Meld NFT
Not Just Art: The NFT That Pays You Back!
MELD is a decentralised DeFi protocol bridging traditional finance and blockchain, empowering users with crypto-backed loans, fiat access, and yield opportunities. They aimed to create a groundbreaking collection of 45,000 unique, fully rendered 3D Bank Manager NFTs.
These NFTs not only rewarded MELD’s Initial Stake Pool Offering (ISPO) participants but also introduced practical utilities, including reduced loan interest rates and enhanced staking yields. With innovative processes, strategic design, and clear focus on utility, this project blended DeFi and NFTs to engage users and deliver real financial benefits.
Crypto / NFT
Deliverables:
Strategy
NFT Design
Utility Integration
Minting Process
Wallet Compatibility
ISPO Reward Integration
Technical:
Blender
Photoshop
Smart Contracts
Minting Platform
Data Verification
NFT Standards
Utility Framework
Medium
Github
Remote Worldwide
2023
Team:
Founder | Ken Olling
Operations | Lawrence Ong
CTO | Pepe Blasco
Project Meld NFT
TL;DR Case Study
We partnered with BLMSwap to redefine their brand identity, digital presence, and product ecosystem, positioning them as a standout in the competitive DeFi space. Alongside a bold visual language emphasizing trust and fluidity, we developed their first-ever mobile app, featuring streamlined KYC onboarding, real-time dashboards, wallet and asset management, and seamless cross-chain swaps. These enhancements created an intuitive and cohesive user experience while ensuring scalability for future innovations like NFT integration and staking. By bridging technical sophistication with user trust, BLMSwap is now well-equipped to lead the decentralized exchange market with a stronger, more accessible, and future-ready platform.
MELD is a decentralized DeFi protocol bridging traditional finance and blockchain, empowering users with crypto-backed loans, fiat access, and yield opportunities. They aimed to create a groundbreaking collection of 45,000 unique, fully rendered 3D Bank Manager NFTs. These NFTs not only rewarded MELD’s Initial Stake Pool Offering (ISPO) participants but also introduced practical utilities, including reduced loan interest rates and enhanced staking yields. With innovative processes, strategic design, and clear focus on utility, this project blended DeFi and NFTs to engage users and deliver real financial benefits.
Redefining NFTs with Utility and Purpose
MELD is a decentralized, non-custodial DeFi protocol that bridges traditional finance and blockchain technology. It empowers users by enabling borrowing against crypto assets, earning yields on deposits, and providing access to fiat currencies. With a commitment to democratizing financial services, MELD operates on a multi-chain ecosystem, leveraging its native MELD Blockchain for fast, low-cost transactions.
To amplify this mission, they sought a creative and functional NFT solution that offered value beyond digital art. The goal was to create a utility-driven collection of NFTs that would reward their ISPO participants while enhancing engagement with their ecosystem, ultimately demonstrating how NFTs could evolve from static collectibles into tools of financial empowerment.
Bridging Creativity and Real-World Utility
While many NFT projects focus purely on aesthetic appeal or speculative value, MELD wanted their Bank Manager NFTs to stand out by offering tangible utilities within the MELD ecosystem. The challenge lay in:
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Designing 45,000 distinct 3D NFTs with varying rarity, ensuring each was visually captivating.
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Embedding practical utilities, like reducing loan interest rates and increasing staking yields, without compromising blockchain functionality.
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Streamlining the minting process to make it accessible for a wide audience, including participants of the ISPO.
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Communicating the unique benefits and functionalities of these NFTs to an audience unfamiliar with utility-based NFTs.
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Innovation at the Intersection of DeFi and NFTs
Design and Production-
Created 45,000 unique 3D-rendered Bank Manager NFTs, each with distinct visual traits to ensure rarity and exclusivity. Some NFTs, like the Golden Bank Managers, were ultra-rare, offering enhanced benefits.
