What is Zora? A New Era for NFTs and Onchain Media

Apr 25, 2025

Intermediate

NFT

Web3

Zora is a decentralized protocol designed for creating, sharing, and collecting NFTs onchain. Unlike traditional NFT platforms, Zora operates as open infrastructure—anyone can use it to build marketplaces or launch their own drops. It’s built for artists, creators, and developers who want to participate in the Web3 creator economy without gatekeepers. This article breaks down what Zora is, how it works, and why it’s become an essential part of onchain media. If you're into NFTs, Zora is worth knowing.

What Is Zora?

Zora is an open-source protocol that allows users to mint, sell, and display NFTs directly on the blockchain. It’s not just a marketplace—it’s a set of smart contracts anyone can use to create their own NFT platforms. Launched with a vision of decentralization, Zora puts ownership and control back into the hands of creators. Every listing, mint, or bid is recorded fully onchain. That means transparency, permanence, and interoperability by default.

Core features of Zora:

100% onchain NFT creation and sales
Permissionless protocol for anyone to build on
Gas-efficient minting with no platform fees
Creator-first approach with customizable drops
Interoperable with wallets, dApps, and other protocols

How Zora Works in the Web3 Ecosystem

Zora acts as infrastructure, not a company. Developers can fork or integrate Zora contracts to build NFT marketplaces, DAOs, or community apps. Artists can launch their own drops without needing to rely on third-party platforms. Because Zora is open, it supports true Web3 principles like ownership, composability, and transparency. The result is a growing ecosystem of independent creators and tools.

Zora enables:

Artist-led NFT drops without gatekeepers
Community-built frontends and interfaces
Protocol-level royalties with transparent logic
Low-cost minting for mass-accessible art
Creative ownership with zero lock-in

Why Zora Matters for NFTs and Media

As NFTs evolve from hype to infrastructure, Zora’s model becomes more relevant. Instead of being locked into one marketplace, creators on Zora can control their distribution. Developers can use it to build anything—from ticketing apps to open art galleries. The protocol empowers creators to own not just their art, but the tools around it. In a fragmented NFT world, Zora offers cohesion and control.

Zora’s importance includes:

Supports open and modular Web3 building
Encourages long-term creator monetization
Compatible with major Ethereum L2s like Optimism, Base, Zora Network
Reduces reliance on closed platforms
Sparks innovation in onchain media formats

How to Explore or Use Zora

You don’t need to be a developer to try Zora. Just connect a wallet, visit the official site, and explore mints or drops. You can collect NFTs, mint your own artwork, or follow artists and communities. For builders, Zora offers developer docs and contract templates to create your own NFT apps or protocols.

Ways to get started: