BREAKING: Japan Rolls Out NBA Top Shot NFT Vending Machines—Collectibles Meet Convenience
Tokyo just turned sports memorabilia on its head. Forget trading cards—now you're grabbing blockchain-backed NBA highlights from a vending machine between train rides.
How it works: These neon-lit dispensers spit out QR codes redeemable for Top Shot moments. No wallet? No problem—the machines accept yen, bridging the gap between crypto-natives and curious normies.
The cynical take: Because nothing says 'mass adoption' like pairing speculative digital assets with impulse-buy infrastructure. At least you'll get a cool dunk clip while losing money on gas fees.
One thing's certain—when vending machines start selling LeBron's blockchain highlights, Web3's retail invasion is officially underway.
Buying NBA Top Shot collectibles from a Japanese vending machines. Photo: 24karat
Collectors hoping to acquire Top Shot moments from the machines will not need any knowledge of crypto or blockchain to get started. Instead, after finding a pack they’d like to purchase on the machine, users are directed to scan a QR code with their mobile phone, which automatically creates a Flow-supported wallet to house the collectibles within.
After, users can finish the purchase using credit card or mobile payment options on their supported device, like Apple Pay or Google Pay. Initially, 24karat co-founder Seth Luan said that users can buy a mystery box that contains a moment from the “Climb: Chance Hit Mini” pack.
“We’ve designed it as a fun and simple entry point,” said Luan. “Users won’t choose specific moments, but will instead receive one at random upon purchase.”
Packs will be sold for 1,000 yen, or around $6.70. In the future, collectors might be able to use crypto tokens to purchase packs from the smart vending machines, but for now the focus is keeping it simple for users with popular fiat payment options.
“At this stage, our focus is on accessibility—making it easy for anyone to participate, even without prior Web3 experience,” said Luan.
As for other future initiatives, he said the "possibilities are endless.”
“In addition to exploring deeper collaborations with the Flow team for experiences, such as moments that are only available on the vending machines,” he added, “future updates may introduce additional gamified experiences such as stamp passports, instant buyback options, and peer-to-peer trading.”
Following the initial rollout, 24karat intends to expand the initiative with limited-edition collectibles, interactive campaigns, and special giveaways later this fall.
NBA Top Shot, which offers video NFTs of officially licensed highlights from the National Basketball Association, launched in 2020 and saw surging demand in 2021, helping propel the NFT craze that spawned leading brands like Bored APE Yacht Club and Pudgy Penguins in the process.
