Introduction to SmartMint

SmartMint is a no-code NFT minting platform where creators can easily create, manage, and mint NFTs on their own custom smart contracts. The tool also provides creators with additional peace of mind as it leverage Pastel’s infrastructure for near-duplicate NFT detection (Sense) and permanent NFT data storage (Cascade).

SmartMint enables creators to mint NFTs on Ethereum, Solana, Pastel, and more. Creators can launch NFT drops on SmartMint as their backend management platform and list NFTs for sale on their own site or secondary marketplaces like OpenSea.

Benefits to Creators

There is currently no simple solution for users to easily create smart-contracts and NFTs that allows for custom metadata, properties, and attributes while also guaranteeing permanent NFT data / metadata storage on a decentralized network.

Existing marketplaces limit the amount of custom metadata or traits that users can add, and in many cases also retain ownership of the collection smart contract that is deployed on the user’s behalf. They also offer fairly limited solutions in terms of supporting NFT data / metadata storage, certifiable authenticity, and counterfeit protection.

Writing and deploying your own smart contracts on Ethereum requires extensive knowledge of advanced programming languages like Solidity. It also requires technical knowledge for deploying smart contracts to the Ethereum Virtual Machine (“EVM”). This creates a significant barrier for many creators and collectors.

SmartMint solves these problems by enabling creators to simply upload assets, add custom properties & attributes, and simply ‘click’ the network they want to mint the NFT on. We make it as easy as ‘1 2 3’ while taking care of all of the heavy lifting on the backend.

Users receive the additional benefit and security of Pastel’s advanced Sense and Cascade Protocols. Creators can have their NFTs run through Sense Protocol for Near-Duplicate NFT Detection and will receive a relative rareness score and other useful information — certifying the authenticity of that NFT vs. existing creations. At the same time, the NFT’s data / metadata lives forever on a network of fully decentralized SuperNodes via Cascade Protocol for Permanent NFT Data Storage. Users can take advantage of Sense and Cascade at no extra cost and with the click of a button.

SmartMint does not own your smart contract, meaning users can do whatever they choose with their NFTs like list for sale on marketplaces such as OpenSea or airdrop to fans.

So, how does it work?

Users can seamlessly create custom NFT Drops and Collections via smart contracts deployed on a particular network like Ethereum with the automated no-code tools provided by SmartMint.

To use SmartMint, users need to have a monthly membership to get access to the automated smart-contract deployment tools. However, users will always own and have access to their smart-contracts. As the owner of the NFT, the creator controls their commissions for primary sales on third-party marketplaces.

SmartMint makes minting NFT drops and collections easy and more powerful than ever.

Users can seamlessly create custom NFT Drops and Collections via smart contracts deployed on a particular network like Ethereum with the automated no-code tools provided by SmartMint.

Once a creator signs up for the SmartMint membership — which is currently free — and connects their digital asset wallet, they will have access to tools to create and manage custom NFT drops and collections.

The platform was developed to make minting NFTs and creating drops/collections as seamless and simple as possible. The process is broken down into three straightforward steps.

Create an NFT Drop or Collection

Drops are ‘fixed supply’ smart-contracts (like collections of 8,888 or 10,000 unique NFTs). The owner of the Drop contract is able to specify certain factors such as the minimum mint price or maximum mints per address.

Collections are ‘open supply’ smart-contracts owned and maintained by the creator. Typically only the owner of the Collection will be able to mint to that collection, upon which they can airdrop specific NFTs to fans or list for sale on various marketplaces.

Users begin their journey on SmartMint by creating either a Drop or Collection smart contract with the following custom traits:

Create the Contract:

• Enter a Contract Name and Symbol
• Upload creative assets (optional) to be associated with the Drop or Collection
• Select the Network (e.g., Ethereum)
• For Drops, enter the Total Supply Amount (e.g., 10,000) and minting requirements

Generate NFTs:

For Drops:

• Owners are able to generate TokenIDs one-by-one or in bulk
• For each TokenID, owners can add custom traits, attributes, properties, and other metadata
• Users are able to mint NFTs from the drop based on the Drop Contract designation

For Collections:

• Owners are able to create and mint NFTs directly to the contract one-by-one or in bulk. They are also able to designate ‘copies’ of each NFT.
• For each TokenID, owners can add custom traits, attributes, properties, and other metadata
• Owners can airdrop NFTs from collections or list for sale on various marketplaces

Whether generating NFT Drops or minting to Collections, creators are also able to obtain advanced functionality from the Pastel Network. Each time an NFT is created, SmartMint sends the underlying data / metadata to Pastel to:

• Securely store metadata on Pastel network of SuperNodes via Pastel’s Cascade Protocol for permanent NFT data storage
• Calculate unique rareness via Pastel’s Sense Protocol for Near-Duplicate NFT Detection

Manage NFT creations

• Manage existing Drops
• Add new NFTs to existing Collections
• List for sale on marketplaces like OpenSea or Rarible or airdrop to fans

SmartMint Economics

The SmartMint membership is currently free. Creators will need to sign up for the membership to have full access to NFT creation tools and custom smart contract minting.

Creators are responsible for paying network gas fees to deploy their contracts and NFTs. Gas fees are dependent upon the specific smart contract network they choose to deploy.

Additionally, SmartMint will receive 2.5% on the primary sale upon withdrawing earnings from a creator’s smart contract and 1.0% on any secondary sale.

Royalties for SmartMint NFTs are managed on sites like Opensea and can only be controlled by the Custom Collection or owner tied to the wallet where the smart contract was created. Check out this link to better understand royalties on Opensea: https://docs.opensea.io/docs/10-setting-fees-on-secondary-sales.

SmartMint Beta and Early Access Whitelist

SmartMint is currently in Beta. Be sure to join our Whitelist for the Beta Release by signing up here or at the link below.

Users accepted to the Early Access Whitelist will have the chance to receive wPSL & NFT airdrops, along with other special benefits.

Early Access Signup: https://smartmint.pastel.network/whitelist

For more information on SmartMint and answers to any remaining questions, please check out the FAQ here.

Otherwise, please DM Pastel on their various socials — including Discord, Telegram and Twitter.

About Pastel Network

Pastel Network is a fully decentralized, developer-friendly layer-1 blockchain serving as the preeminent protocol standard for non-fungible tokens (“NFTs”) and Web3 technology.

Pastel allows for the development of third-party decentralized-applications (“DApps”) to sit on top of its Network, enabling developers to enjoy the scalable registration features, storage processes, and security of the broader ecosystem. Lightweight protocols such as Sense â€” which was built to assess the relative rareness of a given NFT against near-duplicate metadata — and Cascade â€” which conducts permanent, distributed storage of underlying NFT data — can be integrated cross-chain across various layer-1 blockchains, layer-2 protocols, or other third-party apps.

Pastel is managed by world-class developers, cryptographers, and technologists, supported alongside an experienced and extensive network of marketers, influencers, and third-party agencies. Pastel is backed by key stakeholders including Innovating Capital, a prominent venture fund.

This article was first published by our team here.