Ethereum is not the only blockchain that can take something that is hot and run with it. Hive is also capable of developing applications that can take advantage of the latest trends.
Obviously, much attention is being placed on DeFi which is providing Ethereum with a huge boost to its network. I read this morning that fees are getting near $3 due to the high traffic.
What is ironic is that Hive (Steem) had DeFi from the very early stages. One was able to stake tokens for a return. This is what powering up on the blockchain does. Nevertheless, that is a discussion for another day.
Another major area that is starting to develop is in the field of NFTs. Non-Fungible Tokens are going to make an enormous impact on industry. When we think of ownership, of anything, it will change. Essentially, whatever can be tokenized eventually will be. This includes collectibles, real estate, brands, intellectual properties, and a host of other digital and virtual assets.
Presently, we are in the very early stages of this concept and the innovation is light. However, that will likely change over the next couple years as more people toy with the potential that NFTs offer. Gaming is obviously a market that is really untapped.
On Hive, we got our first introduction to the capabilities with the opening of NFTShowroom. This is a platform that was designed to bring digital artists and buyers together.
What I like about this project is that it appears the updates are coming out hot and heavy. Each week I see posts on my feed that mentioned some addition to the website. Since day 1, I felt this is of utmost importance when it comes to a project. Unless there are regular updates, it is likely the project is dead.
The most recent addition that caught my attention is that MP4 files can now be uploaded and sold. This means that jingles are now available. Those who are talented in this area can create something and others can buy it as a "theme song" for their videos or site.
It is just another way to expand the potential opportunity for content creators, whatever form that content takes.
Now we have a new entrant into the world of NFTs on Hive.
The first game they chose to concentrate upon is DCity. This is a digital card game that enables players to build their own cities. The in game assets are all assigned a NFT, providing a means for players to buy, sell, and trade the assets. NFTMart seeks to provide a platform for people to do this.
I would expect that as development continues, more assets will be eligible for listing. With games such as eXode and 
There is something else that I did find to be very interesting. This could hold great potential as more tokens are created. We all know there is a lot of discussion about SMTs (HMTs) and whether they will end up on the base layer or as a layer 2 solution. Either way, we presently have Hive-Engine which fills that role to a degree.
NFTMart looks to leverage that while offer token holders more options. There were about half a dozen tokens listed in their cart.
In this example I selected BEER as the currency of choice and this is what appeared.
Obviously I do not have any insight into the future plans but it only makes sense that this could be expanded to include a variety of tokens that are listed on Hive-Engine. Here we see the use case for the tokens listed suddenly expanding. It could turn into a very valuable concept for this ecosystem.
To read up more on this project, here is the introduction post:
@nftmart/nftmart-hive-s-nft-market-just-choose-click-and-checkout
Here is the link to their website: https://nftm.art/
So while Ethereum battles high transaction costs and a slowed network due to all the DeFi activity, Hive just keeps plugging along. Now is a great time to mention one of the biggest benefits to the Hive blockchain, the fast and feeless transactions. Each of these NFTs will cost zero in terms of blockchain transaction fees. As long as someone has Resource Credits, the transaction can take place.
Having a marketplace for NFTs is a powerful first step. This is a segment that is only likely to grow. It stands to reason that more games will appear on Hive as time goes by. Presently, we are seeing HolyBread being reworked since a new team took that over.
That said, an overlooked aspect is the fact that the same games keep producing more in game assets. So even without an increase in games, DCity, as an example, will keep pumping out more NFTs over time. The same goes true for all the other games we already have operating on Hive.
For a long time I felt that Hive was a blockchain of opportunity. This is coming into reality with each development step forward.
It seems we are seeing a foundation being put into place to offer Hive users opportunities when it comes to gaming and NFTs.
The scope of the ecosystem is expanding.
If you found this article informative, please give an upvote and rehive.
