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When a creator mints an NFT, a new entry is written to the blockchain containing a unique identifier, the owner's wallet address, and a link to the associated metadata — typically an image, video, audio file, or document stored on IPFS.

Ownership is transferred by signing a blockchain transaction. The entire history of ownership — from the first mint to the most recent sale — is permanently recorded and publicly verifiable. No central authority controls this record.

Traditionally, proving you created something required expensive legal processes — copyright registration, notarised documents, or contracts with distributors. NFTs provide a timestamped, immutable proof of creation that anyone can verify instantly, anywhere in the world.

On Medialane, every NFT carries a programmable license embedded in its metadata. This license defines exactly how the work can be used: whether it can be reproduced, remixed, used commercially, or trained on by AI systems. These rules are enforced on-chain and cannot be silently changed by a platform or middleman.

“Fungible” means interchangeable. A dollar bill is fungible — you can swap it for any other dollar bill and have the same value. Gold is fungible. Bitcoin is fungible.

An NFT is non-fungible — each token has unique properties that make it distinct. Two NFTs from the same collection might look similar, but they have different token IDs, potentially different attributes, and separate ownership histories.

Medialane uses the SNIP-2 NFT standard on Starknet — equivalent to ERC-721 on Ethereum — with extensions for programmable licensing metadata. Starknet's ZK-rollup architecture means transactions are fast, cheap, and secured by Ethereum's consensus layer.

Every asset minted through Medialane is stored on IPFS for decentralised content availability, with the IPFS content identifier (CID) anchored to the NFT's on-chain metadata. This ensures the artwork and license terms cannot be silently modified after minting.

Does owning an NFT mean I own the copyright?
Not automatically. The NFT represents ownership of the token, not necessarily the underlying intellectual property. On Medialane, creators explicitly define what rights transfer with the token through the programmable license.

Can NFTs be copied?
The image or file can be copied — but the ownership record cannot. Anyone can screenshot the Mona Lisa, but the original hangs in the Louvre. The blockchain record of ownership is the authentic, provable original.

What happens if Medialane shuts down?
Your NFTs are on the Starknet blockchain and stored on IPFS. They exist independently of Medialane. You control them through your wallet and can transfer, sell, or display them through any compatible platform.