You are one step away from owning a piece of enlightenment!

Yes.  Utopia University volunteers host a 24-hour NFT chat support group.  Our volunteers are not investment advisors.  Their job is to coach you through the steps of creating your own accounts.  They will make it easy for you.  

Here is an invitation into the discussion group.  If nobody says hello, then you say hello and tell them why you're here - everyone was new in the beginning so we all want to help you.

The first application of NFTs has been artwork, but there are many more "use cases" being introduced.  Airlines will use NFTs for ticketing and special promotions.  Major sports leagues are using NFTs, the real estate industry is primed to adopt the use of NFTs.  The list is growing, and within a few years - NFTs will be a mainstream activity. 

So now is the the time to get connected and get into the game.  It's still very early in the adoption cycle.

One of the reasons NFTs have become so popular so quickly is because the markets are open and transparent.  Most trading markets - like the stock market are controlled and manipulated by wealthy investors, but with NFTs, small investors (with very little capital) have an equal chance of success - particularly if they can be part of a group and elevate the significance of the group's own NFTs. 

Single moms, grandparents, you, me - NFTs are open to all of us even if we only have a small amount of capital. 

NFTs offer the average person an opportunity to buy a piece of art, or a recording, or a poem or anything that they may enjoy holding in their collection - anything that lifts their spirits, makes them better, stronger, more powerful.

No.  All transactions go through OpenSea, so we have no way to control who buys or sells our NFTs.  You do not have to be a member.

I'm not going to lie.  If you're over 25 (like me) it does seem like a lot of steps, but each step by itself is simple enough and we'll help you through it.  Remember that people with not half the smarts as you have figured it out.  Just be patient and keep the goal in mind.

You need to get ahead of this NFT curve and today is the day you're going to figure this out and buy your first NFT!

We created a Tutorial Video that should help put it in perspective.  If you're still stuck and want to talk to someone - we offer a free 24-hour NFT Help Chat.  Click the link for an invitation to that chat.  

Once you get past the setup phase - it really is super simple.  It's important that you learn sooner rather than later because NFT transactions will be more and more mainstream over the next few years - and now your'e in the game.  

You may have missed the start-up hype about NFTs, but don't worry - it is still very early in the cycle.  Today is the day you're going to figure this out, fall in love and buy your first NFT!

That's the million dollar question.  Today Bitcoin and Ethereum are the two largest cryptocurrencies, so let's use Bitcoin as the example.

In one important respect, cryptocurrency is the same as an NFT - the supply is limited, so the value of a cryptocurrency goes up and down based on demand - exactly as an NFT.

But NFTs are different in a very important way.  NFTs are non-fungible which is a funny way of saying, they can't be replaced with something else.  

For example, a $10 bill is fungible, a bitcoin is fungible — trade one for another bitcoin, and you’ll have exactly the same thing.  An ounce of gold is fungible - my ounce is worth just as much as any other ounce of gold.  But an autographed Babe Ruth baseball card is non-fungible.  It can't be replaced by just any other baseball card.  

NFTs are generally offered as a collection, a limited minting. Each collection forms its own tiny market.  If everyone in the world hears about it, the price skyrockets.  If nobody ever heard of the collection, the price stays low.

NFT collections are much smaller (a few hundred or a few thousand vs. 21 million Bitcoin), so the price is very sensitive to demand.  Bitcoin is designed to be a common currency, NFTs are privately owned collections, controlled by a small group of owners. 

Cryptocurrencies are meant to serve as currency, NFTs are meant to be collected by a private group of owners. 

Cryptocurrencies respond to macro-economic forces, NFTs respond to much smaller buyer groups demand.

OpenSea is like a giant NFT mall - but the only payment they accept is Ethereum, so you need a wallet with Ethereum - and once you have that wallet set up - you can quickly buy any NFT, and when you sell it - the proceeds of the sale go into your wallet.

Your art collection is displayed on OpenSea, but it is stored in your wallet along with your crypto currency (Ethereum). 

Metamask is the most popular wallet.  They have an app for your phone, and they also have a Chrome extension - so it's really easy to use and access once it's set up.  

Once you open your Metamask wallet you'll need to put some Ethereum in your wallet.  That's where Coinbase comes in...