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Introduced creative diversity with simple and “Degen” Bank Manager designs, adding personality and appeal.
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Developed custom Bank Managers for key figures like Charles Hoskinson and Vitalik Buterin to elevate marketing efforts.
Utility Integration-
Built the NFTs with real DeFi functionalities:
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Loan Interest Rate Reduction: Standard NFTs offered a 0.3% reduction, while Golden NFTs delivered a 1% reduction.
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Increased Staking Yields: Each NFT boosted MELD staking pool yields by 0.1%.
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Designed mechanisms to lock NFTs as collateral during loans, ensuring security and utility alignment.
Minting Process-
Streamlined the minting experience for ISPO participants:
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Used the ISPO wallet address or stake key for verification.
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Offered minting at a nominal fee of 3 ADA, with an additional transaction fee of 1.5 ADA refunded upon completion.
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Technology and Security-
Ensured compatibility with the MELD ecosystem and other Cardano-based platforms.
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Implemented mechanisms for seamless wallet integration and NFT locking during loan creation.
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Transforming Engagement with Tangible Financial Benefits
Enhanced Ecosystem Engagement:
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Engaged ISPO participants with a tangible reward that extended beyond the staking period.
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Introduced an entirely new use case for NFTs within DeFi, setting a precedent for utility-driven NFT collections.
Real Financial Benefits:
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Provided participants with reduced loan costs and higher staking returns, aligning with MELD’s mission of financial empowerment.
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Golden NFTs created a sense of exclusivity, appealing to high-value users.
Increased Brand Visibility:
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Custom Bank Manager designs for key figures generated buzz and showcased the brand’s creativity.
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Positioned MELD as an innovator in combining DeFi and NFTs.
Streamlined User Experience:
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The simplified minting process ensured accessibility and fairness, even for users unfamiliar with NFTs.
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Addressed potential complications like wallet verification seamlessly, building user trust.
By seamlessly integrating functionality, design, and accessibility, the MELD Bank Manager NFT project delivered not only a visually stunning collection but also a transformative DeFi product. It remains a benchmark for future projects that seek to merge utility with creativity in the blockchain space.
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Meld NFT
Not Just Art: The NFT That Pays You Back!
MELD is a decentralised DeFi protocol bridging traditional finance and blockchain, empowering users with crypto-backed loans, fiat access, and yield opportunities. They aimed to create a groundbreaking collection of 45,000 unique, fully rendered 3D Bank Manager NFTs.
These NFTs not only rewarded MELD’s Initial Stake Pool Offering (ISPO) participants but also introduced practical utilities, including reduced loan interest rates and enhanced staking yields. With innovative processes, strategic design, and clear focus on utility, this project blended DeFi and NFTs to engage users and deliver real financial benefits.
The Gold Bank Manager NFTs are the most exclusive in MELD’s collection, offering holders a significant 1% loan interest reduction, making them highly valuable for DeFi users.
In contrast, the Glitch NFTs focus purely on creativity, featuring striking and unique designs with no added utility, appealing to collectors and enthusiasts seeking aesthetic innovation.
Launched on May 6, 2023, the MELD Bank Manager NFTs quickly rose to become the second-largest NFT project on jpg.store by trading volume within 24 hours. This achievement highlighted the strong demand for MELD's utility-driven NFTs and solidified its reputation as a pioneer in the DeFi and NFT space.
The Diamond Hands NFT rewards users who delegated ADA to MELD’s ISPO stake pools for over 30 epochs. Holders gain exclusive benefits, including early access to MELDapp, priority for bank accounts, waived fees for the MELD crypto debit card, and no token lock-up to access these perks, with more advantages planned.
"Our NFT ranked 3rd on the Cardano ecosystem! BuiltDiffrnt brought our vision to life, merging utility and creativity to deliver a groundbreaking NFT collection that set new standards in DeFi!"
– Ken O. Founder & Chairman, Meld
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