comes to who can join us. There’s no long list of requirements. If you’re actively minting art on Tezos and contributing to the community in a positive way, we want to hear your story. Whether you’re new to the space or a veteran of multiple market cycles, your voice matters. Artz Friday is a space built to amplify it.
One concern we often hear from potential guests is about language barriers. English may not be your first language, and that’s completely okay. We understand how daunting it can feel to speak live in a second language, but don’t let that stop you. If you’re able to bring along a translator, we’re more than happy to work with you and make it a smooth experience. Even if you can’t find a translator, hop up during a community call and get a feel for the mic. We don’t judge!
The same goes for time zones. While our usual time slot is 6 PM UTC, and 2PM ETC, we’ve adjusted the schedule before and we’re open to doing it again to accommodate artists worldwide as much as possible.
If you or someone you know would be a great fit for Artz Friday, I encourage you to reach out. You can find me, Yoeshi, on X and send a direct message anytime here. Whether you’re recommending yourself or someone else, we’re always on the lookout for inspiring artists to spotlight. The more voices we feature, the stronger and more vibrant the Tezos art community becomes. At the time of writing this, Artz Fridays are booked through May 2025 and we are looking for featured artists in June and beyond.
Join Our Next Artz Friday To Experience It Firsthand
Artz Friday was never meant to be just another weekly X Space. It’s a show built for artists, by an artist, and fueled by real passion. Week after week, I’ve watched creatives open up, share the heart behind their craft, and connect with a wider audience who truly listens. That connection keeps expanding.
As the Tezos art scene continues to grow and evolve, I’ll keep showing up, doing my part to hold space for the artists who make this ecosystem what it is. If you’ve been tuning in, asking questions, sharing the threads, or simply showing love to the featured guests, thank you. You’re a part of this, too.
Whether you’re an artist, collector, curator, or supporter, Artz Friday is your invitation to stay curious, keep exploring, and celebrate the stories that make this movement matter. We’re just getting started. Follow Tezos Commons on X here, and turn notifications on so you don’t miss the next show.
The door is open and waiting for you. Come get artz with us!
Artz Fridays: Weekly Spaces On X was originally published in Tezos Commons on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
How Tezos X Handles Growth Without Breaking the Chain
Why Tezos chose to scale on-chain, and what that means for users and developers.
Tezos is like a library that reorganized from within than one that expanded out. Why Growth Creates Friction
Walk into a small-town library on a typical day, and you’ll have your pick of chairs. But when a bestseller drops? Suddenly, there’s a line at the checkout desk. Even places built for calm can get overwhelmed. Blockchains aren’t so different.
Think of Tezos as your favorite small-town library. It’s steady. Built for the people who use it. Open to anyone. For a while, that was more than enough. But as more people showed up, things got tight. Suddenly, there weren’t enough librarians or checkout desks for everyone.
This kind of crowding isn’t unique. Ethereum, the big city library, hit this wall years ago. Lines wrapped around the block during every big NFT drop. While Ethereum built extensions called Layer 2 rollups to handle the rush, Tezos took a different approach with Tezos X. It didn’t rush. That may be its style. Patience has limits. People want books today, not tomorrow.
Scaling Without Splitting Off
Tezos X didn’t need to build a whole new wing. It just moved things around, giving it more breathing room. It’s the same space, less hassle. These rollups are smaller reading rooms within the same library. No need to send visitors elsewhere. Everything flows within the same walls.
Here’s what’s happening behind the scenes: If you picture the main blockchain as the library’s official archive, these rollups are smaller reading rooms. They handle the heavy traffic and then tuck everything back into the main archive. The result is quicker service, lower costs, and less waiting around. Users get faster transactions. Builders don’t have to worry about traffic jams.
How Tezos Rollups Actually Work
And these reading rooms are already taking shape. JSTZ brings JavaScript into the mix, making it easier for web developers to build directly on Tezos using the tools they already know. TezLink brings existing smart contracts into rollups, giving them faster speeds and lower costs.
Rollups run faster, cost less, and scale more easily. They handle computations separately, away from the main blockchain, and then securely settle the results onto Tezos (L1). That means apps built with JSTZ or TezLink avoid the traffic jams that can flow down the main chain. They’re fast. They’re affordable. They don’t leave you waiting. That’s the kind of environment developers and users look for. And that draws in different types of people, some who build, some who just come to explore. The Tezos library doesn’t just get bigger. It gets more useful, more surprising, and more alive.
Rollups in action: distributing work without losing cohesion. Scaling Without Panic
Tezos rollups are products of the system itself. That means they inherit Tezos’ security and stability from the start. It’s less like adding a new annex across the street and more like rearranging shelves to use the existing space better.
When I first started using Tezos, sending transactions cost just fractions of a cent. It was so cheap and seamless that nobody even thought about it. Sometimes, costs rose as activity increased, especially during popular NFT drops or major token launches. Not dramatically, unlike Ethereum’s famous congestion, but enough that users occasionally noticed delays or slightly higher fees.
Tezos didn’t throw more machines at the issue or rush a patch. Instead, it leaned into its built-in governance process, letting the community propose, discuss, and vote on network upgrades. One example was the Jakarta upgrade, which improved efficiency by tweaking smart contract execution, and later Nairobi, which sped up block times. Tezos has always addressed congestion issues while lowering network latency methodically through community-driven upgrades rather than emergency fixes.
What’s Being Built on Tezos X
Tezos X continues this careful expansion by using rollups, specialized layers built into the main blockchain, to handle rising activity without losing efficiency. It’s the next logical step in a carefully planned series of upgrades to keep the network responsive, affordable, and user-friendly. With Etherlink, Tezos X also brings Ethereum’s EVM compatibility. We love all builders including our eth friends!
Quiet Progress That Actually Ships
Lately, the shelves at the small-town library look different. Bestsellers that used to only show up in the big city are suddenly in reach. If you’ve already built something for Ethereum, you won’t need to tear it down to bring it here. Most of the work carries over.
Sure, the market’s slow. Prices are down. The hype has gone quiet. But people are still showing up and still building. Tezos X is what steady progress looks like. It’s not flashy. It’s not loud. It’s just thoughtful work to make things better. It’s not promising overnight riches. It’s not yelling, “This changes everything!” It’s making the library easier to use again, no matter how busy it gets.
Progress doesn’t always mean building fast. Sometimes it means making sure the lights stay on and the shelves stay full.
Will it work perfectly? Probably not right away. Nothing ever does. But, given the history of 18 seamless upgrades, it’ll probably be smooth sailing like always. When you make small, thoughtful improvements over time, places become better to visit, easier to understand, and more enjoyable to spend time in. And that’s the goal. Make the library feel open, whether you’re just browsing or building something of your own.
If you’re watching Tezos, you’re not alone!
How Tezos X Handles Growth Without Breaking the Chain was originally published in Tezos Commons on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
Tezos is like a library that reorganized from within than one that expanded out. Why Growth Creates Friction
Walk into a small-town library on a typical day, and you’ll have your pick of chairs. But when a bestseller drops? Suddenly, there’s a line at the checkout desk. Even places built for calm can get overwhelmed. Blockchains aren’t so different.
Think of Tezos as your favorite small-town library. It’s steady. Built for the people who use it. Open to anyone. For a while, that was more than enough. But as more people showed up, things got tight. Suddenly, there weren’t enough librarians or checkout desks for everyone.
This kind of crowding isn’t unique. Ethereum, the big city library, hit this wall years ago. Lines wrapped around the block during every big NFT drop. While Ethereum built extensions called Layer 2 rollups to handle the rush, Tezos took a different approach with Tezos X. It didn’t rush. That may be its style. Patience has limits. People want books today, not tomorrow.
Scaling Without Splitting Off
Tezos X didn’t need to build a whole new wing. It just moved things around, giving it more breathing room. It’s the same space, less hassle. These rollups are smaller reading rooms within the same library. No need to send visitors elsewhere. Everything flows within the same walls.
Here’s what’s happening behind the scenes: If you picture the main blockchain as the library’s official archive, these rollups are smaller reading rooms. They handle the heavy traffic and then tuck everything back into the main archive. The result is quicker service, lower costs, and less waiting around. Users get faster transactions. Builders don’t have to worry about traffic jams.
How Tezos Rollups Actually Work
And these reading rooms are already taking shape. JSTZ brings JavaScript into the mix, making it easier for web developers to build directly on Tezos using the tools they already know. TezLink brings existing smart contracts into rollups, giving them faster speeds and lower costs.
Rollups run faster, cost less, and scale more easily. They handle computations separately, away from the main blockchain, and then securely settle the results onto Tezos (L1). That means apps built with JSTZ or TezLink avoid the traffic jams that can flow down the main chain. They’re fast. They’re affordable. They don’t leave you waiting. That’s the kind of environment developers and users look for. And that draws in different types of people, some who build, some who just come to explore. The Tezos library doesn’t just get bigger. It gets more useful, more surprising, and more alive.
Rollups in action: distributing work without losing cohesion. Scaling Without Panic
Tezos rollups are products of the system itself. That means they inherit Tezos’ security and stability from the start. It’s less like adding a new annex across the street and more like rearranging shelves to use the existing space better.
When I first started using Tezos, sending transactions cost just fractions of a cent. It was so cheap and seamless that nobody even thought about it. Sometimes, costs rose as activity increased, especially during popular NFT drops or major token launches. Not dramatically, unlike Ethereum’s famous congestion, but enough that users occasionally noticed delays or slightly higher fees.
Tezos didn’t throw more machines at the issue or rush a patch. Instead, it leaned into its built-in governance process, letting the community propose, discuss, and vote on network upgrades. One example was the Jakarta upgrade, which improved efficiency by tweaking smart contract execution, and later Nairobi, which sped up block times. Tezos has always addressed congestion issues while lowering network latency methodically through community-driven upgrades rather than emergency fixes.
What’s Being Built on Tezos X
Tezos X continues this careful expansion by using rollups, specialized layers built into the main blockchain, to handle rising activity without losing efficiency. It’s the next logical step in a carefully planned series of upgrades to keep the network responsive, affordable, and user-friendly. With Etherlink, Tezos X also brings Ethereum’s EVM compatibility. We love all builders including our eth friends!
Quiet Progress That Actually Ships
Lately, the shelves at the small-town library look different. Bestsellers that used to only show up in the big city are suddenly in reach. If you’ve already built something for Ethereum, you won’t need to tear it down to bring it here. Most of the work carries over.