Best Practice:
Keep your Metamask wallet’s private keys and secret phrases secure and to yourself.  Do not store this information digitally. Write them down on paper.
The only way someone can get into your wallet is if you give them your login information - so be aware of emails trying to trick you into giving that information.

Coinbase is where it all starts.  Coinbase is the most popular crypto bank (and the company is publicly traded). 

This is where you convert the $$ in your bank account into crypto holdings (Ethereum).

Coinbase connects securely to your bank account, so you can transfer $US, or any other currency into crypto currency - in this case Ethereum.  (You may hear stories of people who are moving all their money into crypto - but we suggest that you do not ever convert more than 10% of your assets into cryptocurrency).

From Coinbase, you then transfer any amount of your Ethereum into your wallet.  And conversely, when you sell your NFTs, you can keep the Ethereum in your wallet, or you can move it to your Coinbase account, then move the money into your bank account so you can enjoy your profit in $$. 

OpenSea is the world’s largest NFT marketplace - it's like a giant mall where you can buy and sell NFTs.  The common currency on OpenSea is Ethereum.

We list our NFTs on OpenSea, and so you will need an Opensea account.  You'll buy the NFTs and then display them in your Opensea account.  www.opensea.io 

It's all pretty straightforward once you're set up.

Look at you asking all these NFT-expert questions!!

Gas fees are a reflection of the energy used to fulfill a blockchain transaction.  More energy used, higher gas fees - less energy used, lower gas fees.

Specifically, gas fees are payments made by buyers and sellers of NFTs to compensate for the computing energy required to process transactions on the Ethereum blockchain.  It's kind of like a carbon tax to encourage traders to consider the environmental effect of using cryptocurrency.

Even though you are buying and selling your NFTs with Ethereum - you don't have to worry about it  behind the scenes the transaction is taking place on the blockchain.  

You are the owner of the actual NFT as it resides on the blockchain.  The NFTs will be officially stored in your wallet, so the NFTs will stay safely in your custody.

Since your wallet is linked to your OpenSea account - you can display and enjoy your NFTs on OpenSea.

OpenSea is the largest NFT mall, but there are dozens of other marketplaces popping up.

OpenSea has standardized on Ethereum as the currency for buying and selling NFTs.

There are dozens of other NFT marketplaces that take different currencies - but at Utopia University we have standardized on OpenSea and Ethereum as the coin of the realm.

You can sell your NFTs on OpenSea or any other secondary market that supports such sales.

In your OpenSea account go to Profile to view your collection.  Pick the one you want to sell (wait a minute - take a breath - are you sure you want to sell this beautiful art?) and you'll be redirected to the listing page, where you can choose the price and type of sale.

Here is a support article from OpenSea:
https://support.opensea.io/hc/en-us/articles/360063498333-How-do-I-sell-an-NFT- to learn more about selling your NFTs on OpenSea.

Note: Please stay aware of any suspicious emails that appear to be sent by OpenSea. Do NOT click links sent via such suspicious emails. Always head to http://www.opensea.io to manage your account.

The NFTs you purchase will be stored in your connected crypto wallet - Metamask being the most common.  The NFT is stored in your Metamask wallet, but you can view it in your OpenSea collection.

When you sell your NFT, you're exchanging the NFT for Ethereum - which is also stored into your wallet.

With Ethereum in your Metamask wallet - you can either move it back to Coinbase and put it in your bank account, or you can use that Ethereum to buy more NFTs, or just hold onto the Ethereum in your wallet.

Yes and no. 

If you do not set up a Metamask wallet - using OpenSea will be difficult.  However, you can make a purchase without a Metamask wallet - but you will have to jump through a few hoops to verify your identity.

The easiest way is to jump into the crypto swimming pool (with a small fraction of your assets), is to get your Coinbase account funded, move some Ethereum into your wallet and buy the NFTs with your wallet.

As we've discussed, the wallet is important because it allows you to safely store your NFTs - AND the wallet is connected to the OpenSea account - so it will be quick and easy to sell your NFTs if and when you decide.  

Our advice - for several reasons - is to use a wallet like Metamask and not purchase NFTs with a credit card.

