An NFT for the Holidays

Vodafone has turned the first text message into a non-fungible token (NFT), which sold at a Paris auction house this week for €132,680 ($150,000) worth of ether (ETH). The company will donate the proceeds to the United Nations Refugee Agency to support forcibly displaced people.

Just over 29 years ago, Richard Jarvis (then a director of Vodafone) received the first text message from programmer Neil Papworth. Suitably enough, given that it was sent in December, the SMS read “Merry Christmas,” which is my wish to those who celebrate.

Author’s note: This is not a sponsored post. I am the author of this article and it expresses my own opinions. I am not, nor is my company, receiving compensation for it.

About Shelly Palmer

Shelly Palmer is the Professor of Advanced Media in Residence at Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and CEO of The Palmer Group, a consulting practice that helps Fortune 500 companies with technology, media and marketing. Named LinkedIn’s “Top Voice in Technology,” he covers tech and business for Good Day New York, is a regular commentator on CNN and writes a popular daily business blog. He's a bestselling author, and the creator of the popular, free online course, Generative AI for Execs. Follow @shellypalmer or visit shellypalmer.com.

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