Sure, the market’s slow. Prices are down. The hype has gone quiet. But people are still showing up and still building. Tezos X is what steady progress looks like. It’s not flashy. It’s not loud. It’s just thoughtful work to make things better. It’s not promising overnight riches. It’s not yelling, “This changes everything!” It’s making the library easier to use again, no matter how busy it gets.
Progress doesn’t always mean building fast. Sometimes it means making sure the lights stay on and the shelves stay full.
Will it work perfectly? Probably not right away. Nothing ever does. But, given the history of 18 seamless upgrades, it’ll probably be smooth sailing like always. When you make small, thoughtful improvements over time, places become better to visit, easier to understand, and more enjoyable to spend time in. And that’s the goal. Make the library feel open, whether you’re just browsing or building something of your own.
If you’re watching Tezos, you’re not alone!
How Tezos X Handles Growth Without Breaking the Chain was originally published in Tezos Commons on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
‘ART’icle of April
Monthly Spotlight Of Tezos Artists
The Tezos art community continues to evolve, shaped by the artists who bring new ideas, perspectives, and techniques to the digital renaissance. (I was calling it that before LLMs existed…it learned that from me…sorry!)
The ‘ART’icle Of The Month serves as a space to recognize and highlight standout creators whose recent work has caught the attention of collectors, curators, and peers alike. Nominated by the community and selected with care, this month’s featured artists reflect the ongoing energy and diversity the keeps Tezos art enthusiasts engaged.
This month’s selections bring together a striking mix of styles and approaches, each offering a unique glimpse into the creative potential of digital art. We’re pleased to spotlight the work of @FEELSxart, @FendelMarc, @AL_san_JP, @michaelmicasso, and @loopascii, five creators whose recent mints continue to inspire people across the Tezos community. Let’s take a look at what they’ve been creating.
How ‘ART’icle of The Month Works
Community participation is at the heart of each month’s ‘ART’icle. If you come across an artist minting on Tezos whose work deserves more appreciation, you can nominate them by commenting under their work with the hashtag #tezARTicle on X. Whether it’s a single piece that stood out or a consistent body of work, nominations help surface the talent that might otherwise be missed. Each month, I review the hashtag to curate a selection of up to five artists, driven by your nominations. Being nominated does not guarantee a feature, and some nominations may be reserved for future spotlights. Without further delay, let’s get artsy.
FENDEL: Berklee Trained Electro-Acoustic Musician and Producer
When it comes to Tezos artists, there are many names that seem to be everywhere at once, contributing to the community wherever possible. One of those names is Fendel de la Creme. This musician is a genuine believer in Tezos and lives for the arts, with a heavy focus on music creation. Based in Seattle, Washington, I’ve personally had the pleasure of visiting Fendel during TezCon 2024 and experiencing the sustainable and holistic lifestyle he lives. Spending time in his world helped me understand how he manages to produce so much great music while remaining a constant and inspiring presence in the Tezos community.
Fendel has been consistently minting Music NFTs and contributing to countless collaborations on Tezos since May 2021. From the early days of HEN, he has minted everything from photography and collage art to soundtracks and full music videos. Let’s take a look at some of his creations.
Released as an open edition for the #Opentez event in January 2025, Slamma is an electronic soundtrack accompanied by glitched visuals created with Photomosh Pro. The song was composed in Reaper DAW using various high-tech music tools, which Fendel lists diligently in the NFT description for fellow audiophiles. The p5.js code used to create the image is by HP Lovebux, whom Fendel also credited in the NFT description. The result is an astonishing audiovisual experience that transported me to a futuristic lounge, perhaps in 2027. The glitchy, asymmetrical animation of the visual reminded me of bustling nightlife. Enjoy this piece with headphones for the best experience.
In the Music NFT titled Ranunculus, we get to experience over seven minutes of an audible adventure into Fendel’s musicality and production talent, plus a stunning visual artwork by Shilly Preston. With another detailed description audiophiles could dream of, Fendel explains his creative process with care. Something I appreciate about this song, and many of Fendel’s tracks, is how they challenge conventional music while balancing chaos and harmony. In other words, it is never what I would expect but always enjoyable. Listen on headphones for the best experience, and to discover more, visit his linktree here.
FEELSxart: Exploring Interpretive Space Through Aesthetic Experiences
Unique to Web3, there are many artists who choose to release their work anonymously or behind a mysterious persona. Sometimes the art speaks for itself, and this adds to the artist’s brand. This is the case for FEELSxart, who creates magically aesthetic GIF art, and just like magic, part of the fun is the mystery behind how it was done.
FEELSxart has been minting on Tezos since July 2021. These GIF-based creations incorporate a range of styles, with most seemingly made through generative processes. Let’s take a look at a couple of Feels’ artworks that stood out to me.
“Hocus Pocus” was released on April 23 this year, right as I was writing this article. It couldn’t have been more serendipitous, as I had just described Feels’ art as “like magic,” and then found this piece. In a mesmerizing animated loop full of nuance and mystery, we see seven spheres circling a larger central sphere. It brought to mind the seven core chakras circling creational energy. Regardless of the artist’s intention, it was meaningful to me. The seamless motion pulls me into a meditative state. Take a moment to enjoy this seamlessly looping art and see if it does the same for you.
Have you ever had a staring contest with an artwork? I have, for example, when viewing the Mona Lisa. With Feels’ piece “Blink”, that sensation is taken to the next level. You’re challenged to a staring contest, and the moment you begin, the show begins too. The flickering color patterns breathe in and out symmetrically, creating a meditative yet intense experience, much like a real staring contest. What’s most interesting is that there are infinite ways to look at it, even though our eyes are drawn to a central point. Be sure to challenge “Blink” to a staring contest and enjoy the creative mind of FEELSxart. Find all the feels on their linktree here.
Al-san: Japanese Artist and Children’s Book Author
AL_san_JP brings a distinctive approach to digital art through the unexpected medium of Microsoft Excel. Since beginning their Tezos journey in July 2022, this Japanese artist has developed a signature style that transforms simple geometric shapes like circles, squares, triangles, and even punctuation marks into expressive, character-driven compositions. Each piece reveals quiet ingenuity, like the mouth of an alpaca formed from two carefully rotated parentheses. Through deliberate constraint and playful structure, AL_san_JP turns Excel into a space for creativity.
In “Taqueria — Taco Stand”, we meet AL-San (Alberto), the alpaca serving tacos in Japan, at a taco stand founded by three Latinos: Pancho, Paco, and Francisco. The stand blends cultures with a menu in both Spanish and Japanese, featuring classics like Al Pastor and Suadero. Zoom in and discover charming details. From the wool on Alberto to the recreation of the Skurpy logo, it’s all crafted in Excel. Muy bueno!
Next, we see Alberto the Alpaca driving a wind-up toy-inspired car in “That’s The Life”. The animation shifts between darker and lighter scenes that could represent night and day or perhaps it is Alberto driving through a tunnel. In the daylight, playful background characters appear, once again crafted with Excel. The animations were made using Keynote. Truly a creative contribution to the digital art world. Find all of Al-san’s creations here.
Mek.txt: Pixel Artist, Designer, and Developer
Another force of nature in the Tezos community is Mek.txt, also known as Michael Micasso. This artist and developer has been creating and innovating on Tezos since June 2022, producing pixel art, designing cover art, collaborating on music NFTs, building tools to support other artists, and more. Mek is also a skilled typographer who creates custom fonts.
In the Music NFT “Ode to Adolescence”, a collaboration with Tito.png, Mek created the cover art and also contributed to the music. The artwork captures a dreamy childhood feeling with two young men, possibly Mek and Tito, flying like superheroes with their instruments, a pet turtle, and a cat. The song is playful and catchy, with lyrics about living in the moment, which was easier to do in our youth. A fitting tribute to adolescence. Be sure to listen to the full song on Objkt with headphones for the best experience.
It’s in the name — Mek.txt has a deep appreciation for text-based art. A perfect example is his recent piece “Bronze Age Collapse”. At first glance, it looks like a crumbling city at sunset, caught between eras. But look closer. Mek brings back the look of 1980s DOS graphics, using the classic 1:2 character tile ratio. The tall silver towers resemble ancient ruins from the future. Tiny figures made from simple text characters populate the scene, giving it life and scale.
Bronze Age Collapse tells the story of a city in decline and captures a broader transition — from one age to another, both in the scene and in the style. Text-mode graphics were once the peak of digital imagination, and Mek.txt taps into that history with purpose. He’s reviving a visual language and showing that old tools can still express new ideas. Follow all things MEK.txt at his website here.
Loopascii: Gif Maker, Ascii, Glitch Art
Loopascii joined the Tezos scene in December 2023 and has stayed true to a clear visual language: ASCII. That’s the art of building images from plain text characters like letters, numbers, punctuation, arranged with intention. Scrolling through Loopascii’s works on Tezos from oldest to newest reveals the evolution of a signature style that’s both technically impressive and emotionally resonant.
In “Listening to Myself”, we see a figure in a hoodie leaning against a pole, headphones on, entirely composed of plain text characters. The glitchy movement creates a gentle breeze-like atmosphere while also suggesting internal noise. It raises the question: is the figure listening to music, or are those noise-canceling headphones enabling silence, letting them hear their own thoughts? The refined color palette hints at introspection, even sadness, as if they are “Feeling Blue.” And the smart use of negative space makes the piece visually calm despite the glitchy motion.
In a more recent work titled “Even If I Walk Alone, I Stay On The Right Path”, the red-hooded figure reappears, walking along a forest trail beside a river, with a horse visible across the water. The scene is richer and more complex than earlier pieces, suggesting a fusion of manipulated imagery with ASCII layers. What stands out most is how the glitching breathes life into the scene yet again, with water flowing, rain falling, trees swaying. It’s meditative and cinematic all at once. To enjoy all of the amazing work by Loopascii check out their Objkt portfolio here.
Share More Art, Nominations For ‘ART’icle of May Are Now Open
As we wrap up this month’s ‘ART’icle, it’s clear the creative energy flowing through the Tezos community keeps expanding. Each featured artist brings something special by offering fresh perspectives, pushing boundaries, and crafting experiences that resonate and inspire.
From playful animations to immersive audiovisuals and expressive text-based compositions, their work shows just how diverse and exciting this space can be.
