Holy Tokens? The Vatican Library Is Giving Donors Soulbound NFTs

The Vatican Library is tapping NFTs to fortify its online following, bringing new meaning to the term “soulbound token” for users in Italy.

The library established in the 15th century announced Monday that NFTs will be doled out to supporters of its manuscript collection through an agreement with NTT DATA Italia, a multinational information technology services provider, according to a translated press release.

“The project is aimed at expanding the online community of the Vatican Apostolic Library by putting the cultural institution in contact with its supporters through Web3 technology,” the institution, which preserves 180,000 manuscripts and over 1.5 million books, said in a statement.

Launched in Japan last year, the project is expanding into Europe, starting with users in Italy. People in the region who share its “Web3 Support Project” on social media through July 16 will receive a so-called Silver NFT that unlocks access to 15 different manuscripts, the library said.

Those who make a donation in the library’s name will also be granted a “Gold NFT,” which provides access to 21 total manuscripts. Described as non-transferable, the NFTs appear to be soulbound, meaning they are non-financial and linked to a wallet in perpetuity.

A proof-of-concept for the project listed on OpenSea shows that Polygon-based NFTs have been distributed, so far, among 419 distinct owners. NTT DATA did not immediately respond to an inquiry from Decrypt seeking confirmation that Italian users will receive NFTs on the Ethereum scaling network.

NTT DATA has played a crucial role in the conservation of the Vatican Library’s historic documents, the library’s Prefect Don Mauro Mantovani said in a statement, adding that the firm’s digital archive service, AMLAD, could be applied in various settings throughout the world.

The company has been collaborating with the Vatican Library since 2014, and NTT DATA’s dedicated archive includes more than 2 million assets, per the firm’s website. In the future, the library said immersive experiences could be built to view historic assets through extended reality.

Located in Vatican City, the library’s building dates back to the late 16th century. According to its website, aside from books and manuscripts, the institution preserves 200,000 photographs, more than 150,000 prints, and over 300,000 coins and medals.

“Our goal remains to make the priceless cultural heritage of the Vatican Library accessible,” NTT DATA Italia CEO Ludovico Diaz said in a statement. “We will continue this important work of conservation, […] extending the use of blockchain technology to other sectors.”

Edited by Andrew Hayward