FIFA Blockchain Launch Announced: NFT Holders Must Reimport Collectibles by May 20

• FIFA Collect is migrating from Algorand to a new Ethereum-compatible blockchain.
• “FIFA Blockchain” will support better performance, new features and improved wallet compatibility, FIFA said.
• The organization has asked collectors to reimport NFTs held in Algorand wallets before May 20.

FIFA is migrating its NFT collectibles from Algorand to a new Ethereum-compatible “FIFA Blockchain.”

In an announcement on April 30, the organization said it expects the migration to occur “not earlier than May 20,” and has advised FIFA Collect holders who store their NFTs in external wallets to reimport them before then.

FIFA Ditches Algorand for Independent Blockchain

FIFA Collect was originally launched in May 2023 on Algorand.

The move to a custom-built blockchain will offer “better performance, future features, and improved scalability,” FIFA said.

The statement added that the new platform will “support new experiences, enable wallet compatibility, and provide stronger foundations for future innovation.”

Users will be able to spend their balance until the migration date. After the migration, they can still withdraw their balance, but will no longer be able to spend it.

Collectors Asked To Reimport FIFA NFTs

NFTs stored in FIFA Collect’s built-in custodial wallet will automatically be transferred to the new chain.

However, FIFA has asked users to transfer any collectibles held in Algorand wallets like Pera and Defly back onto the platform ahead of the migration.

After May 20, manual migration will only be possible via customer support and may require additional verification, FIFA warned.

USDC Balances To Expire

Unlike the NFTs themselves, USDC stablecoins used to purchase FIFA collectibles won’t automatically be moved to the new blockchain

Although FIFA Collect users will still be able to withdraw USDC to another Algorand wallet after the migration, they will no longer be able to spend their Algorand-based USDC balance.

Collectors with unspent balances they want to use after the migration will need to manually bridge their USDC and redeposit on the upgraded, EVM platform.

What Happens Next?

Post-migration, FIFA NFTs will be reissued as Ethereum-compatible tokens.

Users will then be able to transfer their collectibles to any EVM wallet that supports WalletConnect. This includes the most popular browser wallets like MetaMask and Trust Wallet.