Nike Buys Into NFTs, Eyeing Actual Cash From Digital Sneakers

Nike, which stories second-quarter earnings Monday, is banking that sneakerheads like Mr. Arias and others will need to spend money on digital kicks because it appears to additional develop the digital facet of its enterprise by tapping into rising applied sciences corresponding to nonfungible tokens, or NFTs. The tokens are basically digital deeds that confirm the authenticity of the gadgets they signify as distinctive.

Earlier this month, Nike acquired Rtfkt (pronounced artifact), a startup launched in 2020 that creates NFTs of sneakers and different collectibles, for an undisclosed sum. Nike additionally lately filed trademark purposes indicating it desires to promote NFTs of its sneakers, clothes and different items stamped with its swoosh brand. Shortly afterward, the corporate launched a digital play place on

Roblox Corp.’s

RBLX 7.55%

free on-line recreation platform the place customers can costume their avatars in Nike gear.

The strikes converse to Nike’s ambitions at a time when a variety of style and different consumer-goods firms are racing to assert footholds in digital worlds the place individuals are anticipated to be taught, work, store and be entertained. Dolce & Gabbana, Jimmy Choo and

Adidas AG

have launched NFTs. Balenciaga labored with “Fortnite” maker Epic Video games Inc., and Gucci labored with Roblox to create immersive digital worlds.

Nike didn’t reply to requests for remark about its plans for Rtfkt. The startup referred inquiries to Nike.

Nike has lengthy dominated the shortage mannequin within the bodily world by promoting restricted portions of unique gadgets and hyping their uniqueness, stated Erinn Murphy, senior analyst at Piper Sandler & Co. “There’s a lot white area for Nike to overcome within the digital realm as properly,” she stated.

The apparel-and-sneaker vendor has spent years beefing up its digital enterprise by launching apps like SNKRS, which gives customers entry to unique gadgets and occasions. Analysts say the digital investments have been a boon for gross sales. General, Nike’s internet gross sales via its on-line channels have outpaced gross sales via bricks-and-mortar shops for greater than a 12 months.

Rtfkt, which was valued at $33.3 million after a funding spherical in Might, designs its personal digital sneakers and avatars, which have collectively offered for thousands and thousands of {dollars} in simply minutes. The corporate has manufactured bodily merchandise via so-called “forging occasions,” the place house owners of the studio’s NFTs can request to have their digital sneakers made into actual ones.

Nike may additionally launch real-world exclusives with NFTs, and the tokens might be traded by way of digital marketplaces corresponding to OpenSea.

Tech analysts say NFTs may pose monetary dangers to consumers as a result of their worth is essentially based mostly on hypothesis and thus they are usually risky. Whereas NFT creators might tout the distinctive nature of the tokens, they often create 1000’s for a similar merchandise.

It may take years—if ever—for NFTs to turn into main drivers of Nike’s gross sales. However the firm’s friends are discovering some success within the area. Adidas launched its “Into the Metaverse” NFT assortment on Friday and made round $23 million.

Analysts polled by FactSet challenge Nike to have generated $11.25 billion of income within the three months ended Nov. 30, which might be roughly flat from the comparable year-ago interval. Nike’s inventory worth is up 12% over the previous 12 months, in contrast with a 25% acquire within the S&P 500.

Nike, like different retailers that depend on manufacturing vegetation in Asia, has been hit by supply-chain woes stemming from the Covid-19 pandemic. Second-quarter revenue may fall roughly 20% from the year-ago interval, based mostly on analysts’ projections.

The corporate stated in September that shipments have been taking twice as lengthy to reach within the U.S. however that it had sufficient stock for the vacations.

Promoting NFTs is likely to be a technique for Nike to shortly sidestep the availability crunch.

Justin Bazdarich, a restaurant proprietor and self-described sneakerhead, stated he’s enthusiastic about Nike’s buy of Rtfkt. Mr. Bazdarich, of Brooklyn, N.Y., owns a number of NFTs, certainly one of which value $2,000 and is related to a rotating digital shoe that Rtfkt created in partnership with streetwear designer Jeff Staple.

“If a giant model is coming into play like Nike, then they’re going to assist educate folks on the market that that is the best way of the longer term and can enable different industries to partake,” the 44-year-old stated.

Write to Inti Pacheco at inti.pacheco@wsj.com and Sarah E. Needleman at sarah.needleman@wsj.com