If you’ve discovered an artist this month who deserves more attention, nominate them for the May edition! Just post about them on X using the hashtag #tezARTicle so we can find your recommendation.
Let’s keep lifting each other up and shining a light on the artists who make this ecosystem thrive. See you next month for another ‘ART’icle!
‘ART’icle Of April was originally published in Tezos Commons on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
The Tezos art community continues to evolve, shaped by the artists who bring new ideas, perspectives, and techniques to the digital renaissance. (I was calling it that before LLMs existed…it learned that from me…sorry!)
The ‘ART’icle Of The Month serves as a space to recognize and highlight standout creators whose recent work has caught the attention of collectors, curators, and peers alike. Nominated by the community and selected with care, this month’s featured artists reflect the ongoing energy and diversity the keeps Tezos art enthusiasts engaged.
This month’s selections bring together a striking mix of styles and approaches, each offering a unique glimpse into the creative potential of digital art. We’re pleased to spotlight the work of @FEELSxart, @FendelMarc, @AL_san_JP, @michaelmicasso, and @loopascii, five creators whose recent mints continue to inspire people across the Tezos community. Let’s take a look at what they’ve been creating.
How ‘ART’icle of The Month Works
Community participation is at the heart of each month’s ‘ART’icle. If you come across an artist minting on Tezos whose work deserves more appreciation, you can nominate them by commenting under their work with the hashtag #tezARTicle on X. Whether it’s a single piece that stood out or a consistent body of work, nominations help surface the talent that might otherwise be missed. Each month, I review the hashtag to curate a selection of up to five artists, driven by your nominations. Being nominated does not guarantee a feature, and some nominations may be reserved for future spotlights. Without further delay, let’s get artsy.
FENDEL: Berklee Trained Electro-Acoustic Musician and Producer
When it comes to Tezos artists, there are many names that seem to be everywhere at once, contributing to the community wherever possible. One of those names is Fendel de la Creme. This musician is a genuine believer in Tezos and lives for the arts, with a heavy focus on music creation. Based in Seattle, Washington, I’ve personally had the pleasure of visiting Fendel during TezCon 2024 and experiencing the sustainable and holistic lifestyle he lives. Spending time in his world helped me understand how he manages to produce so much great music while remaining a constant and inspiring presence in the Tezos community.
Fendel has been consistently minting Music NFTs and contributing to countless collaborations on Tezos since May 2021. From the early days of HEN, he has minted everything from photography and collage art to soundtracks and full music videos. Let’s take a look at some of his creations.
Released as an open edition for the #Opentez event in January 2025, Slamma is an electronic soundtrack accompanied by glitched visuals created with Photomosh Pro. The song was composed in Reaper DAW using various high-tech music tools, which Fendel lists diligently in the NFT description for fellow audiophiles. The p5.js code used to create the image is by HP Lovebux, whom Fendel also credited in the NFT description. The result is an astonishing audiovisual experience that transported me to a futuristic lounge, perhaps in 2027. The glitchy, asymmetrical animation of the visual reminded me of bustling nightlife. Enjoy this piece with headphones for the best experience.
In the Music NFT titled Ranunculus, we get to experience over seven minutes of an audible adventure into Fendel’s musicality and production talent, plus a stunning visual artwork by Shilly Preston. With another detailed description audiophiles could dream of, Fendel explains his creative process with care. Something I appreciate about this song, and many of Fendel’s tracks, is how they challenge conventional music while balancing chaos and harmony. In other words, it is never what I would expect but always enjoyable. Listen on headphones for the best experience, and to discover more, visit his linktree here.
FEELSxart: Exploring Interpretive Space Through Aesthetic Experiences
Unique to Web3, there are many artists who choose to release their work anonymously or behind a mysterious persona. Sometimes the art speaks for itself, and this adds to the artist’s brand. This is the case for FEELSxart, who creates magically aesthetic GIF art, and just like magic, part of the fun is the mystery behind how it was done.
FEELSxart has been minting on Tezos since July 2021. These GIF-based creations incorporate a range of styles, with most seemingly made through generative processes. Let’s take a look at a couple of Feels’ artworks that stood out to me.
“Hocus Pocus” was released on April 23 this year, right as I was writing this article. It couldn’t have been more serendipitous, as I had just described Feels’ art as “like magic,” and then found this piece. In a mesmerizing animated loop full of nuance and mystery, we see seven spheres circling a larger central sphere. It brought to mind the seven core chakras circling creational energy. Regardless of the artist’s intention, it was meaningful to me. The seamless motion pulls me into a meditative state. Take a moment to enjoy this seamlessly looping art and see if it does the same for you.
Have you ever had a staring contest with an artwork? I have, for example, when viewing the Mona Lisa. With Feels’ piece “Blink”, that sensation is taken to the next level. You’re challenged to a staring contest, and the moment you begin, the show begins too. The flickering color patterns breathe in and out symmetrically, creating a meditative yet intense experience, much like a real staring contest. What’s most interesting is that there are infinite ways to look at it, even though our eyes are drawn to a central point. Be sure to challenge “Blink” to a staring contest and enjoy the creative mind of FEELSxart. Find all the feels on their linktree here.
Al-san: Japanese Artist and Children’s Book Author
AL_san_JP brings a distinctive approach to digital art through the unexpected medium of Microsoft Excel. Since beginning their Tezos journey in July 2022, this Japanese artist has developed a signature style that transforms simple geometric shapes like circles, squares, triangles, and even punctuation marks into expressive, character-driven compositions. Each piece reveals quiet ingenuity, like the mouth of an alpaca formed from two carefully rotated parentheses. Through deliberate constraint and playful structure, AL_san_JP turns Excel into a space for creativity.
In “Taqueria — Taco Stand”, we meet AL-San (Alberto), the alpaca serving tacos in Japan, at a taco stand founded by three Latinos: Pancho, Paco, and Francisco. The stand blends cultures with a menu in both Spanish and Japanese, featuring classics like Al Pastor and Suadero. Zoom in and discover charming details. From the wool on Alberto to the recreation of the Skurpy logo, it’s all crafted in Excel. Muy bueno!
Next, we see Alberto the Alpaca driving a wind-up toy-inspired car in “That’s The Life”. The animation shifts between darker and lighter scenes that could represent night and day or perhaps it is Alberto driving through a tunnel. In the daylight, playful background characters appear, once again crafted with Excel. The animations were made using Keynote. Truly a creative contribution to the digital art world. Find all of Al-san’s creations here.
Mek.txt: Pixel Artist, Designer, and Developer
Another force of nature in the Tezos community is Mek.txt, also known as Michael Micasso. This artist and developer has been creating and innovating on Tezos since June 2022, producing pixel art, designing cover art, collaborating on music NFTs, building tools to support other artists, and more. Mek is also a skilled typographer who creates custom fonts.
In the Music NFT “Ode to Adolescence”, a collaboration with Tito.png, Mek created the cover art and also contributed to the music. The artwork captures a dreamy childhood feeling with two young men, possibly Mek and Tito, flying like superheroes with their instruments, a pet turtle, and a cat. The song is playful and catchy, with lyrics about living in the moment, which was easier to do in our youth. A fitting tribute to adolescence. Be sure to listen to the full song on Objkt with headphones for the best experience.
It’s in the name — Mek.txt has a deep appreciation for text-based art. A perfect example is his recent piece “Bronze Age Collapse”. At first glance, it looks like a crumbling city at sunset, caught between eras. But look closer. Mek brings back the look of 1980s DOS graphics, using the classic 1:2 character tile ratio. The tall silver towers resemble ancient ruins from the future. Tiny figures made from simple text characters populate the scene, giving it life and scale.
Bronze Age Collapse tells the story of a city in decline and captures a broader transition — from one age to another, both in the scene and in the style. Text-mode graphics were once the peak of digital imagination, and Mek.txt taps into that history with purpose. He’s reviving a visual language and showing that old tools can still express new ideas. Follow all things MEK.txt at his website here.
Loopascii: Gif Maker, Ascii, Glitch Art
Loopascii joined the Tezos scene in December 2023 and has stayed true to a clear visual language: ASCII. That’s the art of building images from plain text characters like letters, numbers, punctuation, arranged with intention. Scrolling through Loopascii’s works on Tezos from oldest to newest reveals the evolution of a signature style that’s both technically impressive and emotionally resonant.
In “Listening to Myself”, we see a figure in a hoodie leaning against a pole, headphones on, entirely composed of plain text characters. The glitchy movement creates a gentle breeze-like atmosphere while also suggesting internal noise. It raises the question: is the figure listening to music, or are those noise-canceling headphones enabling silence, letting them hear their own thoughts? The refined color palette hints at introspection, even sadness, as if they are “Feeling Blue.” And the smart use of negative space makes the piece visually calm despite the glitchy motion.
In a more recent work titled “Even If I Walk Alone, I Stay On The Right Path”, the red-hooded figure reappears, walking along a forest trail beside a river, with a horse visible across the water. The scene is richer and more complex than earlier pieces, suggesting a fusion of manipulated imagery with ASCII layers. What stands out most is how the glitching breathes life into the scene yet again, with water flowing, rain falling, trees swaying. It’s meditative and cinematic all at once. To enjoy all of the amazing work by Loopascii check out their Objkt portfolio here.
Share More Art, Nominations For ‘ART’icle of May Are Now Open
As we wrap up this month’s ‘ART’icle, it’s clear the creative energy flowing through the Tezos community keeps expanding. Each featured artist brings something special by offering fresh perspectives, pushing boundaries, and crafting experiences that resonate and inspire.
From playful animations to immersive audiovisuals and expressive text-based compositions, their work shows just how diverse and exciting this space can be.
If you’ve discovered an artist this month who deserves more attention, nominate them for the May edition! Just post about them on X using the hashtag #tezARTicle so we can find your recommendation.
Let’s keep lifting each other up and shining a light on the artists who make this ecosystem thrive. See you next month for another ‘ART’icle!
‘ART’icle Of April was originally published in Tezos Commons on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
5 Useful Tools for Tezos Artists
Five dApps and Developments That Can Help the Artist In You Thrive
From idea to creation, to organizing releases and maintaining visibility, the uphill climb is steep for the life of a working artist. It’s growing more important to utilize the tools available. We must continue adapting to rapidly evolving times, fueled mostly by technological innovation. To support your creative journey, here are five tools designed to streamline your workflow, enhance your presence, and understand your impact on the Tezos art community.
