For $5, a string of emojis representing a Newspaper, a smiling Pile of Poo, an Alien Monster, and an Exploding Head became my unique “online identifier.” A $290 price tag seemed too steep for the “featured” string, which showcased my same smiling Pile of Poo, plus a Rocket and a laughing Cowboy Hat Face. If I had stuck with violin and ice-skating when I was younger and wanted to showcase those hobbies, that emoji sequence would’ve cost me $70.
This is the world of Yats, purchasable strings of emojis that are the latest craze in NFT-like digital assets. Since launching in February 2021, Nashville-based Yat Labs has sold more than 160,000 unique strings of emojis, raised over $20 million in financing, and attracted the attention of no less an arbiter than Paris Hilton, who shelled out an undisclosed amount for a Crown and a Sparkles emoji to be her unique identifier.
