Metaplex

Metaplex is a decentralized protocol built on the Solana blockchain designed to simplify the creation, sale, and use of NFTs. By offering a suite of development tools, smart contracts, and open standards, Metaplex enables NFT communities to issue, manage, and own digital assets on-chain.

Metaplex continuously develops and maintains several programs and standards to enhance user experience and meet the evolving needs of its community.

Candy Machine

Candy Machine is one of the Metaplex protocols. It is a minting and distribution program for fair NFT collection launches on Solana. Much like its name suggests, you can think of a Candy Machine as a temporary structure which is first loaded by creators and then unloaded by buyers. It allows creators to bring their digital assets on-chain in a secure and customizable way.

Note

The name refers to the vending machines that dispense candy for coins via a mechanical crank. In this case the candy are NFTs and the payment is SOL or a SPL token.

Info

By September 2022, 78% of all NFTs on Solana were minted through Metaplex’s Candy Machine.

Here are some of its features:

  • Accept payments in SOL, NFTs or any Solana token.
  • Restrict your launch via start/end dates, mint limits, third party signers, etc.
  • Protect your launch against bots via configurable bot taxes and gatekeepers like captchas.
  • Restrict minting to specific NFT/Token holders or to a curated list of wallets.
  • Create multiple minting groups with different sets of rules.

Blockchain