Bandog: On-Chain Insights Made Simple
Understanding what happens to your art after it’s minted is just as important as the art itself. It’s like having access to social media analytics but for NFTs. The data is there, buried in the blockchain, but navigating explorers can feel like decoding a flight manual. Bandog changes that.
Built on the Tzkt API, Bandog turns raw data into a clean and intuitive experience. You get a real-time look at wallet activity, sales trends, and collector behavior, without needing a degree in data science. One of its standout features is the curated network map, which visualizes wallet connections and interactions. It’s a powerful way to spot patterns, trace the journey of your tokens, or even sniff out suspicious activity. There’s even a hall of shame and a copy minter bulletin to help identify bad actors within the space.
What makes Bandog special is how personal it feels. As someone with years of on-chain history, it does so much more than show me stats, it reminds me of the relationships I’ve built through my art and community involvement. It’s a mirror to the social layer of Tezos, revealing the web of collectors, peers, and moments that shape my presence on-chain. It also points toward new connections waiting to happen. See for yourself at bandog.pet.
NFTBiker: Multi Tool NFT Command Center
NFTBiker has quietly become one of the most powerful all-in-one resources for Tezos artists. Airdrop assistant, sales tracker, minting history, wallet analytics. You name it, it’s probably there. It feels like having a backstage control panel for your entire Tezos art career.
NFTBiker offers a deep set of tools designed for both artists and collectors. For artists specifically, it brings practical features like batching, airdrops, and swap management into one clean dashboard. You can also instantly view your entire release history, track secondary market sales, and even generate a visual gallery of your work.
Some tools are free and open to everyone. Others are “token-locked” and only become accessible if you hold specific NFTBiker NFTs. These token-gated tools offer deeper insights and added functionality, giving dedicated users a more advanced set of utilities while helping fund the project. In other words, it’s a way to support the developer while unlocking premium features that can really upgrade your workflow.
NFTBiker is the tool I’ve used to track sales and execute airdrops since the early days of HEN. Once you start using it, it’s hard to imagine managing your Tezos art practice without it. Start benefiting from these tools at nftbiker.xyz.
Tezos Domains: Identity For Brand and Wallet Management
Your wallet address can become part of your brand. Tezos Domains lets you register a clean, human-readable name with the .tez extension and link it directly to your wallet. Instead of copying and pasting a long string of letters and numbers, you can share something memorable.
For artists, this is an extremely convenient upgrade that adds a layer of discoverability. A Tezos domain also looks better on your website, your X bio, and in collectors’ wallets. It gives your identity consistency across platforms and makes it easier for people to find you, tag you, and connect with your work. It also builds trust. A recognizable domain signals that you’re established and intentional about your presence.
These domains integrate directly with Tezos wallets like Kukai and Temple, and they’re supported across NFT marketplaces. That means your Tezos domain will show up instead of your raw wallet address when collectors interact with your profile or trade your art. It’s a small detail that adds up, especially as your visibility grows.
On a technical level, domains are minted as FA2 NFTs, so ownership is handled right on-chain. You can transfer, sell, or even assign subdomains for collaborations, alternate identities, or different creative roles. Artists managing multiple projects can use Tezos Domains to stay organized and categorize their releases.
The platform is community-governed through a DAO, which means you can get involved in shaping the future of the service. From proposals to voting, $TED token holders can influence how features roll out and how the platform evolves. This kind of transparent, artist-friendly governance shows that Tezos Domains is built to last as a vital tool for the Tezos community.
Whether you’re new to the scene or already building your brand, securing a Tezos domain is one of the easiest and most effective ways to step up your presence in the ecosystem. Grab your Tezos Domain at app.tezos.domains.
CryptoNoises: Instantly Get Notified Of Wallet Activity
CryptoNoises is a real-time notification tool that lets you hear when wallet activity happens on the Tezos blockchain. Designed with simplicity and creativity in mind, it notifies users of wallet events like sales, transfers, mints, and more. You can literally listen to your on-chain presence come to life.
The tool is available as a Discord bot and a Telegram bot, making it easy to integrate into your daily online activities. Once set up, you can monitor any wallet address and receive audio cues each time a transaction occurs. Whether it’s your own sales, a new mint, or a collector making moves, CryptoNoises makes sure you stay tuned in to what’s happening with your on-chain activity and interests.
To learn more or try it for yourself, visit the website here.
TEIA Copyright Registration: Protect Your Work, On-Chain
The need for better tools to protect artists’ intellectual property rises with every copy mint, a Web3 term for plagiarized work. Teia is actively developing a copyright registration feature designed to help artists establish authorship directly on the Tezos blockchain. Once live, this tool will provide a streamlined way to create a verifiable, on-chain record that ties your artwork to a timestamp and wallet address.
The concept is simple but powerful. By registering a work during or after the minting process, artists will be able to generate an immutable record that could serve as proof of creation. This could deter misuse of original art and offer peace of mind to creators who want to protect their work without relying on traditional, centralized systems.
The system is being designed to store a hash of the artwork and relevant metadata on-chain. This allows for easy verification of authorship while maintaining user privacy and respecting decentralized principles. It’s another step in TEIA’s ongoing mission to empower artists through open tools, transparency, and community-driven innovation.
While the feature is still in development, its announcement signals a growing commitment in the Tezos ecosystem to artist rights and creative sovereignty. As the space matures, tools like this will become essential for establishing trust, provenance, and protection in a digital-first world.
Why Not Give It A Try
Next time you’re feeling overwhelmed while navigating your Tezos journey, remember that there’s a community constantly supporting each other and sharing what they learn along the way. Tezos developers often become artists, and artists often begin to code. The digital commonwealth breeds the motivation to innovate.
This creates a sea of experimental tools built out of necessity, some more known than others. These tools can help in your daily Tezos activities and give you more time to focus on creating. Use them, and consider supporting the developers when possible. When you find a useful tool, share it with the community. Developers have just as hard a time getting seen as we artists do.
We are still in the Wild West era of the blockchain space, so grab the best gear available and saddle up. Let’s ride into the future as prepared as possible.
5 Useful Tools For Tezos Artists was originally published in Tezos Commons on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
From idea to creation, to organizing releases and maintaining visibility, the uphill climb is steep for the life of a working artist. It’s growing more important to utilize the tools available. We must continue adapting to rapidly evolving times, fueled mostly by technological innovation. To support your creative journey, here are five tools designed to streamline your workflow, enhance your presence, and understand your impact on the Tezos art community.
Bandog: On-Chain Insights Made Simple
Understanding what happens to your art after it’s minted is just as important as the art itself. It’s like having access to social media analytics but for NFTs. The data is there, buried in the blockchain, but navigating explorers can feel like decoding a flight manual. Bandog changes that.
Built on the Tzkt API, Bandog turns raw data into a clean and intuitive experience. You get a real-time look at wallet activity, sales trends, and collector behavior, without needing a degree in data science. One of its standout features is the curated network map, which visualizes wallet connections and interactions. It’s a powerful way to spot patterns, trace the journey of your tokens, or even sniff out suspicious activity. There’s even a hall of shame and a copy minter bulletin to help identify bad actors within the space.
What makes Bandog special is how personal it feels. As someone with years of on-chain history, it does so much more than show me stats, it reminds me of the relationships I’ve built through my art and community involvement. It’s a mirror to the social layer of Tezos, revealing the web of collectors, peers, and moments that shape my presence on-chain. It also points toward new connections waiting to happen. See for yourself at bandog.pet.
NFTBiker: Multi Tool NFT Command Center
NFTBiker has quietly become one of the most powerful all-in-one resources for Tezos artists. Airdrop assistant, sales tracker, minting history, wallet analytics. You name it, it’s probably there. It feels like having a backstage control panel for your entire Tezos art career.
NFTBiker offers a deep set of tools designed for both artists and collectors. For artists specifically, it brings practical features like batching, airdrops, and swap management into one clean dashboard. You can also instantly view your entire release history, track secondary market sales, and even generate a visual gallery of your work.
Some tools are free and open to everyone. Others are “token-locked” and only become accessible if you hold specific NFTBiker NFTs. These token-gated tools offer deeper insights and added functionality, giving dedicated users a more advanced set of utilities while helping fund the project. In other words, it’s a way to support the developer while unlocking premium features that can really upgrade your workflow.
NFTBiker is the tool I’ve used to track sales and execute airdrops since the early days of HEN. Once you start using it, it’s hard to imagine managing your Tezos art practice without it. Start benefiting from these tools at nftbiker.xyz.
Tezos Domains: Identity For Brand and Wallet Management
Your wallet address can become part of your brand. Tezos Domains lets you register a clean, human-readable name with the .tez extension and link it directly to your wallet. Instead of copying and pasting a long string of letters and numbers, you can share something memorable.
For artists, this is an extremely convenient upgrade that adds a layer of discoverability. A Tezos domain also looks better on your website, your X bio, and in collectors’ wallets. It gives your identity consistency across platforms and makes it easier for people to find you, tag you, and connect with your work. It also builds trust. A recognizable domain signals that you’re established and intentional about your presence.
These domains integrate directly with Tezos wallets like Kukai and Temple, and they’re supported across NFT marketplaces. That means your Tezos domain will show up instead of your raw wallet address when collectors interact with your profile or trade your art. It’s a small detail that adds up, especially as your visibility grows.
On a technical level, domains are minted as FA2 NFTs, so ownership is handled right on-chain. You can transfer, sell, or even assign subdomains for collaborations, alternate identities, or different creative roles. Artists managing multiple projects can use Tezos Domains to stay organized and categorize their releases.
The platform is community-governed through a DAO, which means you can get involved in shaping the future of the service. From proposals to voting, $TED token holders can influence how features roll out and how the platform evolves. This kind of transparent, artist-friendly governance shows that Tezos Domains is built to last as a vital tool for the Tezos community.
Whether you’re new to the scene or already building your brand, securing a Tezos domain is one of the easiest and most effective ways to step up your presence in the ecosystem. Grab your Tezos Domain at app.tezos.domains.
CryptoNoises: Instantly Get Notified Of Wallet Activity
CryptoNoises is a real-time notification tool that lets you hear when wallet activity happens on the Tezos blockchain. Designed with simplicity and creativity in mind, it notifies users of wallet events like sales, transfers, mints, and more. You can literally listen to your on-chain presence come to life.
