In the Fall of 2021, to much excitement, the Portals metaverse was launched on the Solana blockchain.
It followed many of the Ethereum-based metaverse crypto projects, like The Sandbox and Decentraland.
However, being on the newer, faster and far cheaper Solana blockchain meant it had an extra level of excitement going for it.
Portals is a browser-based metaverse and immersive social space where you can gather with community and friends.
Its focus is on a thoughtful and well-planned city center that is entertaining, dense, easy to explore and offers a zero-friction user experience where you can play and build.
Though Portals is still in development, with a Portals NFT access card, you can gain entry into and explore parts of Portals Downtown, visit player-built spaces, play a few games and more.
You can also access easy-to-use tools to customize your residence and other areas of the metaverse.
Portals has gained quite a bit of popularity via its connections and partnerships.
When you own a Portals NFT, you join brands like BinanceUS, Audius and more in establishing your footprint in Portals Downtown.
Benefits of Owning Portals Metaverse Real Estate
Buying a Portals Solana real estate unit means you’re purchasing an NFT. This NFT serves as your access card to your exclusive real estate unit in Portals Downtown.
There are a total of 5,000 units in the Portals metaverse and three different types of units you can buy: Ivory (4500 total units), Onyx (425 total units) and Vision (75 total units).
Owning an access card to the Portals metaverse gives you numerous benefits and privileges, including:
- Access to the downtown district
- Your own space to build anything you want with a click-and-drag editor
- Ability to facilitate events with features like screen share and town hall mode
- Creation of an immersive experience via added interactivity to items
- Invitations for friends and option to host parties
- Gaming activities
Portals Metaverse Magic Eden
All Solana Portals NFT access cards sold out during the initial sale. To buy one, you’ll be buying on what is known as a secondary market.
This is where anyone can list their Portals NFT for a specific number of Solana and a buyer can bid on one, or buy one immediately.
The secondary market is called Magic Eden, a decentralized NFT platform built on the Solana blockchain.
How to Buy a Portals Metaverse NFT Residence
You can buy a Portals NFT access card in a few simple steps:
1) Sign Up at a Crypto Exchange
You’ll need some Solana cryptocurrency to purchase your Portals NFT access card.
If you don’t have some already and haven’t signed up at a crypto exchange, you can sign up and purchase Solana with USD on the following exchanges:
Note: The number of Solana you need to purchase a Portals NFT can vary depending on a variety of factors such as supply and demand, news and market conditions.
Check Magic Eden for the current going rate so you’ll know how many Solana you need.
2) Download a Phantom Wallet
The Phantom wallet makes it easy to store, buy, send, receive, swap tokens and collect NFTs on the Solana blockchain.
I’ve used it many times on Magic Eden and the compatibility is great. You can download it to your web browser or phone. I prefer the web browser when making NFT purchases.
Be sure to store the seed phrase for your wallet in a safe, offline location like a crypto seed storage device.
There are other wallets you can use as well, including Sollet and Solflare, though I’ve found Phantom to be the most reliable.
3) Send Solana to Your Phantom Wallet
Copy your wallet address located at the top of your Phantom wallet. Go to the exchange where you purchased Solana and send the Solana to your Phantom wallet.
4) Go to Magic Eden
Go to the Magic Eden marketplace for Portals. At the top right, connect your Phantom wallet.
5) Purchase Your Residence
Choose the Portals NFT you want. You’ll have options to buy now or bid.
Make your choice, follow the prompts to completion and you’re done.
Final Thoughts
Though the blockchain space as a whole is in the early stages of metaverse development, the Solana Portals metaverse is building at a steady pace and has gained a loyal following.
It’s also in a phase where you can experience parts of it for yourself.
Once you have your Portals NFT, you can go right into your unit and start experimenting and building it out.
I find this to be an enjoyable experience because the social simulation-style graphics are easy on the eyes.
Plus, you really get the sense that the project is in its youth and there’s a long runway for a lot of cool development and features.
I’m especially interested to see how much crypto gamification plays into this project in the future.
As you look to find ways to experience the metaverse, Portals Solana is a unique, interesting and promising one to check out.
Disclaimer:The above is the writer’s opinion and should not be considered investment advice. Readers should do their own research and/or consult a financial advisor. Any actions taken based on the information above is at the reader’s own risk.