Candy Digital
Candy Digital operates a digital collectibles platform enabling sports and entertainment fans to purchase and trade officially licensed NFTs tied to MLB, DC Comics, Netflix, and Getty Images. Built on Solana with self-custody wallets and programmatic secondary royalties, the platform now operates as part of Futureverse.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2021
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Candy Digital does
Candy Digital operates a digital collectibles platform that enables sports and entertainment fans to purchase, hold, and trade officially licensed non-fungible tokens tied to Major League Baseball, DC Comics, Netflix, and Getty Images brands. The platform's core product line includes MLB ICONs (player cards in multiple rarity tiers including Showstopper, Rookie, All-Star, Hall of Fame, and Base Series), MLB Gems (monthly moment-based drops with chasable rarity structures), and DC3 (DC Comics-issued collectibles tied to comic releases), supplemented by the Candy League loyalty program, burn-to-earn mechanics, and Overdrive crafting events that upgrade collectibles into Foil or Gold Foil variants.
The platform is built on the Solana blockchain, where collectibles are issued as Metaplex Core assets with programmatically enforced 10% secondary sale royalties deducted at on-chain settlement. Metadata is stored on the Arweave decentralized permanent storage network via ArDrive, and users hold their NFTs in self-custody external wallets rather than in custodial accounts. Accounts require MFA/2FA (via Twilio) and KYC identity verification (via Stripe Identity), with payments processed in USD through Stripe and cryptocurrency payments enabled via MoonPay where supported. The company has migrated twice — from Palm network to The Root Network (Futureverse's blockchain) in 2025, and then to Solana in 2026.
Candy Digital's revenue model combines primary collectible sales on its candy.io storefront with the programmatic 10% secondary sale royalty, dormant account fees ($2/month), promotional credits economics, and auction fees through Basta Ventures. The company was founded in 2021 in New York, raised $100M in Series A funding at a $1.5B valuation in October 2021, and a Series A1 led by Galaxy and ConsenSys Mesh in January 2023. In June 2023 it merged with Palm NFT Studio, and in April 2025 was acquired by Futureverse Global Private Limited, with the platform now operated by SF Alternative Investments, LLC.
Candy Digital firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Candy Digital
- Legal name
- SF Alternative Investments, LLC
- Website
- https://candy.io
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2021
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Candy Digital operates a digital collectibles platform enabling sports and entertainment fans to purchase and trade officially licensed NFTs tied to MLB, DC Comics, Netflix, and Getty Images. Built on Solana with self-custody wallets and programmatic secondary royalties, the platform now operates as part of Futureverse.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Candy Digital industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Digital Collectibles
- NAICS
- Hobby, Toy, and Game Retailers (45912), Used Merchandise Retailers (459510)
- SIC
- Retail-Hobby, Toy & Game Shops (5945)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Sports NFTs & Collectibles Marketplaces (FSADANAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Digital Sports Collectibles Retail (NFTs) (CRAMAOAK), Trading Cards & Collectibles NFT Marketplaces (FSADANAI), Virtual Goods & Digital Item Commerce (skins, cosmetics, DLC) (MPAFAJAF)
Keywords
Where Candy Digital is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Candy Digital business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Operations
Revenue model
- Primary Collectible Sales: Candy Digital generates revenue through direct sales of digital collectibles (NFTs) via its Primary Storefront on candy.io. Collectibles are sold individually or in packs at varying prices, with transparency on applicable fees (taxes, payment processing, marketplace fees, blockchain transaction fees) provided before checkout. Purchases are processed in US dollars via fiat payment methods (Stripe), with cryptocurrency payments currently not supported for primary sales.
- Secondary Sale Royalties: On secondary sales or transfers of collectibles for consideration, a 10% Secondary Sale Royalty is automatically deducted from sale proceeds at on-chain settlement via the Metaplex Core royalty enforcement mechanism. This royalty is distributed by Candy Digital to both the relevant Licensor(s) and to Candy Digital per applicable license agreements. The royalty is enforced programmatically regardless of which Third-Party Marketplace is used.
- Promotional Credits and Platform Credits: Candy Digital issues promotional credits (Promotional Credits) that can only be used for purchases on the Properties. These credits have no cash value, are non-transferable, and may expire or be revoked per promotion terms. Legacy Candy Cash balances can be converted to platform credits with a 100% bonus or withdrawn as cash.
- Dormant Account Fees: Dormant accounts are subject to a monthly maintenance and storage fee of $2, accruing from the Dormancy Date. Fees are applied first against credits or positive balances, then deducted from proceeds upon subsequent disposition of collectibles. This provides an ongoing revenue stream from inactive accounts.