The tool is available as a Discord bot and a Telegram bot, making it easy to integrate into your daily online activities. Once set up, you can monitor any wallet address and receive audio cues each time a transaction occurs. Whether it’s your own sales, a new mint, or a collector making moves, CryptoNoises makes sure you stay tuned in to what’s happening with your on-chain activity and interests.
To learn more or try it for yourself, visit the website here.
TEIA Copyright Registration: Protect Your Work, On-Chain
The need for better tools to protect artists’ intellectual property rises with every copy mint, a Web3 term for plagiarized work. Teia is actively developing a copyright registration feature designed to help artists establish authorship directly on the Tezos blockchain. Once live, this tool will provide a streamlined way to create a verifiable, on-chain record that ties your artwork to a timestamp and wallet address.
The concept is simple but powerful. By registering a work during or after the minting process, artists will be able to generate an immutable record that could serve as proof of creation. This could deter misuse of original art and offer peace of mind to creators who want to protect their work without relying on traditional, centralized systems.
The system is being designed to store a hash of the artwork and relevant metadata on-chain. This allows for easy verification of authorship while maintaining user privacy and respecting decentralized principles. It’s another step in TEIA’s ongoing mission to empower artists through open tools, transparency, and community-driven innovation.
While the feature is still in development, its announcement signals a growing commitment in the Tezos ecosystem to artist rights and creative sovereignty. As the space matures, tools like this will become essential for establishing trust, provenance, and protection in a digital-first world.
Why Not Give It A Try
Next time you’re feeling overwhelmed while navigating your Tezos journey, remember that there’s a community constantly supporting each other and sharing what they learn along the way. Tezos developers often become artists, and artists often begin to code. The digital commonwealth breeds the motivation to innovate.
This creates a sea of experimental tools built out of necessity, some more known than others. These tools can help in your daily Tezos activities and give you more time to focus on creating. Use them, and consider supporting the developers when possible. When you find a useful tool, share it with the community. Developers have just as hard a time getting seen as we artists do.
We are still in the Wild West era of the blockchain space, so grab the best gear available and saddle up. Let’s ride into the future as prepared as possible.
5 Useful Tools For Tezos Artists was originally published in Tezos Commons on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
Manchester United Wild Cards: a New Twist on Fantasy Collectors
Picture checking your phone on match‑day morning, only to realize one card can double Bruno’s points.
Manchester United’s digital collectibles have shown how Web3 can reshape the fan experience. Think trading cards, fantasy lineups, and actual rewards tied to real games. Now they’ve added something new: Wild Cards. With this update, Fantasy United feels more like a game fans will want to check in on each week.
What are Wild Cards?
Wild Cards don’t sit quietly in your collection. They shift how your team scores and change how you approach each lineup. If you’re paying attention, they open up a layer of strategy that goes beyond picking the highest-rated players.
At a glance, they look like bonus cards. You add one to your five-player Fantasy United squad, and your team’s scoring potential changes. But it’s not a flat boost. Each card brings a different effect, which means timing and lineup choices start to matter.
How the Multipliers Work
Old Trafford — doubles every player’s points
Manager — 1.5× boost to the whole squad
Attack — doubles forwards, adds a small team bonus
Defense — same for defenders, adds a small team bonus
Picking stars alone won’t cut it anymore. You’re now thinking about form, matchups, and which Wild Card might give you the edge in a tight leaderboard race. Even if you’re competing in a private league, the extra layer adds something important: choice.
Wild Cards sit in the right‑hand panel. Click “Play Card” before the deadline to activate one. Why It Matters for Strategy
When Fantasy United first launched, it felt like a fun way to give the collectible cards some purpose. Now, with Wild Cards, the experience has more depth. It plays even more like a fantasy game, with decisions that affect the outcome.
Stack Bruno and Garnacho, drop the Attack card, and suddenly every run they make feels personal. Goals mean points, and points move you up the leaderboard.
Say United’s up against a weaker team, and you feel confident. Play the Old Trafford Wild Card, and your squad’s score doubles.
Points aren’t the only thing they change. They make you think differently in the game. You start watching matchups, adjusting strategy, and feeling more like someone managing the outcome, not just picking names.
How to Get One
The setup’s simple. Wild Cards are part of the same £3 packs as the regular Player Trading Cards, available through the official site. Each pack has seven cards. You won’t find a Wild Card in every pack you open, but they’re in the mix.
Look for this banner on the collectibles site. A £3 pack contains seven cards, and a Wild Card can appear at random.
On 4 April 2025, the club announced a free Rúben Amorim Wild Card in an official post. It went to anyone watching the official channels or active on Discord. If you missed it, now’s a good time to start paying attention. The best cards don’t always come with a price tag.
Unknowns & Next Steps
Wild Cards are fun, but parts of the rulebook remain blank:
Rarity stacking — Do Rare and Ultra‑Rare multipliers layer on top of a Wild Card?
Score caps — Is there a ceiling to stop runaway totals?
Future roles — Will midfield‑ or goalkeeper‑focused cards arrive next?
For now, the mystery is half the appeal. As new managers join, we’ll see whether the devs spell out the details or keep the sandbox feel.
Most NFT cards end up as collectibles. They’re something to own, not use. Wild Cards change that. They shift how you play, reward timing, and give you more to think about each week. It’s a simple idea but adds enough depth to keep things interesting.
If your squad’s been on autopilot, drop a Wild Card and see what changes. Just don’t blame me if Rashford bags the week you double him.
Manchester United Wild Cards: A New Twist on Fantasy Collectors was originally published in Tezos Commons on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
Manchester United’s digital collectibles have shown how Web3 can reshape the fan experience. Think trading cards, fantasy lineups, and actual rewards tied to real games. Now they’ve added something new: Wild Cards. With this update, Fantasy United feels more like a game fans will want to check in on each week.
What are Wild Cards?
Wild Cards don’t sit quietly in your collection. They shift how your team scores and change how you approach each lineup. If you’re paying attention, they open up a layer of strategy that goes beyond picking the highest-rated players.
At a glance, they look like bonus cards. You add one to your five-player Fantasy United squad, and your team’s scoring potential changes. But it’s not a flat boost. Each card brings a different effect, which means timing and lineup choices start to matter.
How the Multipliers Work
Old Trafford — doubles every player’s points
Manager — 1.5× boost to the whole squad
Attack — doubles forwards, adds a small team bonus
Defense — same for defenders, adds a small team bonus
Picking stars alone won’t cut it anymore. You’re now thinking about form, matchups, and which Wild Card might give you the edge in a tight leaderboard race. Even if you’re competing in a private league, the extra layer adds something important: choice.
Wild Cards sit in the right‑hand panel. Click “Play Card” before the deadline to activate one. Why It Matters for Strategy
When Fantasy United first launched, it felt like a fun way to give the collectible cards some purpose. Now, with Wild Cards, the experience has more depth. It plays even more like a fantasy game, with decisions that affect the outcome.
Stack Bruno and Garnacho, drop the Attack card, and suddenly every run they make feels personal. Goals mean points, and points move you up the leaderboard.
Say United’s up against a weaker team, and you feel confident. Play the Old Trafford Wild Card, and your squad’s score doubles.
Points aren’t the only thing they change. They make you think differently in the game. You start watching matchups, adjusting strategy, and feeling more like someone managing the outcome, not just picking names.
How to Get One
The setup’s simple. Wild Cards are part of the same £3 packs as the regular Player Trading Cards, available through the official site. Each pack has seven cards. You won’t find a Wild Card in every pack you open, but they’re in the mix.
Look for this banner on the collectibles site. A £3 pack contains seven cards, and a Wild Card can appear at random.
On 4 April 2025, the club announced a free Rúben Amorim Wild Card in an official post. It went to anyone watching the official channels or active on Discord. If you missed it, now’s a good time to start paying attention. The best cards don’t always come with a price tag.
Unknowns & Next Steps
Wild Cards are fun, but parts of the rulebook remain blank:
Rarity stacking — Do Rare and Ultra‑Rare multipliers layer on top of a Wild Card?
Score caps — Is there a ceiling to stop runaway totals?
Future roles — Will midfield‑ or goalkeeper‑focused cards arrive next?
For now, the mystery is half the appeal. As new managers join, we’ll see whether the devs spell out the details or keep the sandbox feel.
Most NFT cards end up as collectibles. They’re something to own, not use. Wild Cards change that. They shift how you play, reward timing, and give you more to think about each week. It’s a simple idea but adds enough depth to keep things interesting.
If your squad’s been on autopilot, drop a Wild Card and see what changes. Just don’t blame me if Rashford bags the week you double him.
Manchester United Wild Cards: A New Twist on Fantasy Collectors was originally published in Tezos Commons on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
Market’s Quiet Phase, Tezos’ Busiest Hour
The market might be ugly, but Tezos is quietly laying down serious foundations.
Let’s face it, the crypto market hasn’t exactly been sunshine and rainbows over the last couple of weeks. Prices have dipped, engagement has slowed, and the general vibe across the space has been… well, kind of gloomy. It’s the environment where people unplug, projects go quiet, and the hype dies down.
But here’s the thing: in the Tezos ecosystem, things haven’t stopped. In fact, they’ve been speeding up. There’s real momentum here. Not hype-fueled, not VC-manufactured, just steady, meaningful progress. And in times like these, that counts for a lot. Let’s take a closer look at what I mean.
Etherlink: EVM With a Tezos Twist
Let’s start with the new kid on the block, Etherlink, which is Tezos’ new EVM-compatible Layer 2. Unlike many other rollups out there, Etherlink is fully decentralized, permissionless, and built with Tezos’ signature upgradeability. And it’s not just a spec on a roadmap. It’s live, with projects deploying and actual activity happening.
With more than 30 projects building on it, it is surely growing and establishing its name in the EVM space, from decentralized exchanges and on-chain order books to lending aggregators, real-world asset tokenizations, and smooth bridges to move funds in and out of the ecosystem. Add to that programs like Apple Farm that incentivize liquidity providing some of the juicy APYs in the blockchain defi space, and it’s no wonder why it’s growing fast.
