Shalini Nagarajan

Online marketplace eBay is looking to prop up its Web3 ambitions by hiring specialists for its NFT marketplace KnownOrigin.



Those who come onboard will be building an understanding of the market, championing the Web3 sector and improving go-to-market outcomes.&nbsp;



Not all roles require candidates to have crypto-native experiences, but a crypto counsel role is expected to bring legal experience in law related to NFTs, Web3 or blockchain.



Crypto <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/3462689513/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">counsel</a> aside, LinkedIn postings from eBay show open spots a head of <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/3434316689/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">community</a> at KnownOrigin, content <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/search/?currentJobId=3393201099&amp;f_C=1481%2C270603%2C3710655%2C6121%2C853612%2C78768%2C2340505%2C74513497&amp;geoId=92000000&amp;originToLandingJobPostings=3457213846%2C3457215686%2C3465525458%2C3434316689%2C3465523839%2C3434317651%2C3455923176%2C3428722174%2C3393201099" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">designer</a>, artist liaison <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/3447490680/?eBP=JOB_SEARCH_ORGANIC&amp;recommendedFlavor=SCHOOL_RECRUIT&amp;refId=H82HTaAru8y8n15rKjsuXg%3D%3D&amp;trackingId=Cxg6JmAqSSN1PeTlPbPvbQ%3D%3D&amp;trk=flagship3_search_srp_jobs" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">manager</a>, a product marketing <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/3434317651/?eBP=JOB_SEARCH_ORGANIC&amp;recommendedFlavor=SCHOOL_RECRUIT&amp;refId=Cocra09cvvmIAKoawTdI5Q%3D%3D&amp;trackingId=8n0x5xQvNRm%2FkQ4bKAh1nw%3D%3D&amp;trk=flagship3_search_srp_jobs" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">manager</a> and tech <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/3406685694/?eBP=JOB_SEARCH_ORGANIC&amp;recommendedFlavor=SCHOOL_RECRUIT&amp;refId=Cocra09cvvmIAKoawTdI5Q%3D%3D&amp;trackingId=c2L%2FfDlkUYt2zd613WK8Hw%3D%3D&amp;trk=flagship3_search_srp_jobs" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">lead</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;



Most of the jobs are based in Manchester, United Kingdom, but some mention hybrid working environments.



Last June, eBay <a href="https://blockworks.co/news/ebay-acquires-uk-based-nft-marketplace-knownorigin" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">acquired</a> UK-based KnownOrigin for an undisclosed amount. Yet NFTs were already sold on the platform. EBay <a href="https://www.ebayinc.com/stories/news/ebay-and-digital-collectibles-our-tech-led-reimagination-continues/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">announced</a> in 2021 an expansion into the collectibles category as they “offer greater access to a broader audience of collectors and creators.”



EBay describes KnownOrigin as an “early Web3 pioneer” looking to empower NFT creators who want to to express themselves and maintain livelihoods through their passion.&nbsp;



EBay <a href="https://blockworks.co/news/ebay-nfts-connect-athletes-fans" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">recently partnered</a> with events platform Notable Live to provide fans with a new way to connect with players.&nbsp;



Both firms have a multi-year contract under which Notable will add exclusive player merchandise, NFTs and other interactive experiences on eBay. It isn’t yet known which blockchain will support Notable Live’s NFTs.



Google searches for Web3 jobs have been steadily rising and companies are still hiring despite a bearish background.&nbsp;



Amazon, one of eBay’s biggest rivals recently put up a job posting for a senior go-to-market <a href="https://www.amazon.jobs/en/jobs/2320871/senior-gtm-specialist-web3" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">specialist</a>, who would be responsible for growing adoption of Web3 workloads on its cloud computing division. The role requires knowledge of blockchain-based architectures and developer workflow in Layer-1 and 2.&nbsp;



EBay’s KnownOrigin push comes after Blockworks reported that Amazon is soon expected to <a href="https://blockworks.co/news/amazon-nft-marketplace-web3" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">launch an NFT initative</a>, pegged to inspire customers to play crypto-based games and claim digital collectable rewards.



H/T: CoinDesk



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EBay NFT Job Openings Hint At Web3 Showdown With Amazon

Bessie Liu

Interactive, virtual, events platform Notable Live has partnered with e-commerce giant eBay to leverage NFTs for fan experiences with their favorite sports players, leagues and teams, among other initiatives.