This is a very important question.  NFTs - by design - are a perfect barometer of public sentiment.  All NFTs are equal until more people want to buy one collection.  If more people believe in a particular NFT, the price goes up.  

Like Bitcoin, like Bored Apes, like CryptoPunks - the price is based on the belief of its holders.  If they believe it will go up in value, they hold it, if they believe it will drop in value they think about selling.

By purchasing as part of a group - Utopia University - you get the added value of group cooperation.  If we believe in a vision of prosperity, we hold on to the coins and that vision manifests.

Over the next three, five and ten years, millions of new small and large investors will  enter the NFT space looking for something they believe will hold its value over the long term. 

We are preparing for that future now.  Our art has inner meaning that resonates, just as you are resonating, with a need to live by these timeless enlightened principles.

I want my grandchildren to hold on to the inner coin of compassion and generosity.  I want them to be healthy, and I pray they find their purpose in life.  These things - far more than chasing money in a dull world - will make their lives happy and abundant.

Happiness comes from within.  The values and principles you stand for are what make a difference.

That's the legacy grandparents will want to pass to their children and their grandchildren. 

There are only 2,800 of these coins minted, and Utopia University will keep 420 out of circulation (60 of each NFT). 

Together, we can strengthen belief in these values, which increases the demand for these coins until every person on the planet is asking about enlightenment!

That would be like asking us which of our children do we love the most!  We love them all equally.

Our first NFT collection,  Seven Enlightened Principles, is near and dear to our heart.

How can you say no to:
Compassion
Generosity
Gratitude
Health
Helping Others
Life Purpose
Trust

Instead of deciding which one to buy - buy the whole collection!  They are limited to only 300 copies of each - so they will always be rare.

Having said that, we minted 1,000 of the Trust coins to allow more people to participate in this first collection.

Disclaimer:
NFTs are for collecting purposes only.  If they go up in value - woo hoo!  But no matter what, buy a piece of art that you enjoy, that speaks to you, that lifts you up to be the best person you can be.

All of your NFT purchases go to support our mission of spreading enlightenment wisdom to all who might be seeking.

You've made it!  Now enjoy this new world of NFTs!

The purpose of our NFT Chat Support Group is to help you set up the accounts you'll need to get started.

Our whole organization is built on Trust - so you can trust us - we're here to help you, not take anything from you.

Our chat volunteers are not investment advisors - they're not going to tell you what NFTs to buy.  They are working to help you get started with all the accounts you need.  Everybody was new once.

We know that a certain percentage will resonate with enlightened principles, and will want to buy our NFTs and become members - but that would be their own individual decision.

It's your money and it's your future.  You need to do what's right for you.

There are risks in every investment
Do not ever invest more than 10% of your capital in NFTs.

The NFT market is fluid and it is not regulated.  Every day a lot of money moves in and out of the market, and that flow of money attracts certain efforts to sway or manipulate the market.  If you are aware of what goes on behind the scenes, it should be easy to avoid making a mistake.

• Wash trading
Market manipulation is difficult to detect. There are people who are becoming pros at buying and selling to one another to artificially inflate the price, then flood the web with spectacular growth numbers. Most of them are amateurs, and are pumping projects and collections that you would not want to invest in anyway.  But there could be some form of manipulation, even in a mature collection.

• Bots
There is a very large and growing number of active robots in the markets, they can only be identified by observing the volume of their interactions. It is not uncommon for almost all bids on a collection to be placed by robots. Make sure the community is real.

• Overspeculation
If you become interested in a collection, there will be plenty of evidence of profits.  However trends come and go, sometimes extremely quickly. Look for long term sustainability, and don't put too many eggs in any one basket.

* The spread between cryptocurrency and fiat currency
Almost all NFTs are bought using cryptocurrency.  The value of the asset can go up in terms of crypto but the crypto value may fall at the same time.  As crypto and NFTs go more mainstream, this becomes less of a risk.

* The value of an NFT depends on the cohesiveness of the community
The more cohesive the community, the more the value can go up because the group can innovate and cooperate to maximize the value.  If the collection is run by a strong and cooperative community, you can have a voice in the market.  

No.  All transactions go through OpenSea (or similar public market website), so we have no control over who buys or sells our NFTs.