IPFS Permanence -- NBA Top Shot¶
Source: "IPFS Permanence -- Complete Launch Package" (Mar 2026). Complete launch blog, press framework, and launch sequence.
What It Is¶
Every NBA Top Shot Moment -- video highlight, thumbnail, and metadata -- is now permanently stored on IPFS (InterPlanetary File System), a decentralized storage protocol. The entire catalog, retroactively from Series 1 to today.
"Every NBA Top Shot Moment is now permanently stored on a decentralized network called the InterPlanetary File System (IPFS). The video highlight, the thumbnail, the metadata. All of it. Publicly verifiable by anyone, anywhere, without needing an account or permission from anyone."
"It's live right now."
10-year IPFS pinning has been fully paid.
Verification: Anyone can verify any Moment using the IPFS Reference App (https://dapperlabs.github.io/dapperlabs-ipfs-reference-app/). No account, no login, no permission required.
Why This Matters¶
The Core Promise¶
"Digital collectibles have always carried a question mark that physical collectibles don't. Nobody worries about whether your trading card will vanish if the card shop closes. The card is in your hand."
"The last few years exposed that gap across the industry. Multiple platforms that sold people digital assets simply stopped existing, and the assets either became inaccessible or lost most of their meaning."
The Market Contrast¶
"Other platforms sold people digital assets and then turned off the lights. Top Shot just made it so the lights don't matter."
"While other platforms across the space were pulling back, the NBA and Dapper Labs are investing in the infrastructure to make these collectibles truly self-sufficient."
Key competitive proof points: - Nifty Gateway closed - RTFKT shut down by Nike - Multiple platforms retreated or disappeared entirely - The NBA went deeper
"This is probably the strongest proof point in the market right now that digital collectibles can actually work. While the rest of the space was retreating, the NBA was building the infrastructure to make these things last forever."
How It Works¶
Content-Addressed Storage¶
IPFS stores files across a distributed network of nodes. Files are identified by their content (content hash / CID), not by where they're stored. The same file always produces the same address.
"Because IPFS is content-addressed and decentralized, the files don't depend on any single server, company, or URL staying online. As long as at least one node on the network is hosting the file, it's accessible."
What's Stored¶
Media assets are stored at the Set level. Every play's video highlight, artwork, and metadata are pinned to IPFS. All Moments within a Set share the same media assets (serial #1 or serial #1,000 -- same video and artwork).
Verification and Tamper-Proofing¶
"Every file on IPFS has a unique content hash. If anyone tried to alter the media, the hash would change, and the tampering would be immediately obvious. The content is its own proof of authenticity."
"That's the standard. Not 'trust us.' The standard is: verify it yourself."
On-Chain CID Roadmap¶
The IPFS Reference App currently serves as the bridge between Moments and their permanently stored media. The next phase: embedding IPFS content hashes (CIDs) directly into on-chain Edition Metadata on Flow.
"A third-party developer with no relationship to Dapper Labs could build a marketplace, a showcase app, or a verification tool using nothing but the public on-chain data and IPFS. That's the end state we're building toward."
Scale¶
- 20M+ Moments migrated (video files, thumbnails, full metadata)
- All existing Moments retroactively covered
- Every new Moment has media anchored to IPFS from point of mint
- WNBA Top Shot permanence planned as follow-up
Partnership Weight¶
This is a joint commitment from the NBA, the NBPA, and Dapper Labs.
"The NBA isn't just licensing highlights to a platform. They're co-signing a standard for digital ownership. That's a fundamentally different level of commitment than what any other league or rights holder has done in this space."
"The NBA and NBPA signed off on this together. That's not a startup making a promise. That's the league and the players' association backing the permanence of every collectible on the platform."
NBA Top Shot is the first major sports collectibles platform to store all media assets on a decentralized network.
Launch Sequence¶
Step 1: Fix the App (Pre-Launch)¶
All bugs in the IPFS Reference App must be resolved before announcement. Broken logo, parallels not displaying, asset pinning issues.
"The entire announcement hinges on 'verify it yourself' -- if the verification app doesn't work cleanly, the message collapses."
Step 2: Blog + Announcement¶
Publish blog on Top Shot. Simultaneous post to Discord, X, and community channels.
"Diamond's leak primed the community -- the official announcement confirms what they heard and adds what he didn't have: 10-year paid commitment, on-chain CID roadmap, WNBA extension, and the IPFS Reference App itself."
Step 3: Reactivation Email¶
Separate from active-user announcement. Leads with economy confidence signals. IPFS permanence is the proof point, not the headline. Targets 63K lapsed payers who still log in.
"Here's what's changed since you left. Your collection is permanent. The economy is healthier. Come back."
Step 4: Permanence Woven into Playoffs Campaign (Mid-April)¶
IPFS becomes established narrative before playoffs begin.
"The most permanent playoff moments in sports history."
Press Strategy¶
Push for joint NBA/NBPA announcement framing.
"'The NBA announces...' lands differently than 'Dapper Labs announces...'"
Target Angles by Outlet Type¶
Sports Media (The Ringer, The Athletic, ESPN, Bleacher Report):
"While NFT Platforms Shut Down Around Them, the NBA Just Made Every Digital Collectible Permanent"
Crypto/Tech (The Block, Decrypt, TechCrunch, CoinDesk):
"NBA Top Shot Becomes First Major Sports Platform to Store All NFT Media on IPFS"
Business/Mainstream (Forbes, Bloomberg, Fast Company):
"Most NFT Platforms Are Shutting Down. The NBA Just Made Theirs Permanent."
Key Soundbites¶
The collector story:
"Think about what this means for a collector who owns a LeBron James highlight from 2021. That Moment, the actual video, is now stored on a decentralized network that no single company controls. It's as close to a physical card as a digital collectible has ever gotten."
The technical achievement:
"This is what NFTs were supposed to be from the beginning. True ownership that doesn't depend on the company that sold it to you. Most projects never delivered on that promise. Top Shot just did."
"Anyone can verify any Moment right now using the IPFS Reference App. No account, no login, no permission. Just the proof."
What This Means for Collectors¶
For longtime collectors: Validates what they believed in. They asked for this, loudly and repeatedly.
For lapsed collectors: Worth another look. Moments are safer now than when they left.
For skeptics:
"Go verify a Moment. That's the whole point. You don't have to take our word for it."
"We will continue to provide updates as well as instructions for collectors who want to pin their favorite players and moments themselves ensuring their permanence."
Last updated: 2026-04-08