- Auction Fees: Candy Digital facilitates auctions for collectibles via Basta Ventures ehf. (or other designated auction platforms). Auction participants are subject to auction-specific terms and fees as governed by the applicable Additional Terms.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Direct purchase of digital collectibles via Primary Storefront |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Auction-based purchases via Basta |
| Subscription | Monthly | Dormant account monthly maintenance fee |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Secondary sale royalty on collectibles resold via third-party marketplaces |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels8 records
Candy Digital product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Candy Digital operates a primary storefront on candy.io where fans purchase officially licensed digital collectibles (NFTs) tied to real-world MLB baseball players and moments, as well as DC Comics characters and entertainment properties. Collectibles are issued as Metaplex Core assets on the Solana blockchain, with users holding NFTs in self-custody wallets. The company offers product lines including MLB ICONs, monthly Gems drops, and DC3 comic collectibles, supported by timed drops, burn-to-earn mechanics, Overdrive crafting events, and the Candy League loyalty program.
Product overview
Candy Digital is a next-generation digital collectibles company operating a platform-plus-ecosystem model. The core Candy Digital Collectibles Platform serves as a primary storefront for officially licensed digital assets built on the Solana blockchain, with secondary trading enabled through third-party Solana marketplaces. The product portfolio is anchored by MLB ICONs (official MLB player collectible cards in multiple rarity tiers including Showstopper, Rookie, and Base Series) and Gems (MLB moment-based collectibles with burn mechanics and chasable rarities tied to Candy League rewards). DC3 is the digital collectible line tied to DC Comics comic book releases, featuring Overdrive Crafting events that let collectors upgrade to Foil or Gold Foil variants. Supporting features include Candy League (a loyalty rewards program tracking collector engagement and distributing points, variants, and chasers), the Burn Mechanism (allowing collectors to permanently destroy collectibles during designated windows to unlock rewards or upgrades), and the Candy Resource Hub (blog and educational content). The platform migrated from the Palm network to Solana in 2026 following Futureverse's acquisition of Candy Digital in April 2025.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Candy Digital Collectibles Platform The candy.io primary storefront platform enabling fans to purchase, collect, and manage officially licensed digital collectibles (NFTs) tied to MLB, DC Comics, Netflix, and Getty Images properties. Built on Solana with self-custody wallet integration.
- MLB ICONs Officially MLB-licensed digital collectible cards featuring professional baseball players across multiple rarity tiers (Base Series, Rookie, All-Star, Showstopper, Hall of Fame editions).
- Gems MLB-licensed digital collectible cards featuring memorable baseball moments from each season, with burn mechanics and chasable rarity structures that reward collectors through Candy League Points.
- DC3 Officially licensed digital collectibles tied to DC Comics comic book releases, allowing collectors to own digital versions of comic issues and participate in crafting events to upgrade their collections.
Quantifiable outcome
- 1.5 million users acquired through Futureverse acquisition in April 2025
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Candy Digital
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Candy Digital technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration10 records
AI capability3 records
Feature6 records
Candy Digital partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- FutureversecoreFutureverse acquired Candy Digital in April 2025, integrating Candy's 1.5 million users and 4 million digital collectibles into its ecosystem. Futureverse's RootRewards loyalty program distributed over 5.2 billion Root Points across two reward cycles, and Candy accounts were migrated to FuturePass for Web3 identity. The Root Network became the underlying blockchain for Candy collectibles.
- Palm NFT StudiominorCandy Digital and Palm NFT Studio, a Web3 production company backed by Gary Vaynerchuk, announced a merger in June 2023. Palm NFT Studio was the original infrastructure provider for Candy Digital's collectibles before the company migrated to Solana and was subsequently acquired by Futureverse.
- Major League Baseball (MLB)coreMLB is a core licensing partner of Candy Digital, providing official licenses for sports-related digital collectibles. Candy's MLB product line includes ICONs (base series, rookies, All-Star, Showstopper, Hall of Fame editions), Gems (monthly themed drops), and the Candy League fantasy rewards program tied to the MLB season.
- DC ComicscoreDC Comics is a core licensing partner providing official licenses for digital collectibles tied to DC characters including Batman, Superman, Supergirl, Justice League, Peacemaker, and more. Product lines include the DC3 comic book collectible series, Overdrive crafting events, and character-specific drops aligned with comic book releases and movie launches.
- NetflixminorNetflix is referenced as a partner brand for Candy Digital's digital collectibles offerings, though specific Netflix-related products or timelines are not detailed in the available source material.
- Getty ImagesminorGetty Images is referenced as a partner brand for Candy Digital's digital collectibles offerings. Specific Getty Images-related products or timelines are not detailed in the available source material.
- Stripe, Inc.coreStripe processes payment transactions for primary storefront purchases and performs identity verification (KYC) and biometric matching through Stripe Identity for account registration and transaction authorization. Stripe is identified as a key service provider whose processing of personal information is material to Candy's services.
- MoonPay USA LLCcoreMoonPay processes cryptocurrency payment transactions where such payment methods are made available on the platform. MoonPay may be used as a designated cryptocurrency payment service provider.
- Basta Ventures ehf.coreBasta Ventures operates auction functionality on the Properties and processes personal information in connection with auction transactions. Candy Digital uses Basta for designated collectible auctions.
- ArDrive (Permanent Data Solutions, Inc.)coreArDrive provides Arweave-based permanent decentralized storage for NFT metadata and associated digital content. Because Arweave is a permanent storage protocol, data stored cannot be erased, modified, or removed from the network, even upon account deletion or data subject request.