Tezos Upgrades: Shipping Nonstop
Next we have the core of Tezos, which is upgradability, not just a buzzword here, but something that actually happens through on-chain governance, and happens often. Tezos continues to evolve through regular, community-driven protocol upgrades. If you’ve been around a while, it’s easy to take this for granted. But that pace and consistency? It’s rare in the crypto world.
And these upgrades aren’t just surface-level tweaks. We’re talking full-on consensus changes, major reductions in block times, the launch of enshrined optimistic rollups like Etherlink, improvements to the economic model of the protocol, the introduction of the new staking mechanism, and plenty more. These are the pieces that form the backbone of the Tezos X vision, and they keep landing, block after block.
The most recent upgrade proposal named “Rio” (the 18th in line) is currently being voted on, and you can find more information on it on Tezos Agora.
Real-World Assets: From Talk to Action
Real-world asset tokenization is one of the hottest narratives in crypto right now. But on Tezos, it’s more than just talk. Take Uranium.io, for example, a project bringing uranium ownership on-chain. It’s a niche asset, sure, but one that’s traditionally inaccessible to most people. With Uranium.io, owning a slice of uranium can be done in just three steps, and it’s all transparent, on-chain, and Tezos-native.
Recently, the project also launched a gamified experience called Uranium Mining, where users can mine uranium points by playing, and eventually convert them into real uranium-backed tokens. This kind of utility-driven approach is exactly what Tezos is good at: making real, tangible value accessible through solid tech, not hype, but actual use cases in motion.
The Art Scene: Still a Powerhouse
Even in the bear market, the Tezos art ecosystem remained one of the most vibrant corners of crypto and platforms like objkt.com, fx(hash), Skurpy, and teia are still bustling. Artists continue to mint, collectors continue to collect, and the culture is thriving, not because of incentives or marketing, but because of genuine passion and community support.
What makes the Tezos art scene so special is that it’s not just about flipping JPEGs, it’s about curation, collaboration, connections, and real artistic expression. Events like exhibitions, open calls, and community-led galleries keep the creative momentum going, even when the broader market cools.
While other chains chase volume with hype and gimmicks, Tezos still feels like a place where art matters. It’s community-first, not marketing-first, and that’s rare. It’s not just a marketplace, it’s a movement.
Gaming: A Slow-Burning Rocket
Tezos also sees real movement in gaming. A number of games have already launched or are integrating with the ecosystem, including titles like BattleRise and Sugar Match, and even gamified DeFi-style projects like the Uranium Mining game from Uranium.io, with many more games and announcements on the way. It’s not just speculation or trailers; it’s actual games, playable and progressing, right now.
These games are a great signal of the kind of momentum that’s building beneath the surface. The devs and studios behind them are choosing Tezos and Etherlink because the tools are solid, the fees are low, the support is amazing, and the community shows up. And with even more (big) announcements coming, it’s another reminder that things are actually happening on Tezos, not months from now, but right here, right now.
Beyond the headlines and hype cycles, there are a lot of builders quietly pushing things forward on Tezos. From wallets and marketplaces to DAOs, mobile apps, and tools, new ideas are being shipped all the time. You might not see them on a big stage or in a viral thread, but they’re deep in the Discords, shipping on GitHub, and iterating in the open.
These are the people who show up even when the charts are red. The ones building not for the “pump”, but because they believe in the tech, the community, and the long game.
And when you zoom out, that energy is everywhere, in the tools being built, the art being minted, the DeFi taking shape, and the games being launched.
So next time someone says “nothing’s happening in crypto,” tell them to look a little closer. Or better yet, hand them a wallet and a few tez. Let them see for themselves.
The market might be quiet. But Tezos? Tezos is rocking and rolling!
Market’s Quiet Phase, Tezos’ Busiest Hour was originally published in Tezos Commons on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
Let’s face it, the crypto market hasn’t exactly been sunshine and rainbows over the last couple of weeks. Prices have dipped, engagement has slowed, and the general vibe across the space has been… well, kind of gloomy. It’s the environment where people unplug, projects go quiet, and the hype dies down.
But here’s the thing: in the Tezos ecosystem, things haven’t stopped. In fact, they’ve been speeding up. There’s real momentum here. Not hype-fueled, not VC-manufactured, just steady, meaningful progress. And in times like these, that counts for a lot. Let’s take a closer look at what I mean.
Etherlink: EVM With a Tezos Twist
Let’s start with the new kid on the block, Etherlink, which is Tezos’ new EVM-compatible Layer 2. Unlike many other rollups out there, Etherlink is fully decentralized, permissionless, and built with Tezos’ signature upgradeability. And it’s not just a spec on a roadmap. It’s live, with projects deploying and actual activity happening.
With more than 30 projects building on it, it is surely growing and establishing its name in the EVM space, from decentralized exchanges and on-chain order books to lending aggregators, real-world asset tokenizations, and smooth bridges to move funds in and out of the ecosystem. Add to that programs like Apple Farm that incentivize liquidity providing some of the juicy APYs in the blockchain defi space, and it’s no wonder why it’s growing fast.
Tezos Upgrades: Shipping Nonstop
Next we have the core of Tezos, which is upgradability, not just a buzzword here, but something that actually happens through on-chain governance, and happens often. Tezos continues to evolve through regular, community-driven protocol upgrades. If you’ve been around a while, it’s easy to take this for granted. But that pace and consistency? It’s rare in the crypto world.
And these upgrades aren’t just surface-level tweaks. We’re talking full-on consensus changes, major reductions in block times, the launch of enshrined optimistic rollups like Etherlink, improvements to the economic model of the protocol, the introduction of the new staking mechanism, and plenty more. These are the pieces that form the backbone of the Tezos X vision, and they keep landing, block after block.
The most recent upgrade proposal named “Rio” (the 18th in line) is currently being voted on, and you can find more information on it on Tezos Agora.
Real-World Assets: From Talk to Action
Real-world asset tokenization is one of the hottest narratives in crypto right now. But on Tezos, it’s more than just talk. Take Uranium.io, for example, a project bringing uranium ownership on-chain. It’s a niche asset, sure, but one that’s traditionally inaccessible to most people. With Uranium.io, owning a slice of uranium can be done in just three steps, and it’s all transparent, on-chain, and Tezos-native.
Recently, the project also launched a gamified experience called Uranium Mining, where users can mine uranium points by playing, and eventually convert them into real uranium-backed tokens. This kind of utility-driven approach is exactly what Tezos is good at: making real, tangible value accessible through solid tech, not hype, but actual use cases in motion.
The Art Scene: Still a Powerhouse
Even in the bear market, the Tezos art ecosystem remained one of the most vibrant corners of crypto and platforms like objkt.com, fx(hash), Skurpy, and teia are still bustling. Artists continue to mint, collectors continue to collect, and the culture is thriving, not because of incentives or marketing, but because of genuine passion and community support.
What makes the Tezos art scene so special is that it’s not just about flipping JPEGs, it’s about curation, collaboration, connections, and real artistic expression. Events like exhibitions, open calls, and community-led galleries keep the creative momentum going, even when the broader market cools.
While other chains chase volume with hype and gimmicks, Tezos still feels like a place where art matters. It’s community-first, not marketing-first, and that’s rare. It’s not just a marketplace, it’s a movement.
Gaming: A Slow-Burning Rocket
Tezos also sees real movement in gaming. A number of games have already launched or are integrating with the ecosystem, including titles like BattleRise and Sugar Match, and even gamified DeFi-style projects like the Uranium Mining game from Uranium.io, with many more games and announcements on the way. It’s not just speculation or trailers; it’s actual games, playable and progressing, right now.
These games are a great signal of the kind of momentum that’s building beneath the surface. The devs and studios behind them are choosing Tezos and Etherlink because the tools are solid, the fees are low, the support is amazing, and the community shows up. And with even more (big) announcements coming, it’s another reminder that things are actually happening on Tezos, not months from now, but right here, right now.
Beyond the headlines and hype cycles, there are a lot of builders quietly pushing things forward on Tezos. From wallets and marketplaces to DAOs, mobile apps, and tools, new ideas are being shipped all the time. You might not see them on a big stage or in a viral thread, but they’re deep in the Discords, shipping on GitHub, and iterating in the open.
These are the people who show up even when the charts are red. The ones building not for the “pump”, but because they believe in the tech, the community, and the long game.
And when you zoom out, that energy is everywhere, in the tools being built, the art being minted, the DeFi taking shape, and the games being launched.
So next time someone says “nothing’s happening in crypto,” tell them to look a little closer. Or better yet, hand them a wallet and a few tez. Let them see for themselves.
The market might be quiet. But Tezos? Tezos is rocking and rolling!
Market’s Quiet Phase, Tezos’ Busiest Hour was originally published in Tezos Commons on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
The Baking Sheet - Issue #251
Welcome back to another edition of The Baking Sheet, your weekly download on everything Tezos.
This week, we’re shifting into event mode. With summer fast approaching, the spotlight turns to TezDev, the annual gathering for builders, creators, and everyone shaping the Tezos ecosystem. Alongside that, we’ve got insights from Arthur Breitman at ETHDenver, a new community event called Tezos Gaming Night, and a fresh update from the Stables team in this week’s Game Spotlight.
Let’s get into it.
TezDev 2025: The Community Comes to Cannes
The countdown is on—TezDev is headed to the French Riviera.
📍 Cannes, France🗓 Thursday, July 3, 2025
After a packed house in Brussels last summer, TezDev is returning with a fresh coast, new ideas, and the same spirit of collaboration that’s made it the flagship gathering of the Tezos community.
TezDev 2024 brought in more than 700 attendees and featured names like Arthur Breitman, Justin Drake, and Tarun Chitra—each offering sharp perspectives on where Tezos fits in a rapidly evolving ecosystem. This year, expect more builders, more conversations, and a focus on making things real.
From technical workshops to ecosystem deep-dives, TezDev 2025 will be packed with:
Panels and demos from teams building on Tezos and Etherlink
New reveals across gaming, DeFi, and real-world assets
Networking with developers, designers, and community members
Early bird tickets for TezDev 2025 are now available, and the first 100 will receive exclusive swag at the event, secure your spot here.
Bring Your JavaScript Skills—We’ll Handle the Blockchain Part
Jstz (pronounced “justice”) is a new JavaScript runtime powered by Tezos Smart Rollups, and it's designed for developers who want to build decentralized applications without switching stacks or learning a new language. No special compilers. No custom syntax. Just JavaScript as you know it with access to the transparency, security, and composability of Tezos Layer 2.
