Five Years of VeeFriends: The NFT Project That Refused to Just Be an NFT Project

• VeeFriends marks five years with continued expansion beyond NFTs
• Project evolved into comics, events, toys, and real-world utility
• Survival alone sets it apart in a market where most projects disappeared

VeeFriends just turned five, and in the context of NFTs, that’s… kind of a big deal. Launched back in 2021 by Gary Vaynerchuk, the project started as a collection of hand-drawn characters tied to personal traits, but it never really stayed confined to just being an NFT collection.

And honestly, in a space where most projects didn’t even make it past year two, still being active says something on its own.

More Than Just a Collection

From the start, VeeFriends tried to position itself differently. Each NFT wasn’t just a digital asset, it came with access, whether that meant entry to VeeCon, interactions with Gary Vee, or early access to products and collaborations.

That utility-first angle felt a bit unconventional at the time, but it helped separate the project from the wave of purely speculative collections that followed.

From NFTs to a Full Brand

Over the years, VeeFriends expanded far beyond its original format. What began as 10,255 NFTs has grown into comic books, collectible coins, physical toys, and recurring events, slowly building something that looks more like a brand ecosystem than a single product.

Even now, with ongoing releases like comic issues and burn mechanics, the project is still actively evolving, which isn’t something you can say for most 2021-era NFTs.

A Smaller, But Still Active Community

The hype phase is clearly over, the community is quieter, smaller, and less chaotic than it was at peak NFT mania. But it’s still there, and that consistency is rare in a market where attention moves fast and rarely comes back.

That kind of persistence tends to matter more over time than short bursts of popularity.

A Long-Term Bet That’s Still Playing Out

Gary Vee described VeeFriends as a “long-term play” from the beginning, something closer to a multi-decade vision than a quick flip. At the time, most people weren’t really thinking in those terms, and the market didn’t reward that mindset either.

Five years in, though, that framing feels a bit more grounded. The project hasn’t exploded again, but it hasn’t disappeared either, and in crypto, that balance might be more important than it looks.

Disclaimer: BlockNews provides independent reporting on crypto, blockchain, and digital finance. All content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Readers should do their own research before making investment decisions. Some articles may use AI tools to assist in drafting, but every piece is reviewed and edited by our editorial team of experienced crypto writers and analysts before publication.