Metaplex September Round-up

Highlights

• Aura - Metaplex announced the Aura network, a decentralized indexing and DA availability network for Solana and the SVM

• Core Adoption - Over 500k assets have now been minted with Core, including 225k in September, an all-time high and 294% increase MoM

• Fungible Tokens - 358k new fungible tokens created through Metaplex

• Token Metadata Optimization - The Token Metadata optimization effort was launched, which reduced the size of Token Metadata accounts to minimize the standard’s onchain footprint and lower minting costs

• $MPLX Token Purchases - 10,000 SOL of Metaplex Protocol fees were used to purchase 3.5M $MPLX, which was contributed to the Metaplex DAO

Protocol Activity

There were nearly 225k Core assets created this month, the most in one month since the standard launched and a nearly 300% increase from August. The surge in Core mints was powered by new use cases including questing reward NFTs and gaming. 

There were 524k Token Metadata assets created this month, 68% of which were fungible tokens.

In total creators and developers minted 20.7 million million digital assets through Metaplex in September, including 19.9 million compressed NFTs. This represents a 102% increase MoM in digital assets minted, driven by the increase in Bubblegum and Core mints.

418k unique wallets directly signed transactions with the protocol in September, an increase of 6% MoM.

In September, Metaplex was the fifth largest Solana protocol based on active wallets and the eighth largest protocol based on transactions.

As of September, the total number of Metaplex collectors surpassed 57 million unique wallets, an increase of over 600k million wallets month-over-month.

Developer Platform

Metaplex Aura

In September, Metaplex announced Aura, a decentralized indexing and data availability network for Solana and the Solana Virtual Machine (SVM). Aura represents the largest and most ambitious expansion of the Metaplex Protocol since its inception in 2021, complementing the SVM and Metaplex Program Library (MPL) with a decentralized read layer. With the addition of the Aura Network, Metaplex now offers a cutting-edge, end-to-end solution for developers building decentralized applications.

The Aura Network consists of a network of nodes that performantly index asset data and provide real time data availability for compressed state, ensuring digital asset data is always accessible and secure without reliance on centralized infrastructure. The Aura Network expands upon the Metaplex DAS API, the trusted open-source technology that underpins indexing on Solana and the SVM and is run by RPC providers across the ecosystem. 

A key innovation introduced by Aura is elastic state management, which facilitates the transition of digital assets between compressed and uncompressed states. Aura’s initial feature for elastic state management is an augmentation to the Bubblegum program for compressed NFTs (cNFTs), and unlocks the ability for developers to rollup mint transactions and batch create assets. Batch minting reduces the number of transactions and associated transaction costs with minting large quantities of cNFTs by over 99%, while also significantly reducing network load. 

The Metaplex Foundation took a community-driven approach to bring Aura to market, engaging with developers throughout the Solana and SVM ecosystem to solicit product feedback and explore early network implementations. Over 25 unique projects contributed to Aura’s rollout, including the top NFT marketplaces, infrastructure providers, game developers, launchpads, creators, SVM L2s, and more. The Metaplex foundation will continue to explore early implementations for the Aura network with these Launch Partners.

The Metaplex Foundation has fully open-sourced Aura’s code and repositories, encouraging global developer collaboration and ensuring that the community plays a central role in its ongoing evolution.

Aura was officially presented by Stephen Hess, Director at the Metaplex Foundation, at Solana’s Breakpoint event in Singapore.

Token Metadata Optimization

In September, Metaplex deployed the previously announced Token Metadata (TM) optimization to mainnet, which significantly reduces the size of all new Token Metadata accounts, resulting in reduced network load and lower minting costs.

The optimization was first deployed on devnet on September 9th, providing developers and protocols ample time to test their systems and ensure compatibility. Teams that interact with Token Metadata were advised to update their systems to accommodate the changes and ensure smooth integration.

Core

September marked the biggest month to date for Core adoption since its launch, with over 500k cumulative Core mints and 225k assets minted in September alone. The surge in Core mints was powered by new use cases including questing reward NFTs and gaming. 

Core received a major upgrade in September, with Magic Eden announcing integration for their launchpad. Developers and creators now have access to the most powerful onchain asset standard on Solana via one of the most prominent launchpads.

Eclipse

In September, Metaplex officially deployed on Eclipse. With Core, Token Metadata, MPL-404, Candy Machine, and Token Auth Rules now live, developers can leverage the same programs used on Solana mainnet.

This deployment strengthens Metaplex’s position as the digital asset protocol for the SVM, offering new opportunities for innovation and scaling.

Developer Guides

In September, Metaplex released several new guides to support developers in building on Solana:

• Cross Program Invocation Guide. This guide helps developers improve their Rust skills by demonstrating how to perform Cross Program Invocation (CPI) and call instructions from other programs.

• Metaplex Rust SDKs Guide. Learn how to use the Metaplex Rust SDKs to manage accounts and instructions efficiently.

• Fungible Token Creation Guide. A step-by-step guide for developers looking to create their own fungible tokens on Solana using JavaScript, designed to simplify the process for both experienced developers and newcomers.

