Commercial Use Policy

The purpose of a drop is important, and the POAP Curation Body applies different standards to precious digital collectibles created for personal use and those minted for commercial use. POAP Inc subsidizes all POAPs intended for personal use. At the discretion of the POAP Curation Body, POAPs intended for commercial use may be charged a fee.
While smaller and IRL drops categorized as commercial use will continue to be subsidized, larger and/or online commercial drops will require payment. 
A POAP that enriches the collector’s life and aligns with personal/historical interests is typically associated with personal use. On the other hand, a POAP that promotes brand awareness or primarily serves the issuer’s interests, or is transactional in nature, is typically associated with commercial use.
The following guidelines can help determine whether your drop falls under personal or commercial use:
Metric
Personal Use
Commercial Use
Event Size
<200 attendees
>200 attendees
​
Small/medium, often private event
Very large, often public, event
Event Budget
$0 or minimal
Some budget allocated for event orchestration
Issuer Demographic
Individual or community
Small business, corporation, or network
​
Often a member of a small, interconnected group
Often a formal organization with governance
​
More likely to be first time or infrequent
Often frequent/recurring, sometimes working with BD or an agency
Collector Demographic
Collectors often know each other and/or the issuer directly
Collectors are often fans, employees, or customers of the issuer
​
Often an emotional connection between issuer and collector
Often a paid relationship dynamic between issuer and collector
Drop Qualities
Often a “surprise to collector” -- they are not anticipating a collectible
Marketing and/or communications by issuer to collector base about planned drop
​
Often celebrating personal/team achievements, milestones, or experiences
Often entertainment focused, for a corporate/sponsored event, delivered in a larger event context (i.e. booth at a conference), or for a formal launch by a financially backed team
​
Primarily about commemoration
Actively trying to drive collector engagement or use POAP as an acquisition channel (for completing tasks/surveys, to unlock perks, etc.)
Drop Examples
Birthdays, weddings, anniversaries
Concerts, shows, performances
​
Friends/family outings
Corporate gatherings/initiatives
​
Small project milestones
Large product launches
​
Vacation/travel/holidays
Business and marketing campaigns
​
"You Met Me" POAPs
Conference booths and activations

Metric	Personal Use	Commercial Use
Event Size	<200 attendees	>200 attendees
	Small/medium, often private event	Very large, often public, event
Event Budget	$0 or minimal	Some budget allocated for event orchestration
Issuer Demographic	Individual or community	Small business, corporation, or network
	Often a member of a small, interconnected group	Often a formal organization with governance
	More likely to be first time or infrequent	Often frequent/recurring, sometimes working with BD or an agency
Collector Demographic	Collectors often know each other and/or the issuer directly	Collectors are often fans, employees, or customers of the issuer
	Often an emotional connection between issuer and collector	Often a paid relationship dynamic between issuer and collector
Drop Qualities	Often a “surprise to collector” -- they are not anticipating a collectible	Marketing and/or communications by issuer to collector base about planned drop
	Often celebrating personal/team achievements, milestones, or experiences	Often entertainment focused, for a corporate/sponsored event, delivered in a larger event context (i.e. booth at a conference), or for a formal launch by a financially backed team
	Primarily about commemoration	Actively trying to drive collector engagement or use POAP as an acquisition channel (for completing tasks/surveys, to unlock perks, etc.)
Drop Examples	Birthdays, weddings, anniversaries	Concerts, shows, performances
	Friends/family outings	Corporate gatherings/initiatives
	Small project milestones	Large product launches
	Vacation/travel/holidays	Business and marketing campaigns
	"You Met Me" POAPs	Conference booths and activations

Last modified 3mo ago