In a blog post published on Wednesday (21 June 2023), Shiba Inu’s pseudonymous lead developer, Shytoshi Kusama, introduced Shibacals, a novel concept within the Shiba Inu Ecosystem. Shibacals aims to authenticate physical collectibles, bridging the gap between the tangible and digital worlds in a unique way.
According to Kusama, the concept of Shibacals is rooted in the growing popularity of non-fungible tokens (NFTs), which have gained traction due to their ability to provide verifiable ownership and scarcity for digital items. He points out, however, that as blockchain technology continues to permeate everyday life, the need to authenticate physical items similarly has become increasingly apparent.
Shibacals addresses this need by using Near Field Communication (NFC) chips to authenticate physical items. These chips can be linked to digital records on a blockchain, providing a secure and verifiable record of authenticity for the physical item. This approach combines the benefits of blockchain technology, such as transparency and immutability, with the tangible nature of physical collectibles.
In addition to the authentication of individual items, Shibacals also plans to create these collectibles in-house. This approach allows for greater control over the quality and authenticity of the items, further enhancing their value as collectibles.
Shibacals is not limited to the Shiba Inu Ecosystem. The team is in discussions with multiple blockchains to adopt this authentication method, demonstrating its potential for widespread application. This service can be used by any company, chain, team, NFT project, or individual, promoting interoperability across different blockchain platforms.
In collaboration with Champion Apparel, the Shibacals team will create Shiba Inu merchandise authenticated through their NFC chips. This initiative provides a practical application for Shibacals’ authentication method and offers a new avenue for community engagement.
He also showed off the first batch of Shibacal, Shib themed, NFC Authentication Tags created by Hewlett Packard via their printing service:
