The Case.
Mercedes-Benz’s history spans more than 130 years. During this time, collectors have engaged with and enjoyed all kinds of physical objects, from the vehicles themselves to model cars and memorabilia. Recognizing that digital art and collectibles will play an increasingly significant role in people’s online experience, Mercedes-Benz launched Mercedes-Benz NXT, a visionary initiative that uses blockchain technology to extend the brand's collectability into the digital realm. Through different collections, Mercedes-Benz NXT aims to address all types of collectors—from Web3 natives to their top customers, who might have never heard of blockchains. With the Mercedes-Benz NXT Eternities collection, they target the latter group. Minted at selected top-customer events, this project combines the charm of physical interaction with the novelty of digital collectability to create special experiences for selected top customers.
In response to these challenges, Mercedes-Benz NXT chose to leverage the NFC-enabled youba Wallet. This approach eliminates the traditionally complex and often confusing steps involved in wallet creation, such as writing down seed phrase and public key, and improves initiating a blockchain transaction. With a single tap, the seed phrase is automatically generated and stored in the card's microchip. Simultaneously, youba's backend receives the customer's public address, enabling the seamless execution of further blockchain transactions, including the transfer of NFTs. Through this setup, visitors can mint their first NFT single-handedly with one tap while having a chat and enjoying the event.
By successfully integrating the youba Wallet into Mercedes-Benz top-customer events, Mercedes-Benz NXT has not only streamlined the blockchain onboarding process but also fortified its commitment to digital art and collectibles. It's a win-win scenario that empowers the brand and enriches the customer experience.
"To ensure a smooth and instant claiming experience, we've partnered with youba.io, which offers NFC-enabled hardware wallets in the form of “cards” – a great metaphor that intuitively shows the device accesses assets, rather than stores them."
Sebastian Ihler, Co-Founder of 0xNXT