The CryptoPunks collection, specifically a “Hoodie”-trait Punk, sold for 144 ETH, equivalent to around $298,000–$304,000 USD at current ETH price; sources peg it near $300K.
Hoodie is one of the rarer and more desirable traits in CryptoPunks, often commanding premiums over the floor price currently around 30 ETH for basic Punks. This sale has sparked chatter in the NFT community, with some posts sarcastically noting “NFTs are dead” while highlighting ongoing high-value activity.
CryptoPunks remain a blue-chip NFT collection, with lifetime sales exceeding 1.4M ETH total, and Hoodies frequently listed or trading in the 100–200 ETH range right now.Discord to require biometric face scan and ID verification as soon as next month
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Discord announced a global rollout of “teen-by-default” settings starting in early March 2026. All users (new and existing) will default to a restricted “teen-appropriate” experience unless they verify as adults. This includes limits like: Blocked access to age-restricted servers/channels.
Content filters on sensitive/graphic material. Restrictions on certain features like speaking in stage channels, some DM settings. To regain full adult access, users must complete age verification via: Facial age estimation (a video selfie processed on-device via AI to estimate age.
Discord stresses this is not biometric scanning or facial recognition for identification, and data doesn’t leave the device. Or submitting a government-issued ID to third-party vendor partners (documents reportedly deleted after processing).
The change aims to enhance safety and comply with evolving online regulations building on prior UK/Australia requirements. It’s drawn backlash over privacy concerns, with some users threatening to leave the platform. Discord uses an age inference model for some accounts and offers appeals if estimation is wrong.
This sale (likely a specific Hoodie-trait CryptoPunks remain the OG NFT collection (launched 2017), with a current floor price around 29.86–29.89 ETH (~$60,000 USD). Hoodies are a rarer trait (not as elite as Aliens or Apes, but premium over basics), often trading 3–5x the floor or higher.
A 144 ETH sale is well above floor but not record-breaking (all-time highs reached thousands of ETH for ultra-rares). It signals sustained demand for iconic, early Ethereum-native assets amid broader crypto recovery.
Recent monthly sales volume for CryptoPunks has been in the millions USD like ebruary 2026 partial data shows multi-million activity, with lifetime totals over 1.41M ETH ~$3.9B+. High-value Hoodie flips such as past examples of 42 ETH buys resold much higher show long-term holders profiting, reinforcing NFTs as viable stores of value for some despite “dead” narratives.
In a market where ETH and majors fluctuate, this underscores that premium digital art/collectibles still move serious capital. It could encourage more listings or bids on similar traits, potentially lifting the floor slightly if momentum builds. However, it’s niche—most NFTs remain illiquid or down from peaks.
It’s a positive sign for NFT loyalists: the sector isn’t booming like 2021, but blue-chips like Punks hold value through cycles, driven by scarcity, history, and cultural status.
Discord to Require Biometric Face Scan and ID Verification as Soon as Next Month
Discord’s global rollout of “teen-by-default” settings defaults all users to restricted, teen-appropriate experiences unless they verify as adults. Verification options include facial age estimation or submitting government-issued ID to third-party vendors (deleted post-processing).
Safety vs. privacy tension: Aimed at protecting minors (stronger filters, blocked adult servers/channels, limited DMs/features), it responds to global regulations and rising scrutiny on platforms. Discord emphasizes privacy: on-device processing for selfies, quick ID deletion, no true “biometric recognition” (just age estimation), and optional age inference from usage.
Community reaction is heated—many call it invasive, especially post-past data breaches. Posts threaten to quit, distrust vendors, or see it as dystopian overreach (“biometric gating”). Some defend it as overblown (other apps already have face data; process is privacy-focused).
This accelerates trends toward mandatory age/ID checks across social/gaming platforms to comply with child safety laws; similar pushes on Meta, TikTok, etc. It normalizes “age assurance” tech (facial estimation + ID), potentially paving the way for more biometric elements elsewhere.
Unverified users face content blocks, stricter filters, and limits; no adult servers, restricted messaging. Verified adults regain full access once (no repeated scans typically). Appeals exist for wrong estimates.
The NFT sale shows resilience in speculative digital ownership, while Discord’s change reflects tightening real-world regulation on online identity/safety—two sides of internet evolution: creative freedom in crypto vs. controlled access in mainstream comms.