NFT auction: 1st ever SMS generates EUR 107.000 to support refugees
Image by Vodafone
The world's first SMS was immortalized as a Non Fungible Token (NFT) and sold at an auction in Paris, fetching some EUR 107,000. The seller, Vodafone, is now donating the proceeds to UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, to support people who have been forcibly displaced.
“In the beginning, it was all an idea. In the end, it turned into hard cash for a good cause," said Amanda Nelson, CEO of Vodafone Hungary. "We teamed up with programmers and crypto experts as well as auction professionals. We are delighted that this idea turned into reality and that the hammer could fall this afternoon. The world's first SMS as an NFT. For people in need."
Dominique Hyde, UNHCR’s Director of External Relations, states, "During this season of giving, Vodafone has extended its generosity to the millions of people who’ve been forced from their homes. This contribution will protect lives and support people in need around the world, this holiday season and beyond.”
"At Aguttes, we are very happy to see that the auction was so successful. We believe in the importance of charity and giving, and with this amount, we surely could help to support a good cause. It was a one-time-only, unique auction of a true digital artifact. It will not be the last NFT that came under the hammer at Aguttes, but truly it will always be a special one. Because of its historic importance we sent the story around the world and got media coverage in hundreds of papers and magazines on five continents," said Maximilien Aguttes, development manager at Aguttes.
The world's first SMS, which reads "Merry Christmas" was sent on December 3, 1992, on Vodafone's network in the United Kingdom.
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