SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey sold a digital version of his first tweet for more than $ 2.9 million more than two weeks after announcing a digital auction for the post.
The March 2006 tweet, which says “I just set up my twttr,” was purchased by Bridge Oracle CEO Sina Estavi, according to Valuables by Cent, the digital platform where the digital auction for the tweet was held.
The 15-year-old item was sold as a non-replaceable token, or NFT – a digital certificate of authenticity that certifies that an item is genuine and unique by recording the details in a blockchain digital ledger.
Dorsey tweeted earlier this month that the proceeds would be converted to Bitcoin, a digital currency not tied to a bank or government, and to the nonprofit GiveDirectly’s Africa Response.The charity has raised money to support African families affected financially by the coronavirus pandemic.
According to Valuables, 95% of the proceeds from the sale price will go to the original tweet creator, while 5% will go to the platform. Dorsey tweeted the Bitcoin receipt Monday afternoon and said the money had been sent to charity.
“Unbelievable – a huge thank you @jack and @sinaEstavi – looking forward to getting this $ in the hands of recipients soon,” tweeted after Dorsey’s announcement.
NFTs have recently taken over the online collecting world. A digital artwork by the artist Beeple sold for $ 69.4 million at an online auction by a UK auction house earlier this month, with an NFT as a guarantee of its authenticity.
The Associated Press receives support from the Lilly Endowment for philanthropy and nonprofit coverage. The AP is solely responsible for all content. For all AP philanthropy coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/philanthropy