Pos Indonesia, the state-owned postal service in the southeast Asian country, has launched an NFT stamp called “Cenderawasih” which translates to “Bird of Paradise.” The stamp, of which there will be a physical and digital version, comes with a picture of the bird in question and its orange-yellow and black plumage.
The postal service made the announcement on Instagram, writing, “PosIND, as the largest postal company in Indonesia, has launched the first NFT stamps in the country. The stamps, featuring the image of a bird of Cenderawasih, are issued in limited quantities.
“This inaugural NFT stamp in Indonesia will be released in the form of a booklet. This NFT stamp is a groundbreaking innovation that combines the traditional value of stamps with advanced blockchain technology, making it a valuable potential digital asset for philately enthusiasts.”
The stamp comes as more countries are launching NFT stamps to add a new dimension to the age-old hobby of philately (stamp collecting). Ghana did so to honor the ceremonial ruler of the Ashanti people, and various countries in Europe have debuted digital stamps with large degrees of success. It is a real-world use of NFTs that has gained traction even as the larger market has stumbled.
The stamp also shows Indonesia’s growing interest in Web3 technology. In 2023, financial authorities in the country announced plans to establish a “regulatory sandbox” by 2025 that would curtail crypto fraud while allowing for innovation. Time will tell if the Pos Indonesia NFT stamp succeeds but there’s no doubt the country is bullish on Web3 tech.
NFT Stamps on the Rise
Although NFTs have had a bad rap over the past couple of years, there are many use cases for the technology, including as tickets, membership tokens, and collectibles. The latter includes digital stamps, which have revived the art of philately in various countries. Here are a few of those stories.
Five months ago, the Ghana Post honored Asantehene Otumfuo Nana Osei Tutu II, the ceremonial ruler of the Ashanti people, with a digital stamp. The stamp commemorated his 25-year reign and was said to merge the “traditional values” of Ghana with the “wild anticipations” of the future.
Before then, NFT stamps were already in vogue in another part of the world: Europe. In 2019, Austria launched the first known “crypto stamp,” and three years later the movement spread to the Netherlands. Together, those two countries sold over 800,000 pieces according to Forbes. Many countries were interested in how blockchain tech could help their businesses stay ahead of the curve.
Collectibles are perhaps one of the earliest use cases of NFTs, starting with the classics launched in 2015 to the heyday of digital sports collectibles on NBA Top Shot and other platforms. And this use of NFTs has innumerable benefits such as avoiding physical wear and tear of collectibles and combating fraud. Although the NFT market has struggled, stories like today’s show that the tech continues to have benefits, which is a win for the space overall.
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