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Proof-of-attendance protocol (POAP) is a protocol that defines the system of rules under which digital collectibles that prove that the holder attended an event are created. POAP leverages non-fungible token (NFT) technology to create digital badges or mementos that users can mint to commemorate virtual or real-life events.
How Does Proof-of-Attendance Protocol (POAP) Work?
In its essence, a POAP protocol distributes NFTs to eventgoers. Companies and event organizers can create NFTs that showcase the branding of the event and other relevant information, such as event venue, date, purpose, and name. They can make those NFTs available to mint only to attendees by distributing QR codes and links at the event.
Attendees can claim their event NFTs, potentially requiring a gas fee, depending on the blockchain. The NFT can be used to prove by the holder to prove their participation.
There are companies like POAP Inc that provide solutions to create POAP drops for your event. Here are the steps to create a POAP drop:
- Sign in to POAP Inc’s official website using your email address
- Upload artworks that will be used in the NFT
- Add details about the event – start date, end date, description, title
- Once you have created the NFTs, you can create mint links
- Select the number of mint links and set the expiration date for the links
- Once approved, you can distribute the mint links to your eventgoers
Proof-of-Attendance Protocol Explained: What Is The Use of POAP?
POAPs are often used as marketing tools by event organizers to entice followers to attend events. Eventgoers may want to show off their POAP badges to show their friends and families that they attended an exclusive event. The POAP badges may also be an addition to an NFT enthusiast’s collection.
A common use of POAP badges by companies and communities is to reward supporters. Brands and DAOs (decentralized autonomous organizations) may distribute POAPs to their loyal supporters and attach additional rewards to users that hold the POAP badge, such as airdropped tokens or NFTs.
POAP badges can also be used to build a blockchain-based resumé that reflects the holder’s interests and real-life contributions. The immutability and transparency provided by blockchain technology ensure that POAP badges are safely stored on the blockchain and allow third parties to verify the authenticity of the badge.
Advantages of POAPs
- Privacy: The underlying decentralized and cryptographic infrastructure that POAP protocols are built upon ensures that user data remains private if they so wish and take the right precautions. Users can collect event memorabilia using POAP without giving away their personal details such as name, age, location, email address, and mobile number. Users can remain anonymous and use their anonymous crypto wallet addresses to mint POAP badges.
- Verifiable ownership: The ownership of memorabilia is made easy using POAP badges. Imagine going to watch a FIFA World Cup match for the first time in your life. You want to commemorate the occasion. So instead of safely storing your paper ticket, you can now store your POAP badge on the blockchain. No one can argue that you weren’t there because you can easily verify that you own the POAP, utilizing the transparency of the blockchain.
Proof-of-Attendance Protocol Examples: Decentraland, Bankless DAO, Event Memorabilia
- Decentraland
Decentraland, a blockchain-powered metaverse crypto project, regularly distributes POAP badges to serve as evidence of having been to a virtual event on its platform. POAP tokens are also given out to participants that have completed a challenge in the virtual world.
POAP events on Decentraland can be created by anyone using the POAP.xyz website. POAP badges are minted on an Ethereum sidechain called Gnosis Chain. Minting on Gnosis ensures that participants do not have to pay any gas fees unless they want to transfer the POAP off of Gnosis Chain onto Ethereum.
- Bankless DAO
Bankless DAO is a crypto media DAO that aims to educate new users about blockchain and cryptocurrencies. In 2021, the Bankless DAO rewarded holders of the Bankless Badge POAP with BANK token airdrops.
At the time, The Bankless DAO said that a POAP badge-based distribution of BANK tokens achieves “a more equitable distribution of tokens since it doesn’t rely on inaccurate proxies for engagement.”
The DAO also added that the badge-based distribution mechanism provided “superior privacy” and was “inherently credibly neutral and decentralized.”
- POAP.gg
POAP.gg is a POAP project created during an Ethereum hackathon in 2021. The project aims to create a way to make live streaming more engaging by allowing a streamer to issue limited-time NFTs. These NFTs can only be claimed by viewers watching the live stream.
The streamer can reward holders of these NFTs by giving them access to exclusive merchandise and by allowing them to vote on gameplay.
- Event memorabilia
Developer communities and hackathon events like ETHGlobal, Dappcon, ETHDenver, and the Ethereum Community Conference have used POAP badges to commemorate events. These badges not only serve as memorabilia but also promote community rapport. Most importantly, these badges serve as symbols to prove achievement and contribution to the developer community.
The Bottom Line
The concept of the proof-of-attendance protocol is catching on. It has the potential to become a powerful event management and engagement tool with time.
These event-based NFTs empower individuals and communities to celebrate and remember occasions, foster engagement, and enable privacy-preserving attendance verification.
