X, formerly Twitter, has unveiled its ambitious plans for 2024, outlining initiatives such as introducing peer-to-peer payments and expanding AI-powered tools. However, the social media giant discreetly removed a feature for its paying subscribers, who can no longer use an NFT as their profile picture.
The functionality was introduced during Twitter’s previous leadership in January 2022. Back then, Twitter Blue subscribers could designate Ethereum-minted NFTs (ERC-721 or ERC-1155 tokens) as their profile pictures, appearing as hexagons. Clicking or tapping on these profile pictures provided users with additional information about the NFTs, including details such as the NFT collection, contract address, TokenID, and the app used for minting.
All information regarding the NFT profile picture feature has now been completely removed from the support page of X Premium. The description about the feature on the site previously read:
“As a Premium subscriber, you can create a customize [sic] your profile so you can show off the NFTs you own in a hex-shaped profile picture on your account. After a temporary connection to your crypto wallet that allows you to set up an NFT as your profile picture, your digital asset displays in a special hexagon shape that identifies you as the owner of that NFT.”
For now, Individuals who had set an NFT as their profile picture still display hexagonal avatars. It remains uncertain whether X will eventually eliminate these as well. In response to inquiries for comments, X’s press email stated, “busy now, please check back later.”
The discontinuation of this feature is not particularly unexpected since other social networks have also phased out their NFT experiments. In 2022, both Instagram and Facebook initiated experiments involving the display and posting of NFTs. Nevertheless, Meta discontinued its support for NFTs in March 2023.
Despite the decline in value of certain high-priced tokens like the Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC) from their peak, the NFT market has demonstrated signs of recovery in recent months, with trade volumes surpassing $1.6 billion, as reported by NFT aggregator CryptoSlam.