- Twilio Inc.coreTwilio processes mobile phone numbers to deliver SMS-based multi-factor authentication (MFA/2FA) messages to Candy Digital account holders. Candy Digital does not share mobile phone numbers with Twilio or any other SMS service provider for third-party marketing purposes.
- The Root Network / FutureversecoreThe Root Network (Futureverse's blockchain infrastructure) became the underlying blockchain for Candy collectibles following migration from Palm. Candy Digital's platform integration with The Root Network and FuturePass (Web3 identity system) enables users to access their accounts and interact with the broader Futureverse ecosystem.
- FC BarcelonaminorFutureverse established a strategic partnership with FC Barcelona linking 11 million Barça ID accounts to its ecosystem. This partnership is part of the broader Futureverse ecosystem that Candy Digital operates within following its acquisition.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Candy Digital competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Magic Eden: Magic Eden is the dominant Solana NFT marketplace and serves as the primary secondary trading venue for Candy Digital collectibles. It is directly comparable as a Solana-native NFT trading platform, though it operates as a general marketplace rather than a licensed-IP issuer.
- Dapper Labs: Dapper Labs operates NBA Top Shot and NFL All Day, the most direct competitors to Candy Digital in officially licensed sports digital collectibles. Both companies target sports fans with curated NFT drops tied to real-world moments and share the same licensed-IP-driven marketplace model.
- Autograph: Autograph is a digital collectibles platform co-founded by Tom Brady that partners with athletes and entertainment IP holders to issue officially licensed NFTs. Like Candy Digital, it differentiates through premium IP licensing and direct-to-fan digital memorabilia drops.
- Sorare: Sorare is a licensed digital collectibles and fantasy sports platform built on blockchain, focused on soccer/football. It is comparable to Candy Digital in targeting sports fans with officially licensed NFT cards tied to real athletes and matches, though it operates primarily in soccer rather than baseball.
Emerging players
- Zora: Zora is a creator-focused NFT protocol and marketplace built on Ethereum L2s. It is comparable as an NFT infrastructure and marketplace layer that supports collectibles, though it focuses on open creator issuance rather than licensed sports/entertainment IP.
- Rarible: Rarible is a multi-chain NFT marketplace with a focus on community governance and creator royalties. It is comparable to Candy Digital in supporting royalty enforcement and secondary trading of collectibles, though it operates as an open marketplace without exclusive licensed IP.
Broad incumbents
- OpenSea: OpenSea is the largest general NFT marketplace, supporting multiple blockchains including Solana. It is comparable to Candy Digital as a secondary trading venue for collectibles, though it does not issue its own licensed content and competes primarily at the marketplace layer.
- Topps (Fanatics Collectibles): Topps, now part of Fanatics Collectibles, is a major sports and entertainment trading card company that has issued digital collectibles including MLB-licensed NFTs. It competes with Candy Digital in the licensed MLB digital collectibles space and operates at significantly larger scale in the broader collectibles market.
- Panini America: Panini is the dominant traditional sports trading card and collectibles company and has explored blockchain-licensed digital collectibles. It is comparable to Candy Digital as a competitor in licensed sports memorabilia, though Panini's primary business remains physical trading cards.
- Fanatics Collect: Fanatics Collect is the digital and physical sports collectibles platform of Fanatics, which was an early backer of Candy Digital. It competes in the broader sports collectibles category with licensed trading cards and memorabilia, representing a strategic incumbent adjacent to Candy Digital's IP-licensed NFT model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Candy Digital social profiles
Digital presenceCandy Digital financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Candy Digital leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Candy Digital funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors13 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Candy Digital M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Candy Digital
What does Candy Digital do?
Candy Digital operates a primary storefront on candy.io where fans purchase officially licensed digital collectibles (NFTs) tied to real-world MLB baseball players and moments, as well as DC Comics characters and entertainment properties. Collectibles are issued as Metaplex Core assets on the Solana blockchain, with users holding NFTs in self-custody wallets. The company offers product lines including MLB ICONs, monthly Gems drops, and DC3 comic collectibles, supported by timed drops, burn-to-earn mechanics, Overdrive crafting events, and the Candy League loyalty program.
Is Candy Digital a public or private company?
Candy Digital is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Candy Digital founded?
Candy Digital was founded in 2021. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Candy Digital based?
Candy Digital is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Candy Digital make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Primary Collectible Sales are the primary driver. The others are secondary Sale Royalties, promotional Credits and Platform Credits, dormant Account Fees and auction Fees.
Who are Candy Digital's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Magic Eden, Dapper Labs, Autograph and Sorare. Emerging players are Zora and Rarible. Broad incumbents are OpenSea, Topps (Fanatics Collectibles), Panini America and Fanatics Collect.
Does Candy Digital have an API?
No public API is recorded for Candy Digital.
What industry is Candy Digital in?
Candy Digital's product category is Digital Collectibles. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSADANAH, Sports NFTs & Collectibles Marketplaces, with a secondary code of CRAMAOAK, Digital Sports Collectibles Retail (NFTs). Its NAICS code is 45912 and its SIC code is 5945.