You can write smart functions, store data, move tokens, and interact with Tezos infrastructure using standard JS and npm modules all inside a local sandbox that’s easy to spin up and test. And right now, the team is looking for your feedback to help shape Jstz from the ground up.
Jstz is still experimental, but it already lets you:
Write and deploy smart functions with standard JavaScript.
Run apps locally with preloaded test accounts and Tezos tokens.
Use your favorite tools, libraries, and frameworks.
Explore examples like messaging boards, counters, and full dashboards.
No blockchain experience? No problem. This is a playground for JavaScript developers, not a gated protocol for Solidity pros.
Here’s how to get started:
Install the CLI and launch the sandbox.
Try the
get-tez
, show-tez, or counter examples.
Deploy a smart function and call it from the CLI or web UI.
Submit your thoughts in the Developer Experience Survey.
If you’re among the first to complete the survey, you’ll receive an exclusive Jstz OG NFT.
This is JavaScript for real decentralized apps where your code runs on a rollup, stores data immutably, and scales with Tezos. No wallet integrations yet, no mainnet deployment, but all the tools are there for you to explore what’s possible.
Explore the full docs, examples, and SDKs on the Jstz GitHub.
Let’s build.
This Week in the Tezos Ecosystem
Arthur Breitman Talks L2s, Tezos Upgrades, and Tokenized Uranium at ETHDenver
With TezDev 2025 on the horizon and developers starting to test-drive Jstz, let’s turn our focus to what’s been happening across the Tezos ecosystem this week.
At ETHDenver 2025, Tezos co-founder Arthur Breitman sat down with Genzio CEO for a wide-ranging conversation that covered the current L2 landscape, the ongoing evolution of Tezos, and what it means to bring real-world assets like uranium on-chain.
Arthur unpacked how Tezos is continuing to scale with Smart Rollups and what sets the network apart in terms of governance and long-term architecture. The conversation also spotlighted Uranium.io, the first on-chain uranium marketplace, and how it signals a shift in how we think about tokenizing access to hard assets.
🎥 Watch the full interview
Tezos Gaming Nights: Weekly Streams, Familiar Vibes
As developer activity heats up and protocol upgrades hit the finish line, it’s worth stepping back to see what all that infrastructure enables. One example? Tezos Gaming Nights.
Started by the Tezos Commons team late last year, Tezos Gaming Nights is a weekly livestream that brings Web3 games to life—without all the jargon. Hosted by Blangs and AJ, the stream goes live on Tuesdays at 4:30 PM PST and features two games per session: one built on Tezos and one more familiar to mainstream audiences.
The format is simple and relaxed: no scripted intros, no slide decks—just gameplay. The team kicks things off with a Tezos-native title like Pikes Arena or Auto Hero, talking through what’s happening as they go. If it looks fun, that’s the point. Web3 concepts are baked in, but never front and center.
The second half of the stream usually shifts to something familiar, from Counter-Strike 2 to Once Human. Lately, it’s been the Tezos Community Minecraft Server, a nostalgic, easy-entry game that’s brought new players into the ecosystem without needing wallets or whitepapers. The Tezos Community Minecraft Server is coming alive and guess what we’re building next?
That’s right, we’re building a Uranium mine! In addition to this, other community members have built some incredible creations like a TEIA Marketplace or TED Towers that represent Tezos Domains. We also have artists building their own installations on the server. If you’re interested in joining the server, DM @TezosGaming on X and he will get you situated with your own mailbox.
What sets Tezos Gaming Nights apart is the emphasis on playing, not explaining. It’s not about pitching use cases, it’s about showing what’s already live. If someone can click a link and jump into a Tezos-powered game without thinking twice, that’s the kind of onboarding that sticks.
Want to join the fun? Follow @TezosCommons and catch the next stream this Tuesday. Play, hang out, or just see what’s possible when gaming meets Tezos.
Game Spotlight: Stables
Fresh tracks, new leagues, more strategy—Stables just got a full makeover.
The beta of the updated game is now live, bringing a wave of new gameplay mechanics and visual upgrades that deepen the experience for racers and strategists alike.
Here’s what’s new:
Revamped UI – A cleaner, smoother interface makes it easier than ever to navigate, race, and manage your stable.
Leagues System – Horses are now grouped by level, ensuring more balanced matchups and competitive races.
Dynamic Racetracks – Each league features 3 daily tracks, complete with rotating weather, terrain, and distance conditions every 12 hours.
Quests – Daily and weekly objectives keep players engaged and rewarded with S-Points and bonuses.
Power-Ups – Introduce a new tactical layer. Activate boosts at key moments during registration to change your race outcome—especially in higher leagues where multiple boosts can be stacked.
Mood System – Adds another dimension to race-day decisions, letting players factor in their horse’s mental state for optimized performance.
This update moves Stables toward a more strategic and rewarding racing ecosystem, making gameplay decisions matter more while maintaining its play-and-earn approach.
You can jump into the beta right now at: app.playstables.io
Upcoming Events
Arthur Breitman at Token2049: Uranium On-Chain
Join Tezos co-founder Arthur Breitman at Token2049 in Dubai for a keynote exploring how Tezos is unlocking access to new markets through tokenization.
Arthur will share insights on bringing commodities like uranium on-chain, and how Tezos is pushing boundaries with real-world asset infrastructure.
🗓️ Date: April 30⏰ Time: 10:30 AM – 10:45 AM📍 Location: io.net Amphitheatre Stage, Token2049 Dubai
Don’t miss this opportunity to hear how Tezos is expanding the frontier of what’s possible with Web3.
🔴 Now Streaming: : Baking with Libertez
This week on TezTalks Live, we’re joined by Fernando Fierro—aka Libertez—Tezos baker, advocate, and educator. From the banking crisis in Argentina to crypto-powered solutions in Venezuela, Fernando shares how Tezos is gaining ground in one of the world’s most active regions for real-world blockchain adoption.
Our special guest is Libertez, bringing Tezos to the streets of Latin America.
🔍 In this episode, we’ll explore:
Libertez’s Journey: – From baker to educator, how Fernando is helping communities navigate financial uncertainty with Tezos.
Crypto in the Real World: – Why Latin America has become a proving ground for practical, everyday crypto use cases.
Banking, Inflation & Access: – How Tezos can support unbanked populations and offer stability in volatile economies.
Education & Onboarding: – What’s needed to grow Tezos adoption, and how language, tools, and community play a role.
What’s Next: – The future of Tezos in Latin America and how Libertez is helping shape it.
Watch the full episode on YouTube.
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This week, we’re shifting into event mode. With summer fast approaching, the spotlight turns to TezDev, the annual gathering for builders, creators, and everyone shaping the Tezos ecosystem. Alongside that, we’ve got insights from Arthur Breitman at ETHDenver, a new community event called Tezos Gaming Night, and a fresh update from the Stables team in this week’s Game Spotlight.
Let’s get into it.
TezDev 2025: The Community Comes to Cannes
The countdown is on—TezDev is headed to the French Riviera.
📍 Cannes, France🗓 Thursday, July 3, 2025
After a packed house in Brussels last summer, TezDev is returning with a fresh coast, new ideas, and the same spirit of collaboration that’s made it the flagship gathering of the Tezos community.
TezDev 2024 brought in more than 700 attendees and featured names like Arthur Breitman, Justin Drake, and Tarun Chitra—each offering sharp perspectives on where Tezos fits in a rapidly evolving ecosystem. This year, expect more builders, more conversations, and a focus on making things real.
From technical workshops to ecosystem deep-dives, TezDev 2025 will be packed with:
Panels and demos from teams building on Tezos and Etherlink
New reveals across gaming, DeFi, and real-world assets
Networking with developers, designers, and community members
Early bird tickets for TezDev 2025 are now available, and the first 100 will receive exclusive swag at the event, secure your spot here.
Bring Your JavaScript Skills—We’ll Handle the Blockchain Part
Jstz (pronounced “justice”) is a new JavaScript runtime powered by Tezos Smart Rollups, and it's designed for developers who want to build decentralized applications without switching stacks or learning a new language. No special compilers. No custom syntax. Just JavaScript as you know it with access to the transparency, security, and composability of Tezos Layer 2.
You can write smart functions, store data, move tokens, and interact with Tezos infrastructure using standard JS and npm modules all inside a local sandbox that’s easy to spin up and test. And right now, the team is looking for your feedback to help shape Jstz from the ground up.
Jstz is still experimental, but it already lets you:
Write and deploy smart functions with standard JavaScript.
Run apps locally with preloaded test accounts and Tezos tokens.
Use your favorite tools, libraries, and frameworks.
Explore examples like messaging boards, counters, and full dashboards.
No blockchain experience? No problem. This is a playground for JavaScript developers, not a gated protocol for Solidity pros.
Here’s how to get started:
Install the CLI and launch the sandbox.
Try the
get-tez
, show-tez, or counter examples.
Deploy a smart function and call it from the CLI or web UI.
Submit your thoughts in the Developer Experience Survey.
If you’re among the first to complete the survey, you’ll receive an exclusive Jstz OG NFT.
This is JavaScript for real decentralized apps where your code runs on a rollup, stores data immutably, and scales with Tezos. No wallet integrations yet, no mainnet deployment, but all the tools are there for you to explore what’s possible.
Explore the full docs, examples, and SDKs on the Jstz GitHub.
Let’s build.
This Week in the Tezos Ecosystem
Arthur Breitman Talks L2s, Tezos Upgrades, and Tokenized Uranium at ETHDenver
With TezDev 2025 on the horizon and developers starting to test-drive Jstz, let’s turn our focus to what’s been happening across the Tezos ecosystem this week.
At ETHDenver 2025, Tezos co-founder Arthur Breitman sat down with Genzio CEO for a wide-ranging conversation that covered the current L2 landscape, the ongoing evolution of Tezos, and what it means to bring real-world assets like uranium on-chain.
Arthur unpacked how Tezos is continuing to scale with Smart Rollups and what sets the network apart in terms of governance and long-term architecture. The conversation also spotlighted Uranium.io, the first on-chain uranium marketplace, and how it signals a shift in how we think about tokenizing access to hard assets.
🎥 Watch the full interview
Tezos Gaming Nights: Weekly Streams, Familiar Vibes
As developer activity heats up and protocol upgrades hit the finish line, it’s worth stepping back to see what all that infrastructure enables. One example? Tezos Gaming Nights.
