Figure skating star Mao Asada’s NFTs sell out shortly after launch

Japanese former figure skater and Olympic medalist Mao Asada’s NFT collection sold out in about one day after its launch on a marketplace.

The collection, featuring eight of Asada’s favourite photos taken from her performance in the 2021 “Mao Asada Thanks Tour,” were launched on Tokyo-based NFT marketplace Meta All-stars from 4am on May 25. Each NFT was priced at 5,000 Japanese yen. As of May 26, all eight of them have sold out.

Asada won a silver medal in the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics, the occasion where she became the first female figure skater to have landed three triple Axel jumps in one competition. She is also a three-time World champion, a three-time Four Continents champion and a four-time Grand Prix Final champion. 

Asada said that every moment of her tour was a great treasure and that she wanted to share precious memories with everyone. “I hope everyone enjoys this new initiative,” she said. 

The skater was currently preparing for a new ice show, she added. “I am practising a lot to improve my performance so that I can surpass my past self. I hope you are looking forward to it.”

Focusing on NFT products for athletes, Meta All-stars has plans to launch another set of NFTs featuring Asada’s quotes in the future. Its proceeds will be used to support the development of figure skating in Japan.

The platform launched its service in March, with its NFT project featuring Singaporean Leslie Kee’s portrait of Tsuyoshi Shinjo, manager of the professional baseball team Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters. Part of the proceeds would go to the newly founded Bigboss Foundation, named after Shinjo’s nickname ‘Big Boss’, to support athletes in the future.

The company aims to promote sports together with athletes through NFT. Its NFT products are divided into different categories, such as  athletes’ quotes, collaborative art series, athletes’ portraits and documentaries.