The partnership will combine eBay’s collectible marketplace with an immersive experience facilitated by Notable Live, and provide sports fans with a platform to connect with players.



EBay’s venture capital arm, eBay Ventures, previously led Notable Live’s Series A round, the company said in a statement. The two businesses are currently executing a multi-year contract where Notable Live will be bringing limited edition NFT and player merchandise to eBay. 



The online marketplace&#8217;s latest partnership with Notable Live marks its next step in the digital collectible space.



&#8220;Our partnerships [focus] on delivering transformational solutions that provide fans true access. These solutions are built upon authentic offerings that attach memories to memorabilia and experiences directly from the source themselves,” Mike Antonucci, co-founder and CEO of Notable Live, said in a statement. 



The tech startup is the brainchild of Antonucci and NFL Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith. Launched in 2018, Notable Live initially started as a mobile app that gave fans access to memorable experiences with players.



&#8220;Fans and collectors turn to eBay to celebrate their favorite players and teams, knowing they can find authentic, one-of-a-kind memorabilia that connects them with the history and future of sports,&#8221; Dawn Block, vice president of collectibles at eBay, said. 



&#8220;Our partnership with Notable Live further enhances the market-leading experiences we&#8217;ve been building for our community of sports fans, collectors and investors, enabling them to engage with living legends in a new and meaningful way.&#8221;



It’s not yet clear which blockchain Notable Live’s NFTs will be issued on. Blockwork has reached out to both companies for comment.&nbsp;



Still, eBay has been slowly making moves in the NFT space. It <a href="https://blockworks.co/news/ebay-acquires-uk-based-nft-marketplace-knownorigin">acquired UK-based NFT marketplace KnownOrigin</a> for an undisclosed amount in June last year and <a href="https://blockworks.co/news/ebay-acquires-uk-based-nft-marketplace-knownorigin">launched the NFT collection “Genesis”</a> despite declining market interest.



Unlike NFTs sold on crypto-native marketplaces such as OpenSea, eBay’s NFT sales aren’t recorded on-chain. Purchases require fiat currencies — through PayPal or credit card — and the digital asset is delivered to the buyer through a redemption link once the purchase is made.



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EBay Wants NFTs To Connect Fans With Sports Stars

Sebastian Sinclair

<div id="highlights-block_62b3b70b648d3" class="highlights">
 <ul>
 <li>The purchase comes on the heels of eBay&#8217;s sports-themed NFT collection unveiled in May</li>
 <li>The appetite for NFTs has wavered in recent months</li>
 </ul>
 
</div>



Global e-commerce platform eBay said Wednesday it has acquired a UK-based NFT marketplace for an undisclosed sum in a bid to further its efforts in the digital collectible arena.



Founded in 2018 in Manchester, UK, KnownOrigin is a blockchain-powered marketplace allowing artists and collectors to create, buy and sell NFTs (non-fungible tokens). The deal, while scant in detail, has been finalized as of Tuesday, according to a statement.



The move follows eBay&#8217;s recent foray into the NFT sector, where the platform launched its sports-themed <a href="https://cms.blockworks.co/ebay-launches-genesis-nft-collection-amid-declining-market-interest/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Genesis</a> collection in May despite waning interest from collectors and investors for digital collectibles. EBay first began allowing the purchase and sale of NFTs in May 2021.



“KnownOrigin has built up an impressive, passionate and loyal group of artists and collectors, making them a perfect addition to our community of sellers and buyers,&#8221; eBay&#8217;s CEO Jamie Iannone said in the statement. &#8220;We look forward to welcoming these innovators as they join the eBay community.&#8221;



NFTs have slowly edged toward the mainstream since early 2020 following renowned digital artist <a href="https://www.christies.com/features/Monumental-collage-by-Beeple-is-first-purely-digital-artwork-NFT-to-come-to-auction-11510-7.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Beeple&#8217;s sale</a> of his “The First 5000 Days” for over $69 million at auction house Christie&#8217;s. That sale sparked a flurry of ambitious and opportunistic sellers hoping to cash in on the lucrative trade.



Current market conditions have since seen a slow down of sales and interest in digital collectibles, having peaked late last year. Data from the 90-day trading activity on popular NFT marketplaces such as <a href="https://opensea.io/explore-collections?tab=top" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">OpenSea</a> show a steady month-to-month decline.



