NFTs are breaking down barriers to access for digital creation. It’s a space that has seen explosive growth and provides a new and exciting way of collecting creations. Many NFTs also offer royalties on secondary sales, ensuring creators benefit from their work in the longer term.

When you purchase an NFT, you buy a unique token and the work of creation linked to it. Each transaction is registered on the blockchain showing a clear history of ownership. To purchase an NFT on OpenSea you will need to use the cryptocurrency Ethereum. NFTs created on Verisart can be bought through OpenSea and Rarible.

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To create an OpenSea account and start collecting, you need a crypto wallet and some Ether, the cryptocurrency used to buy works on OpenSea.

What is a wallet?

A 'wallet' is a software to store and trade your NFTs and cryptocurrency.

Why is a wallet required to sign up?

OpenSea is a non-custodial platform, which means you have full control over your funds, creation, or any other tokens in your wallet at all times. A wallet is required to manage your Ethereum account, hold your tokens, and send and receive transactions like bids on OpenSea.

Which wallet should I use?

We recommend installing MetaMask, an Ethereum account/wallet manager for browsers.

Use the latest version of Chrome or Firefox. Go to https://metamask.io/ and install the browser extension, and watch their intro video.

Once MetaMask is installed, follow the steps outlined below by clicking on the fox icon in your browser extension panel and going through the welcome screens. There, you can create a new wallet, create a password, and accept the privacy policy, terms of service and several disclaimers to proceed.

Next, you’ll see the “Secret Backup Phrase” screen. These 12 words are VERY IMPORTANT to save in a private, secure location. They are the only way to restore your account if you get locked out or lose your password. MetaMask will ask you to confirm it to prove you’ve saved it somewhere.

Before you can bid on and collect NFTs on Opensea, you must add Ether to your wallet. You can use Coinbase to buy Ether. The Coinbase Help Center article is great for getting started.

To send Ether to your wallet, you need your wallet address. Here’s how to find it:

When you arrive on opensea.io , go to the top-right profile icon, select 'Profile'.

You will be prompted to connect your wallet multiple times, finishing with the connection screen.

Your account will default to 'Unnamed', showing only your wallet address below. To personalize your account, select the gear icon on the right side of the screen. You will receive an extra security prompt, select 'Sign' and you can begin updating your profile.

Once you find a piece you like, you can place a bid on it, or if it has a listed price, you can purchase it immediately. Every piece you collect will show up on your profile and your collection page once the blockchain transaction finishes going through.

For a fixed-price sale:

For timed highest bid auctions:

Some NFTs may require WETH (Wrapped ETH). This is equivalent to ETH but will just require a few extra steps which you can do directly through OpenSea. Here is a Help Center from OpenSea to guide you through the process.

If you’ve bought an NFT work that comes with a Verisart certificate you can create a free account to access your Certificate of Authenticity.

What is Verisart? Verisart is the leading provider of blockchain certification for creations and collectibles. Our certificates enable trusted transactions by giving collectors confidence in the identity of the creators and the verified history of the creation. Certificates also provide access to additional files and exclusive content from the creators.

Still have questions? For more information, please visit:

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