Nike boxes up RTFKT

The Future. Nike has acquired NFT shoe tastemaker RTFKT, which will help the storied shoe brand enter the metaverse in a big way. By partnering with RTFKT, Nike may look at the digital sneaker revolution. Not just as a great way to roll out digital sneakers on virtual platforms but also as a potential augment to its existing shoes with AR overlays, transforming any Nike shoe into something even more imaginative.

Digital swoosh
Nike wants you to get your kicks on the blockchain.

• Nike has acquired NFT shoe company RTFKT for an undisclosed amount.
• While specific details of the partnership also haven’t been revealed, it’s safe to say that RTFKT’s tech could give Nike a strong avenue into both virtual sneakers and outfitting the metaverse.

RTFKT, which is only one year old, is already on a hot streak, selling its first pair of sneakers back in October 2020 for 30 ETH (roughly $115,000) and selling another collection in February 2021 for $3.1 million.

Nike, on the other hand, has been tip-toeing its way into the metaverse, including pulling back the curtain on its fitness-focused Nikeland (a digital recreation of its Beaverton, Oregon HQ) inside Roblox, and also a slim roster of digital sneakers.