Still, a company such as eBay — which facilitated over $87 billion in gross merchandise volume last year — could prove to be a boon for the budding sector by lifting the <a href="https://www.ebay.com.au/b/Art-NFTs/262051/bn_7117708273" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">profile of NFTs</a> within the minds of the average consumer.



EBay&#8217;s move toward the sale and purchase of NFTs can also be viewed as a defensive stance since its biggest rival, Amazon, began flirting with the idea back in April.



Amazon CEO Andy Jassy previously said at the time he envisioned a “<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/04/14/andy-jassy-says-he-doesnt-own-bitcoin-says-amazon-could-sell-nfts.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">possible</a>” future where the platform sold digital collectibles backed by blockchain tech, though details of when and if that would happen remain unclear.



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EBay Acquires UK-based NFT Marketplace KnownOrigin

<div id="highlights-block_628b06fe4dda9" class="highlights">
 <ul>
 <li>The first of its &#8220;Genesis&#8221; NFT collection will feature 3D renditions of Canadian hockey legend Wayne Gretzky</li>
 <li>eBay tapped NFT platform OneOf to provide its &#8220;eco-conscious&#8221; Web3 tech rails</li>
 </ul>
 
</div>



E-commerce giant eBay is looking to get some skin in the NFT game despite declining interest as represented by total global sales and a contracting crypto market.



According to a press release on Monday, eBay&#8217;s “Genesis” non-fungible token collection are to feature 3D and animated interpretations of iconic athletes taken from Sports Illustrated covers over the years.



The e-commerce platform has partnered with OneOf — an NFT platform touting support for NFTs across multiple &#8220;energy-efficient&#8221; blockchains. First up in the collaborative series will feature Canadian hockey legend Wayne Gretzky performing career signature moves on the ice.



OneOf confirmed with Blockworks it has secured the rights to repurpose Sports Illustrated&#8217;s images and offer them as digital collectibles.



Both companies are attempting to hit all the right notes by providing their touted green-centric, trendy tech to a consumer base still apparently hungry for blockchain-based collectibles. 



The <a href="https://www.ebay.com/oneofgretzkynft" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">current collection</a> includes thirteen &#8220;limited-edition&#8221; digital collectibles pertaining to a tier-based system, containing 299 separate NFTs within the green, gold, platinum, and diamond tiers. 



Additional drops of OneOf’s sports legends NFT series, repurposing iconic Sports Illustrated covers, will take place throughout the remainder of the year in partnership with eBay, the companies said.



eBay&#8217;s foray into the NFT market comes shortly on the heels of its biggest rival Amazon and its CEO Andy Jassy&nbsp;who told CNBC last month he envisioned a &#8220;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/04/14/andy-jassy-says-he-doesnt-own-bitcoin-says-amazon-could-sell-nfts.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">possible</a>&#8221; future where the platform sold NFTs.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">NFTs Who Cares?</h3>



Despite the interest from online sales giants, activity in the NFT market has wavered alongside declining prices throughout the broader crypto market.



According to the Q1 2022 quarterly NFT <a href="https://20137703.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/20137703/REPORTS/2022/2022_NFT%20Market%20Report%20Q1_final.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">market report</a> by data provider NonFungible, sales volume, exchange volume and the total number of active addresses with digital collectibles has <a href="https://cms.blockworks.co/one-in-three-nfts-end-up-with-little-to-no-trading-activity-reports-says/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">steadily declined</a> since peaking in January.



Indeed, the total number of sales beginning on May 15 was around 25,518, data shows. That has since dropped to around 23,117, according to the <a href="https://nonfungible.com/market-tracker" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">latest figures</a> witnessed over a weekly period. In September, the weekly average stood at roughly 225,000 individual sales.



A drop of this magnitude can likely be attributed to a realization by many NFT holders that their anticipated returns from secondary market sales aren&#8217;t panning out as previously hoped.



Still, both OneOf and eBay remain steadfast their partnership will lead to the &#8220;next 100 million non-crypto-native mass consumers,&#8221; according to the NFT platform&#8217;s CEO Lin Dai.



“NFTs and blockchain technology are revolutionizing the collectibles space and are increasingly viewed as an investment opportunity for enthusiasts,” said Dawn Block, VP of collectibles, electronics and home at eBay. &#8220;Through our partnership with OneOf, eBay is now making coveted NFTs more accessible to a new generation of collectors everywhere.&#8221;



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