Ethereum, bless its heart, has been a bit–how shall we say this? I know, I know, Bitcoin is all the rage these days. With new blockchains popping up everywhere, it’s a complex ecosystem that is as confusing as a kitten in a ball of yarn. But don't count ETH out just yet! In solidarity, I’m Sokha Chan. Here’s my take, as to why Ethereum will ultimately come out on top in the NFT world. Forget the FUD, though—let’s get ready and look into five completely insane predictions that could actually happen.

Gas Fees Vanish Like Yesterday's News?

Okay, let's be real. Gas fees (or transaction fees) on Ethereum have been the scourge of every NFT lover’s life. Aren’t you grateful that a once $50 NFT purchase now adds $200 in gas fees? The horror! Now imagine if I told you that Ethereum is going to raise its Layer 1 gas limits. Not just 36 million, but up from 36 million to an amazing 300 million! As our friend David Hoffman at Bankless recently wrote, much of the attractiveness of Ethereum is its commitment to being a base layer.

Gas fees plummet so low that on-chain generative art explodes. We're talking thousands of projects launching daily, pixelated cats breeding like rabbits, and the rise of "micro-NFTs" – tiny digital trinkets you can collect for pennies. Think Tamagotchis, but on the blockchain!

Why it's wild: Imagine a world where buying an NFT is as cheap as sending an email. Insane, right? If Ethereum succeeds, we’ll witness a new renaissance of on-chain creativity.

[Meme Alert: [Insert meme of someone gleefully throwing money at the screen with the caption "Buying NFTs with zero gas fees!"]]

Exclusive NFT Societies Go Underground

zkVMs. Sounds like something from a science fiction film, huh? But these zero-knowledge virtual machines might just hold the secret to enabling entirely private NFT transactions on Ethereum.

Prediction: zkVM integration leads to the rise of super-exclusive, invite-only NFT communities. Think of it as the crypto version of the Illuminati, but instead of controlling the world, they're just hoarding rare digital art in secret.

Why it's wild: Imagine owning an NFT that no one knows you own. No flex on X, no bragging rights, just the digital ownership we were all promised. It's like Fight Club, but with JPEGs.

"The first rule of zkNFT Club is: You do not talk about your zkNFTs."

Wallets That Don't Make You Cry

Let's face it, crypto wallets are confusing. They’re equivalent to attempting to fly the space shuttle on a spud. The upcoming Pectra upgrade promises to improve wallet features, making it easier for mainstream users to buy and sell NFTs.

Pectra makes crypto wallets so user-friendly that your grandma can buy a Bored Ape. We're talking one-click purchases, simplified security, and interfaces so intuitive that even I won't accidentally send my ETH to the wrong address.

Why it's wild: Mainstream adoption of NFTs has been hampered by the complexity of crypto wallets. If Pectra makes good on this claim, the floodgates will open.

Joke: "How many crypto experts does it take to explain how a wallet works? Nobody knows, they're still explaining."

NFTs Jumping Between Blockchains?

Layer 2 solutions are nifty and useful in their own right but they’re completely siloed off from each other. Ethereum has already begun the process of standardizing and incentivizing greater integration between Layer 1 and Layer 2 solutions.

Layer 2 interoperability creates a seamless NFT marketplace across multiple blockchains. With the click of a button your CryptoPunk can freely move from Arbitrum to Optimism to zkSync. We're talking a true metaverse of NFTs.

Currently, NFTs are often stuck on the blockchain where they were created. Interoperability would definitely unlock an entirely new level of liquidity and functionality.

[Insert GIF of a character jumping between different video game worlds]

NFT Art That Breaks All The Rules

Ethereum better sort things out — and pronto. But if it does, we might witness a new wave of ingenuity applied to the NFT space.

Prediction: Ethereum's comeback inspires a new wave of NFT innovation. Artists create groundbreaking digital art that challenges traditional notions of ownership and value. We’re discussing interactive NFTs, dynamic NFTs that grow or change over time, use cases for NFTs beyond the JPEG.

NFTs are still in their infancy. The real promise of this technology has hardly been touched. If Ethereum can live up to its promise of being the platform of that innovation, the sky is the limit. This goes far beyond digital art, and it’s about how we can understand ownership in a new, digital world.

"The future of art isn't just digital. It's programmable."

So, there you have it. Five wild predictions that could actually happen. Will Ethereum pull it off? Only time will tell. One thing's for sure: the NFT space is about to get a whole lot more interesting. I for one, am here for it.