Welcome to the OpenSea digest. Let’s look back through the biggest NFT and web3 news of the week.

Beeple’s DIFFUSE CONTROL debuts at The Shed 

Digital art pioneer Beeple is debuting a 12-week interactive exhibition called “DIFFUSE CONTROL” on June 27 at The Shed, a contemporary arts center in New York City’s Hudson Yards.

The show features a kinetic sculpture that generates AI-created visuals in real time. Visitors can collaborate with the system to shape the output, which creates a dynamic feedback loop between human input and machine learning.

Throughout the exhibition, selected images from prominent and rising curators will evolve through the AI machine, giving viewers an opportunity to witness co-creation between art and algorithm.

Beeple, whose real name is Mike Winkelmann, is known for his $69 million NFT sale and daily digital art series, “EVERYDAYS.” He continues to lead the charge at the intersection of digital media, culture, and blockchain-based art.

mmERCH debuts chip-powered Wearable Wallet collab with Meebits at NFT NYC

New York-based fashion-tech brand mmERCH is launching a limited streetwear-inspired collection in partnership with voxel-character project Meebits. 

Powered by its proprietary Wearable Wallet™ technology, each piece includes an NFC chip that lets owners check in at curated NYC spots, earning them digital artwork, XP tokens, and even a chance to win a unique Meebit NFT.

The drop marks mmERCH’s official return and kicks off June 25 during NFT NYC with early access at 16b Orchard Street.

mmERCH founder and CEO Colby Mugrabi and Meebits CEO Sergito Silva say this collaboration is just the beginning of more connected, gamified fashion experiences combining art, tech, and community.

“We are excited to finally share our new vision of what connected product can do for community building and fandom,” said Mugrabi in a statement shared with OpenSea.

Now that the kickoff party is over, remaining products from the collection are available on the new mmERCH shop.

Ledger signs jersey deal with Spurs as crypto sports sponsorships rebound

Crypto wallet company Ledger has signed a multi-year sponsorship deal with the San Antonio Spurs. The deal will add Ledger-branded patches to the team’s jerseys, starting with the 2025 NBA Draft.

The company says the partnership will help expand its presence in the U.S. and France, where Spurs star Victor Wembanyama has a large following.

The sponsorship deal comes at a time when crypto companies are spending more on sports again. A recent report from sports marketing firm SportQuake shows that sponsorships are rising 20% this season, following a sharp pullback since 2022 after the collapse of FTX disrupted many high-profile partnerships. Meanwhile, uniform branding now makes up 37% of all crypto sports partnerships.

Cirque du Soleil partners with The Sandbox for two interactive metaverse games

Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group is teaming up with metaverse platform The Sandbox to create two interactive games inspired by its popular touring shows, Luzia and Mad Apple.

The partnership will headline Alpha Season 6, a multi-week event where Sandbox users can play new games, complete quests, and earn NFT-based rewards using a special access pass. Previous Alpha seasons in The Sandbox have included interactive experiences developed with brands like Jurassic Park, Teletubbies, Atari, and others.

Players will be able to use Cirque-themed avatars, collectibles, and digital items across the platform. Cirque-branded tools will also be available for creators to build their own virtual experiences, with a full preview planned during NFT.NYC.

Zora launches token system for creators and social content

On-chain social platform Zora has introduced a new token model that lets users mint, buy, sell, and collect individual posts and creator profiles.

According to Zora co-founder Jacob Horne, the system includes two tokens: $POST, which links to $CREATOR, and $CREATOR, which pairs with $ZORA.

NFT.NYC 2025 opens with Times Square billboard showcase

As expected, NFT.NYC 2025 kicked off events with a digital art takeover in Times Square, where community-made visuals, artist masterpieces, and project shoutouts lit up several large-format billboards.

On June 25, thousands gathered early to see NFT artwork loop across the city’s most famous screens. The takeover, now an annual event signaling the start of the conference, marked the start of a week packed with panels, drops, parties, and events bringing together artists, collectors, creators, founders, developers, and investors.

For many artists, seeing their work displayed in such a high-profile space is still a major milestone.

“I remember the feeling of my art in Times Square for the first time,” wrote AI-collaborative artist Claire Silver in an X post about NFT.NYC 2021. “It was cold, and I couldn’t feel it, watching the works loop back to mine … I was floating.” 

Four years later, the screens haven’t stopped, and neither has excitement from some of the earliest NFT fans.

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