The US-based software company Salesforce has announced the launch of a new closed pilot program for minting and managing non-fungible tokens (NFTs).
Its new NFT Cloud service will be run from the wide-ranging Salesforce CRM platform. Its aim is to help companies boost brand engagement and marketing activities through the use of NFTs.
According to the Salesforce product page for the service, it will help brands launch into new digital worlds, deploy from secure and sustainable technology and link data, communities and wallets.
Speaking to TechCrunch, the company’s Senior Vice President of Emerging Technology, Adam Caplan, said:
“NFT Cloud is all about helping our customers mint, manage and sell NFTs, and of course it’s all no code. So it’s super easy on our platform, abstracting all the complicated technology in this [new] web3 world.
“It’s really about driving engagement and communities, and we’re seeing super passionate communities in the NFT space.”
Salesforce NFT Cloud is currently in closed pilot, and the CRM platform hasn’t yet revealed any details about when it will be generally available.
NFT Cloud – a more sustainable blockchain platform?
Salesforce has said that its platform won’t be supporting proof-of-work blockchains, which are used to create many cryptocurrencies. This method uses an enormous amount of computing power, which in turn drives up energy consumption. Concerns over this environmental impact has led to increasing and widespread criticism of the sector.
Hoping to avoid this, Salesforce will only be using proof-of-stake blockchain technology for its NFT Cloud platform. This apparently consumes practically no energy. On the product page for the platform, Salesforce explains:
“Based on current models, it is believed that PoS blockchains drastically reduce the energy consumption of current-state PoW blockchains by as much as 99.95%. Additionally, there is significant electronic waste associated with PoW blockchain use (due to frequent upgrading of equipment) that is eliminated by switching to PoS, which does not rely on physical hardware.
“At Salesforce, we have an opportunity to lead with our values, and shape positive norms and benchmarks for using NFT and blockchain technology sustainably. That’s why our NFT Cloud pilot will not support proof-of-work blockchains.
“In line with our net zero emissions commitment, and to help our customers reach or stay net zero, our NFT Cloud pilot will automatically calculate carbon emissions of blockchain options, and allow the user to offset the emissions through trusted, high-quality carbon credits.”
Addressing security concerns
Salesforce is also aiming to resolve another key crypto concern – security. The cryptocurrency and NFT sectors have been plagued with instances of fraud and hacking over the last few years.
To reduce this risk, NFT platform will use smart contract templates to protect against fraud and ensure that all transactions are honest and genuine. The company asserts that it will embed “best-in-class brand and consumer protections” to ensure trust and security in its NFT Cloud service. Whether you’re job hunting or hiring within the crypto and blockchain space, Fairmont Recruitment is the ideal partner. Get in touch with our specialist tech recruitment team today.
