So, it’s 2023 and you still believe or have hope in NFTs. That’s great , you are an amazing optimist. Actually buying or creating NFTs is not entirely a crazy idea. Whether you’re an aspiring artist looking to make your artwork into NFTs, or a someone interested in collecting and making money from digital art, this NFT minting guide has your goals covered. First you’ll need to have some background into how the blockchain works, some insights about web3, and smart contracts. It never hurts to know a little about the ecosystem of NFTs before trying to mint one!
What Is NFT Minting?
When you transform a normal digital file (JPEG or MP4) into a non-fungible token, it is called NFT minting. Once the NFT is a digital asset it then permanently exists on the blockchain. After that it is put in circulation and sold through smart contracts. Basically, keep these things in mind:
- Minting an NFT means the digital asset is now stored on the blockchain and available for selling or buying.
- The easiest way to understand minting is by looking at it as making the NFT “live” on the blockchain.
- Once you mint the NFT it becomes an official commodity that can be bought and sold.
- Once the NFT is minted it’s transformed into a digital asset on the blockchain it can’t be modified, deleted, or edited.
Let’s Cover The Basics
Before you get into the NFT minting guide, you should understand the basic three contexts in which NFT minting is mentioned:
- The first one is when you decide to create an NFT, hence be in need of a way to make your normal file into a digital asset on the blockchain , so you need to mint it (make it available on the blockchain) for someone to buy it.
- The second one is when you want to collect art-piece NFTs and desire to buy them directly from the creator upon release. The act of being among the first buyers is also minting an NFT.
- The third one is when you are interested in the degen gambling of trading NFTs, where you want to be the first person to buy an NFT from its creator (Mint it) to sell it on secondary marketplaces for a profit.
As a creator you don’t need to worry about the technical difficulties of minting NFTs. There are marketplaces that offer safe and affordable ways to mint your NFTs. However, keep in mind that the minting process is not free. There’s a price to pay, so always make sure to stay aware of your expenses. There are several minting types to choose from, for example lazy minting is a good option.
How To Mint NFTs You Want To Create?
This section of the NFT minting guide will cover the first context of desiring to create an NFT of your own. Hence, minting an NFT on the blockchain that is out of your own imagination. So, before we discover the ways of minting NFTs on various marketplaces you should follow these steps first:
1- Set Up A Crypto Wallet
Before you start on anything , learn about crypto wallets, how to set up a crypto wallets, and the security options of crypto wallets.
2- Buy Some Ethereum
If you want to create, mint, sell , or purchase NFTs you will need some crypto in your wallet. Most of the time you will need ETH. Here’s a guide on how to buy some ETH.
3- Choose the Best Marketplace
There are many popular marketplaces that offer various minting fees and perks for new users. However, it’s always a good idea to stick to reputable marketplaces such as OpenSea. You need to be safe and connect your wallet only to platforms you trust.
Best Platforms To Create Your NFT
Once you choose the platform and connect your wallet all that you need to do is mint your NFTs. The NFT minting process here depends on the platform chosen. We will give the best three guides for minting NFTs using OpenSea, Rarible, and Mintable.
1- Mint NFTs on OpenSea
Despite its rivalry with Blur, OpenSea remains the oldest and most popular NFT marketplace. But ofcourse you get to mint your NFTs for a fee. This is by far the easiest and most user-friendly platform you can use, and new features are added all the time.
- First, connect your wallet (MetaMask, Coinbase, Fortmatic and etc)
- Now click on the “create” option.
- Create a collection (name, logo, and details) and confirm with your wallet
- Upload a new item to the collection (media file) and fill out all the required information
- Create your NFT
- After a few days of verification checking, you will be able to sell your NFT.
OpenSea is a very popular marketplace. Therefore, you can make considerable profit with your collections. You can even promote your NFTs on social media.
2- Mint NFTs on Rarible
Rarible is one of the best places to get started with your NFT collection and experience, considering they have the popular “lazy minting” option available. This way you can skip on the minting fees and it’s paid by the buyer during the purchasing phase.
Here are the steps you need to take to mint your NFT for free on Rarible:
- Go to the official Rarible website
- Click on the “Create” button in the upper right corner
- Choose the wallet you want to use
- Select the type of listing you want (single or multiple)
- Enter all the required information about your NFT
- Select the “free minting option”
- Click on the “Create Item” and sign the free authorizations with your wallet
Keep in mind that even though the minting process is free, if you choose to burn the NFT you will need to pay all the fees. In addition, this minting process is available just for wearable default collections.
3- Mint NFTs on Mintable
Mintable has become one of the most reliable and popular marketplaces and platforms for people who want to try NFT minting, but don’t really have too much money to spend on minting and gas fees.
While Mintable is a less user-friendly platform than OpenSea or Rarible, it does offer a free minting process many users appreciate.
Here’s how to mint your NFT on Mintable:
- Visit and register at the official Mintable website
- Once you are logged in click on the “MINT” button
- Select between uploading an existing item or creating a new one
- In the pop-up window select the blockchain and the gasless minting process
- Connect your wallet
- Fill out the required information about your NFT
- Select the way you want to sell your token
- Click on the “List this item” button and you are done
How To Mint NFTs You Want to Own?
This part of the NFT minting guide covers the context where you want to get an NFT in the cases of:
- wanting to collect the NFT in your digital portfolio
- Wanting to flip the NFT for profit
Here are some basic steps to do if you’re interested in NFT minting for profit or personal collection.
1- Keep Up With the NFT Project
If you want to purchase an NFT from another creator you should visit their official websites and follow the progress of the project. So always keep up with their Twitter and Discord for announcements of where and when to mint.
2- Visit The Official Website
All the amazing developers and artists in the NFT community have creative and official websites you can visit. There should be plenty of information on the roadmap, minting dates, and links to their social media. If the site looks sketchy it’s a good idea to do a bit more research before making any investments.
3- Click On the “Mint” Button
The best NFT projects will have the exact time and date you can mint your NFTs. So, once you follow their announcements and find the official website it’s just a matter of time before the “MINT” button appears on the landing page.
4- Connect Your wallet
If you want to go through with the minting process you will need to connect your wallet. Depending on the blockchain you will also need the appropriate amount of required currency. Always make sure you are connecting your wallet to a trust worthy wbesite! OR just use a burner wallet.
5- Choose How Many NFTs to Mint
Depending on the project you can choose the number of NFTs you want to mint. Some creators will limit the number of mints to lower the misuse of NFT bots. However, others don’t have any limitations on the site. Keep in mind that you should mint all the NFTs at once and reduce the gas fees.
6- Confirm With Your Wallet
Once you are ready to mint your NFT you will have to confirm the transaction in your wallet. The one you previously connected. That’s why many people love to use MetaMask as it’s the easiest and safest way to buy NFTs.
7- The NFT Is Now Yours
Once you mint the NFT and confirm the transaction, the NFT will be in your wallet. It may take a few seconds, or in the worst case a couple of minutes. But, keep in mind that the reveal of the actual NFT you got might take a couple of weeks, so you don’t really know what you got. Unless it’s an art drop.
This depends on your luck and you can get amazing and rare NFTs this way, and everyone has equal chances in this “game-like” experience.
Final Thoughts
You made it to the end of this NFT minting guide, congratulations! NFT minting simply explained is the act of making the NFT available on the blockchain. You may have three purposes to mint an NFT, either you want to create one, collect one, or flip it for profit. It’s good to know that there are still ways you can become an NFT owner and creator for low or no fees at all. The minting process can be different depending on the project and the creators behind it. If you want to know how to find new NFTs projects then check this guide. If you want to know more about creating your own NFT, then this guide is the best out there!
The final note is try your best to avoid scams, so never click on random links in your DMs on Discord or Twitter. Especially ones saying you got NO TIME to mint an NFT. We got you covered with this ultimate guide on NFT Scams. Good Luck!