With partnerships with two major sports franchises in the United States, Dapper Lab is a name in the NFT space. The NBA NFT marketplace Top Shot was launched by Dapper Lab and the NBA back in 2020.
Here, NBA sports fans can collect and trade NBA NFTs, which are video clips of NBA scoring moments. The NFL and Dapper Lab have also partnered up since 2019. Digital video highlights of the season’s biggest plays are available for NFL sports fans.
Dapper Lab and the Flow Blockchain
Away from U.S sports franchises, Dapper Lab is also behind the Flow (FLOW) blockchain. Flow is a blockchain designed to deliver speed and throughput improvements, while ensuring the preservation of a “developer friendly, ACID-compliant environment”. The platform targets games, apps, and the digital assets that power them. The team has also been behind CryptoKitties and Dapper Wallet.
When considering Dabber Lab and its position within the blockchain and NFT spaces, it’s not surprising that the team is looking to stay ahead on the regulatory front.
At the turn of the year, news hit the wires of Dapper Lab becoming the first company to register to lobby NFTs with the U.S government.
Dapper Lab’s move comes amidst heightened regulatory scrutiny, which has pressured the crypto market. Unlike the crypto market, however, the NFT marketplace has flourished at the turn of the year. While this is good news for the likes of Dapper Lab, it also means that NFTs will also appear on the radar of regulators around the world.
The Shift in the Regulatory Landscape Continues
Regulatory uncertainty has been on the rise since late 2021. The increased level of activity is reminiscent of 2018, which hurt Bitcoin (BTC) and the broader crypto market.
Investor profiles differ significantly today, with “Whales” delivering much-needed support at times of market stress.
Nonetheless, downside risks remain should crypto market leaders fail to navigate through the regulatory quagmire. U.S Congress already has the cryptos market and crypto mining in its sights.
Last week, it was reported news of a U.S Congress sub-committee on Capitol Hill preparing a hearing on cryptos, crypto mining, and their impact on the environment.
With this year already shaping up to be a stellar year for the NFT market, Dapper Lab’s lead will be critical in shaping the NFT regulatory landscape in the year ahead.
Just this week, it was reported on India’s RBI setting up a FINTECH division to monitor cryptos, including NFTs.
In what has proven to be a busy week, the IMF also raised concerns over cryptos and the interconnectedness with the global financial markets. The IMF’s views were aligned with those of the Bank of England, which had raised its concerns late last year.
FLOW Price Action
At the time of writing, FLOW was up by 1.12% to $8.025. Near-term, a move back through a current month high of $9.45 would support a return to $10.00 levels.
A break back through to $10.00 would then bring December’s high of $12.64 into play. FLOW had struck an ATH $44.60 back in April of last year.