Started by the Tezos Commons team late last year, Tezos Gaming Nights is a weekly livestream that brings Web3 games to life—without all the jargon. Hosted by Blangs and AJ, the stream goes live on Tuesdays at 4:30 PM PST and features two games per session: one built on Tezos and one more familiar to mainstream audiences.
The format is simple and relaxed: no scripted intros, no slide decks—just gameplay. The team kicks things off with a Tezos-native title like Pikes Arena or Auto Hero, talking through what’s happening as they go. If it looks fun, that’s the point. Web3 concepts are baked in, but never front and center.
The second half of the stream usually shifts to something familiar, from Counter-Strike 2 to Once Human. Lately, it’s been the Tezos Community Minecraft Server, a nostalgic, easy-entry game that’s brought new players into the ecosystem without needing wallets or whitepapers. The Tezos Community Minecraft Server is coming alive and guess what we’re building next?
That’s right, we’re building a Uranium mine! In addition to this, other community members have built some incredible creations like a TEIA Marketplace or TED Towers that represent Tezos Domains. We also have artists building their own installations on the server. If you’re interested in joining the server, DM @TezosGaming on X and he will get you situated with your own mailbox.
What sets Tezos Gaming Nights apart is the emphasis on playing, not explaining. It’s not about pitching use cases, it’s about showing what’s already live. If someone can click a link and jump into a Tezos-powered game without thinking twice, that’s the kind of onboarding that sticks.
Want to join the fun? Follow @TezosCommons and catch the next stream this Tuesday. Play, hang out, or just see what’s possible when gaming meets Tezos.
Game Spotlight: Stables
Fresh tracks, new leagues, more strategy—Stables just got a full makeover.
The beta of the updated game is now live, bringing a wave of new gameplay mechanics and visual upgrades that deepen the experience for racers and strategists alike.
Here’s what’s new:
Revamped UI – A cleaner, smoother interface makes it easier than ever to navigate, race, and manage your stable.
Leagues System – Horses are now grouped by level, ensuring more balanced matchups and competitive races.
Dynamic Racetracks – Each league features 3 daily tracks, complete with rotating weather, terrain, and distance conditions every 12 hours.
Quests – Daily and weekly objectives keep players engaged and rewarded with S-Points and bonuses.
Power-Ups – Introduce a new tactical layer. Activate boosts at key moments during registration to change your race outcome—especially in higher leagues where multiple boosts can be stacked.
Mood System – Adds another dimension to race-day decisions, letting players factor in their horse’s mental state for optimized performance.
This update moves Stables toward a more strategic and rewarding racing ecosystem, making gameplay decisions matter more while maintaining its play-and-earn approach.
You can jump into the beta right now at: app.playstables.io
Upcoming Events
Arthur Breitman at Token2049: Uranium On-Chain
Join Tezos co-founder Arthur Breitman at Token2049 in Dubai for a keynote exploring how Tezos is unlocking access to new markets through tokenization.
Arthur will share insights on bringing commodities like uranium on-chain, and how Tezos is pushing boundaries with real-world asset infrastructure.
🗓️ Date: April 30⏰ Time: 10:30 AM – 10:45 AM📍 Location: io.net Amphitheatre Stage, Token2049 Dubai
Don’t miss this opportunity to hear how Tezos is expanding the frontier of what’s possible with Web3.
🔴 Now Streaming: : Baking with Libertez
This week on TezTalks Live, we’re joined by Fernando Fierro—aka Libertez—Tezos baker, advocate, and educator. From the banking crisis in Argentina to crypto-powered solutions in Venezuela, Fernando shares how Tezos is gaining ground in one of the world’s most active regions for real-world blockchain adoption.
Our special guest is Libertez, bringing Tezos to the streets of Latin America.
🔍 In this episode, we’ll explore:
Libertez’s Journey: – From baker to educator, how Fernando is helping communities navigate financial uncertainty with Tezos.
Crypto in the Real World: – Why Latin America has become a proving ground for practical, everyday crypto use cases.
Banking, Inflation & Access: – How Tezos can support unbanked populations and offer stability in volatile economies.
Education & Onboarding: – What’s needed to grow Tezos adoption, and how language, tools, and community play a role.
What’s Next: – The future of Tezos in Latin America and how Libertez is helping shape it.
Watch the full episode on YouTube.
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Tezos Community Rewards — March 2025
Tezos Community Rewards — March 2025
Announcing the CRP Winners for March 2025!
Greetings Tezos Community,
We are pleased to announce the winners of the “Community Rewards Program” CRP for the month of March 2025!
For more details about the various categories please refer to the rewards page on the Tezos Commons website.
The Community Rewards Program is a Tezos Commons Foundation initiative aimed at fostering adoption and supporting the Tezos ecosystem. Every month up to 5,000 tez are rewarded to those that stand out in merit and act in the interest of the Tezos ecosystem as a whole.
In an endeavor to make it easier for community members to nominate their favorite contributors to the ecosystem, the nomination form has been drastically streamlined. Now containing only three questions, it takes less than 30 seconds to submit a nomination.
Don’t have 30 seconds? You can tag any discord message, Reddit post or tweet with #TezosCRP and we will collect them as well!
This is the fifth iteration of the program and we will continue to make changes based on community feedback. Just like the Tezos blockchain, we will be continually evolving this program.
Numerous factors are used when evaluating submissions such as, quality of submissions, quality of activity, number of submissions, and verifiable proof of activity done by the nominee (no single factor is determinative of a winner, as all factors were weighed to select winners). The judges would like to note that for each category, they are looking for the respective monthly related activity meaning submissions should reflect activities done for that current month, i.e.; month of February activities.
Without further delay here are the results of the winners, below.
Drill Sergeant Award
@_TransparentArt
@michaelmicasso
@NFTBiker
Helping Hand Award
@TheTezos
@LMTGT_
@AuRo404
@paraxenod
@spike_0124
Influencer Award
@AmirMushich
@Albert_1Camus
@pocobelli
@marco_port
@dexp0nential
Tez Dev Award
@webidente
@skllzarmy
@JestemZero
@mightymoss
@FromFriends__
@proto_designer
Assimilation Award
@arijitmondal1
@_thisisaraid
@IvanaOnTheBlock
@SkullDegenClub_
@artcommissiontz
@scunitez
@001failure
Patissier Award
@blockbakery
@libertez_baker
@Zir0h
@AnonBakery
@riseuptez
Tezos Tutor Award
@TozartWeb3 (previously @TezosNFTMusic)
@moneyevery3days
@TeraBitcoins
@malsheep56
Formal Verification Award
@TezosTeddy
@retro_manni
TEO Award
@Linum_tez
@ryangtanaka
@elfearsfoxsox
Nominations Are Open For April
With April underway, we have begun accepting nominations for this month. If you know someone who deserves a reward for their contributions to the community or have ideas about other categories that should be recognized, then please fill out a nomination form located here, or you can tag a post (or discord message) with #TezosCRP.
As mentioned previously, we are still working on long-term improvements to this program. We know this program is far from perfect, so please bear with us while we strive to improve this program based on community feedback. Stay tuned, stay creative, and keep nominating!
As a reminder to the reward winners, the awards are all distributed through Kukai and DirectAuth. If you have issues claiming your awards, please message us here.
Tezos Community Rewards — March 2025 was originally published in Tezos Commons on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
Announcing the CRP Winners for March 2025!
Greetings Tezos Community,
We are pleased to announce the winners of the “Community Rewards Program” CRP for the month of March 2025!
For more details about the various categories please refer to the rewards page on the Tezos Commons website.
The Community Rewards Program is a Tezos Commons Foundation initiative aimed at fostering adoption and supporting the Tezos ecosystem. Every month up to 5,000 tez are rewarded to those that stand out in merit and act in the interest of the Tezos ecosystem as a whole.
In an endeavor to make it easier for community members to nominate their favorite contributors to the ecosystem, the nomination form has been drastically streamlined. Now containing only three questions, it takes less than 30 seconds to submit a nomination.
Don’t have 30 seconds? You can tag any discord message, Reddit post or tweet with #TezosCRP and we will collect them as well!
This is the fifth iteration of the program and we will continue to make changes based on community feedback. Just like the Tezos blockchain, we will be continually evolving this program.
Numerous factors are used when evaluating submissions such as, quality of submissions, quality of activity, number of submissions, and verifiable proof of activity done by the nominee (no single factor is determinative of a winner, as all factors were weighed to select winners). The judges would like to note that for each category, they are looking for the respective monthly related activity meaning submissions should reflect activities done for that current month, i.e.; month of February activities.
Without further delay here are the results of the winners, below.
Drill Sergeant Award
@_TransparentArt
@michaelmicasso
@NFTBiker
Helping Hand Award
@TheTezos
@LMTGT_
@AuRo404
@paraxenod
@spike_0124
Influencer Award
@AmirMushich
@Albert_1Camus
@pocobelli
@marco_port
@dexp0nential
Tez Dev Award
@webidente
@skllzarmy
@JestemZero
@mightymoss
@FromFriends__
@proto_designer
Assimilation Award
@arijitmondal1
@_thisisaraid
@IvanaOnTheBlock
@SkullDegenClub_
@artcommissiontz
@scunitez
@001failure
Patissier Award
@blockbakery
@libertez_baker
@Zir0h
@AnonBakery
@riseuptez
Tezos Tutor Award
@TozartWeb3 (previously @TezosNFTMusic)
@moneyevery3days
@TeraBitcoins
@malsheep56
Formal Verification Award
@TezosTeddy
@retro_manni
TEO Award
@Linum_tez
@ryangtanaka
@elfearsfoxsox
Nominations Are Open For April
With April underway, we have begun accepting nominations for this month. If you know someone who deserves a reward for their contributions to the community or have ideas about other categories that should be recognized, then please fill out a nomination form located here, or you can tag a post (or discord message) with #TezosCRP.
As mentioned previously, we are still working on long-term improvements to this program. We know this program is far from perfect, so please bear with us while we strive to improve this program based on community feedback. Stay tuned, stay creative, and keep nominating!
As a reminder to the reward winners, the awards are all distributed through Kukai and DirectAuth. If you have issues claiming your awards, please message us here.
Tezos Community Rewards — March 2025 was originally published in Tezos Commons on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
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