--- title: "COVID-Themed NFT Infects Your Wallet Whether You Like It or Not" description: "An anonymous genius behind the username \"Bayneko\" effectively turned an NFT into an infectious disease, causing it to land in almost 100,000 wallets." date: "2022-02-28" modified: "2022-02-28" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/covid-nft-infect-wallet" categories: - "Blockchain" - "Future Society" - "NFTs" tags: - "coronavirus" - "covid19" - "nfts" - "the digest" --- # COVID-Themed NFT Infects Your Wallet Whether You Like It or Not ![An anonymous genius behind the username "Bayneko" effectively turned an NFT into an infectious disease, causing it to land in almost 100,000 wallets.]() *\Image: Getty Images/Futurism\* ## COVID NFT An anonymous genius with the username "Bayneko" effectively turned an NFT into an infectious disease, causing it to land in almost 100,000 wallets, whether the owners of said wallets wanted it or not, [*Slate* reports](). It's a clever meta-commentary on the seemingly impossible-to-escape NFT trend — which, as the project points out, can feel a bit like being infected with a virus against your will. Bayneko, who describes themselves as an "NFT supervillain," says they distributed 10 variants of a COVID-themed NFT "in what is the largest JPEG drop in the history of blockchains," as they wrote in an [early February tweet]() announcing the stunt. ## Going Viral The hacker "airdropped" the files on the blockchain platform Tezos, distributing it to those who had already collected at least one NFT on the platform. Then other artists and collectors started participating, spreading the "virus" even farther. "Your response to this social experiment has been provocative," Bayneko [wrote]() in the announcement. "COVID-19 is a terrible illness that has destroyed lives and altered others. It has affected everyone in some way. This work mimics an infectious disease in its invasiveness and universal spread." "I am a bit surprised there weren’t more people angry that I symbolically gave them COVID," Bayneko [told NFT art publication *SuperRare*]() last week. ## Shot Blocker It's a fascinating take on NFTs. But fortunately, no vaccines are necessary. All you have to do is not collect NFTs on the platform to avoid infection. Bayneko, however, argues you should lean into the trend. Rather than "burning the disease or infect others by transferring the token," users could "collect additional tokens and increase your viral load," they suggested in [follow-up tweets](). There have long been comparisons between software and genetics — think "computer viruses" — and the metaphor seems more apt for this project than ever. "The virus does not discriminate, it is simply doing what its genetic code dictates," Bayneko told *SuperRare*. **READ MORE:** [Someone Made a “COVID NFT” and Sent It to 96,000 People Without Asking]() \[*Slate*\] **More on NFTs:** *[Pussy Riot Founder is Selling NFTs to Fund Ukrainian Aid]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()