Metaplex DAO

Metaplex Protocol Fees & $MPLX Token Purchases

In September, 10,000 SOL was used to purchase 3.5 million $MPLX that was contributed to the Metaplex DAO treasury.

This marks the fourth $MPLX contribution to the Metaplex DAO. As previously announced, 50% of the Metaplex Protocol’s historical and monthly fees are used to purchase $MPLX that is contributed to the Metaplex DAO with the goal of supporting decentralization and community governance.

In September, the Protocol generated 5,598 SOL in fees, totaling 132K SOL of cumulative Protocol fees generated.

Grants Working Group

In September, the Metaplex DAO Grants Working Group officially launched, as announced by Deans List DAO. The program is aimed at promoting the adoption of Metaplex Core and MPL-404 through targeted grants.

The Grants Working Group, led by core members of Deans List DAO, will oversee the evaluation and distribution of locked $MPLX and USDC to projects launching innovative implementations of the Core and MPL-404 standards. The working group has allocated 1,000,000 $MPLX tokens and $100,000 USDC to support projects building on these frameworks.

Applications are now live, and creators and developers are encouraged to apply through this link.

Cube Listing

$MPLX was officially listed on Cube Exchange, further expanding the token’s accessibility and introducing Metaplex to a broader audience.

Community

Breakpoint Singapore

The Metaplex team traveled to Singapore for Token 2049 and Breakpoint. From side events to lunches with close supporters and key partners, networking was a key focus of the trip. Throughout Breakpoint, Metaplex also distributed exclusive merch from its sponsor booth, where the team engaged with attendees and onboarded new members into the ecosystem.

The team also hosted an exclusive happy hour event, offering a relaxed environment to connect with friends and partners. The highlight of Metaplex’s Breakpoint trip came on Day 2 when Stephen Hess unveiled Metaplex Aura. The presentation generated significant buzz, showcasing Aura as the next great evolution of the Metaplex Protocol.

In addition to the Aura launch, Stephen Hess sat down for an interview on the Eclipse podcast to discuss Metaplex’s role in the SVM ecosystem and future plans for digital assets.

IslandDAO

After Singapore, Metaplex headed to Koh Samui for IslandDAO, a month-long coworking event that Metaplex sponsored for the second time. IslandDAO offered a unique “work from paradise” experience for Metaplex community devs to collaborate with top developers and builders across the Solana ecosystem.

DSCVR Hackathon

The DSCVR Hackathon came to a close during Breakpoint, with a final closing ceremony that announced the winners. Metaplex sponsored two tracks: one focused fully on NFT and token creation and a second one, in collaboration with Spiderswap, targeting media and gaming projects.

Metaplex contributed 150,000 locked $MPLX for the prize pool of these tracks. Participants across the digital asset and gaming ecosystems built creative and innovative solutions using Metaplex's infrastructure.

The NFT & Token Minting Track saw Pixel Arena take first place, followed by Neonpunk Generative Art in second, and Postify in third, with a total of ten winners in the track. In the Media & Gaming Track, Wordoo claimed first place, with LoFi-BUG in second and My Solana Quiz application securing third. In total, there were 13 winners across the two tracks

Naabathon

Naabathon, the first hackathon dedicated to the Star Atlas ecosystem and sponsored by Metaplex, Cube, Magic Block, and SonicSVM, concluded. Developers competed across categories like gaming, DeFi, and digital assets.

ATOM won Best Project for its SAGE automation tool. Other winners included ATLAS Link (Galactic Marketplace), Squads.io (DeFi), Crew Dashboard (Data), Star Atlas Dispatcher (Resource), Warfront (Game), and Eveeye Ship Comparison (SAGE).

Blinkathon

Blinkathon, the global hackathon organized by SEND Coin and supported by Metaplex and other major Solana projects, announced its winners in September. Metaplex sponsored the Digital Asset Track,won by Drop.site, who took home $2,500 in locked MPLX for their solution that allows users to mint any tweet as an NFT. Other winners include:

• Blurt(dot)gg, powered by Solana streams, which took the Grand Prize for Best Blinks Overall.

• Squad Games, a Twitter survival game, won in both the Smart Account and Multi-Sig Track and earned second place in the Grand Prize Track.

• Moblink, which powers Blinks on Twitter mobile.

RADAR Hackathon Sidetracks

The RADAR Hackathon, organized by Colosseum and the Solana Foundation, began on September 6th and concluded on October 8th. With a $250,000 prize pool and access to Colosseum's Accelerator program, builders are competing across various tracks, including infrastructure, public goods, and climate innovation.

In addition to the main event, Superteam is hosting side and local tracks, including the "Future of Digital Assets" track, sponsored by Metaplex. This track invites developers to explore new use cases for digital assets using Metaplex’s tools, with a prize pool of 46,000 $MPLX. Other tracks include the Solflare Demo Day and Sonic Arcades, which offer additional rewards.

TUM Blockchain

Metaplex joined the TUM Blockchain Conference Kickoff Mixer in Munich, co-hosted with Superteam Germany, w3.vision, KPMG, and others. The event featured a panel discussion with experts from Solana, KPMG, and Staking Facilities, followed by a Solana Mixer with pizza and drinks.

