--- title: "Debate Rages Over How to Pronounce “NFT”" description: "NFTs or non-fungible tokens have been around for what feels liek a lifetime. From insufferable and uninspired pixel “art,” to somebody’s farts, the trend has attracted a substantial audience — even A-lister celebrities are getting sucked in these days. And while not everybody agrees the tokens — or “smart contracts” — are a Ponzi scheme […]" date: "2022-02-03" modified: "2022-02-03" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/how-to-pronounce-nft" categories: - "Blockchain" - "Future Society" - "NFTs" tags: - "nfts" - "the digest" --- # Debate Rages Over How to Pronounce “NFT” ![People are actually debating how to pronounce the moniker "NFTs." The Verge thinks it should be "neft." We disagree.]() *\Image: Futurism\* ## Neft the Chat NFTs, or non-fungible tokens, have been around for quite a while now. From banal pixel "art" to [somebody's farts](), the trend has attracted a substantial audience — even A-lister celebrities including [Post Malone]() and [Kim Kardashian]() are getting sucked in these days. And while not everybody agrees the tokens are a [scams-riddled]() Ponzi scheme headed [for a massive collapse]() or the [future of art collecting](), there's a much greater debate raging on behind the scenes: how to pronounce the moniker "NFTs." ## Dub-Dub-Dub If *The Verge*'s Corin Faife is to be trusted, the three letter acronym [is pronounced "neft]()," arguably a hack job of a name that doesn't only fail to improve on the actual pronunciation, but will make you sound like you have no idea what you're talking about. According to Faife, "at least ten *Verge* staffers took a serious poll," agreeing to ditch "naft" or "nift" — and settled on the equally disappointing "neft" instead. Does that logic hold up, though? It all smacks of the [ancient controversy]() over whether the "g" in "GIF" is pronounced like in "goat" or "giraffe." And since a lot of [NFTs are GIFs](), maybe it all comes full circle. And at the end of the day, almost everybody says "en eff tee," right? Right!? Are we losing our minds over here? Maybe the real question is whether we want to lend this much credence to the NFT trend. The lockchain-based assets are clearly having a huge moment right now, but [some critics say]() they're an overvalued cult headed for a catastrophic collapse. And at the end of the day, it's still unclear whether we'll even be talking about them in a year or two's time. So until then, where's the harm in referring to them as "en eff tees?" **READ MORE:** [It’s pronounced “neft”]() \[*The Verge*\] **More on NFTs:** *[Gaming Exec Says His Customers Are Idiots For Not Understanding How Great NFTs Are]()* ## 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]()