Buzzfeed has unveiled the identities of the creators of the famous Bored Ape Yacht Club NFT collection, reigniting the debate on anonymity in the blockchain ecosystem.
In an article published on Friday, the American media Buzzfeed revealed the first and last names as well as information on the founders of the mysterious young shoot Yuga Labs at the origin of the non-fungible tokens stamped Bored Ape Yacht Club.
While BAYCs are among the most valuable collections of NFTs (with a floor price of 100 ether, or more than $300,000 at current prices), few people knew the true identity of their founders, who use pseudonyms such as Gordon Goner, Emperor Tomato Ketchup, No Sass or Gargamel.
According to Buzzfeed, the two main entrepreneurs behind BAYC are Greg Solano (aka Gordon Goner), 32, and Wylie Aronow (aka Gargamel), 35. Nicole Muniz, the director of Yuga Labs, confirmed the information to the listed media.
The identity of the two other co-founders, Emperor Tomato Ketchup and No Sass remains unknown for the moment. Muniz also claimed that BAYC illustrators, including Asian artist Seneca, were paid more than $1 million.
The two founders, originally from Florida, seem passionate about literature and technology. BuzzFeed claim that there are no “red flags” about them, old facts that could inspire suspicion towards them. The American media only evokes a story of property rights for a domain name between Wylie Aronow and the Bitmex exchange.
Given the craze around NFTs and the explosion in their value, some believe the names of creators should be known publicly while others, like crypto entrepreneur Mark Cuban, believe the use of pseudonyms is compatible with blockchain.
“Yes, there can be a liability. The reason is that all transactions are based on smart contracts and written in the blockchain, which is the antithesis of traditional commerce. What other collectibles company publishes all of its sales and business processes? “, he said.
QuadrigaCX co-founder behind DeFi Wonderland project
For Soona Amhaz, partner at Volt Capital, pseudonyms have certain advantages. “It will significantly open up opportunities for people who don’t come from the right school or the right companies.” He also mentions the security aspect conferred by anonymity.
Launched last year, the Bored Ape Yacht Club NFTs have won over many celebrities and companies. Recently, the sports equipment manufacturer Adidas announced its entry into the metaverse with the BAYC. A video game based on the illustrations of these jaded monkeys is even in the works.
Last week, the Financial Times reported that Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) wanted to invest in Yuga Labs. The financing could bring the valuation of the young shoot to 5 billion dollars.