Solar Hacker House Workshop 

Metaplex hosted an Introduction to Core workshop at the Solar Mini Hacker Houses. The workshop, led by Metaplex community developer Leo, was held simultaneously across multiple cities in China, including Shanghai, Hangzhou, Shenzhen, and Dali. Developers from these regions gathered to learn about Core and its potential for digital asset creation on Solana.

Application Ecosystem

September saw significant momentum in the Solana and Metaplex application ecosystems, with developers rolling out new products, integrating features, and exploring use cases. Here are some of the key highlights from this month:

• Nyan Heroes launched their Pre-Alpha Playtest 3 on the Epic Games Store, letting players control cat-piloted mechs and complete daily missions. 

• Magic Eden announced the integration of Core in their launchpad. Developers and creators can now create and launch Core assets easily through the ME Launchpad.

• WIDI introduced a new Blinks generator using Candy Machines to simplify digital asset launches on X, Discord, and Telegram. With just a Candy Machine ID, users can mint assets across different platforms within seconds.

• Monstre Kitchen integrated Core into their product line, embedding NFTs in their merchandise through collaborations with Bad Environment Club and TipLink.

• Truffle HQ launched Pick’n’Mint, a new feature that allows collectors to handpick their favorite digital assets from a Candy Machine, giving them control over their mints with no surprises.

• Drop.site rolled out Candy Machine blinks, allowing creators to share simple URLs to mint onchain assets directly from a Candy Machine with just a few clicks.

• Tensor announced at Breakpoint that they are now fully open-sourced, creating a truly permissionless NFT trading layer on Solana.

• DRiP raised $8 million in seed funding to build their collectibles platform, helping creators connect with fans in new ways and reclaim control over their audiences.

• Shaga, a gaming-focused DePIN project, kicked off the public pre-sale of the Shaga Odyssey, a web3 gaming controller with a built-in hardware wallet.

• Play Solana launched pre-orders for their handheld Web3 gaming device, PSG1, featuring a soulbound NFT with each purchase and exclusive rewards for early adopters.

• Underdog Protocol made it possible to create Candy Machines and mint Core assets in under 30 seconds, offering templates to make the process even easier.

• SolGpt introduced the first token-gated AI language model on Solana, fully integrated with Metaplex’s repos and tech to bring AI-powered solutions.

• Candy Blinks began using Core, making minting faster, cheaper, and more scalable by leveraging the flexible plugin system of Core.

• BreadHeads officially launched the Core migrator, allowing holders to migrate their NFTs to Core, unlocking future utility for their assets.

• Namaste Oracle by SolanaJax debuted an AI-powered NFT oracle that reads personality traits from Solana NFTs.

Creator Ecosystem 

September saw creators across the ecosystem continue to push boundaries, building onchain communities and engaging audiences through digital assets. Here are some of the most notable highlights from this month:

• WideWorlds, one of the Startup Program participants, launched a major mint campaign using AI to let participants create custom Aura-inspired NFTs. This mint, held in collaboration with Metaplex, gave users a chance to earn exclusive merch at Breakpoint by minting their unique creations.

• Arcium, an onchain privacy protocol, kicked off its 6-week initiative with the Arcium Citadel and Four Fortresses, for participants to learn more about the new protocol, and earn the Apprentice NFT that will unlock perks in the future.

• STEPN partnered with Adidas for a new edition of co-branded Genesis Sneakers on STEPN GO, pushing forward their mass adoption of digital assets.

• Photo Finish hosted an interactive Solana Derby experience at Breakpoint, featuring a 55-inch touchscreen for live betting on virtual horse races, as well as an exclusive Breakpoint NFT mint.

• Rkey introduced its ORIGIN NFT collection, offering fractional on-chain real estate ownership with unique mechanics and perks for holders.

• Dramsky launched limited-edition Solana Breakpoint 2024 Whisky NFTs, allowing holders to redeem real whisky bottles at the event, powered by Core Candy Machine and Blinks.

• Solana ID celebrated reaching 10k followers with the minting of 10k non-transferable identity NFTs, unlocking exclusive perks and airdrops for holders.

• Kouzoko launched its 1/1 collection using Core, which combines anime-inspired 3D art and storytelling.

• The Saga Monkes community started using Core assets to combine physical and digital art in collaboration with Cardboredcutz, bringing real-world assets (RWA) on-chain.

• Project Selyo, a participant in the Radar hackathon, utilized cNFTs to reduce the cost of minting at large-scale. Focused on tokenizing social interactions, the project allows event organizers to collect real-time data from participants, for activities like raffles and giveaways, and creating a more interactive event experience.

Follow @metaplex on X for ongoing community updates. You can also subscribe to receive these monthly updates directly to your email here. Developers should follow and turn on notifications for @metaplexstatus for the latest updates. To contribute to the Metaplex protocol, engage with us on GitHub or submit a Metaplex Improvement Proposal (MIP) at mip.metaplex.com.

Lastly, thank you to TopLedger for their data support on this month’s round-up. They provide real-time monitoring of Metaplex activity and usage to the ecosystem. For additional Metaplex onchain metrics, please refer to the following link.