Adidas makes first physical drop of NFT collection

Sportswear giant Adidas is bringing its NFT (non-fungible tokens) collection to the real world with its first physical shoe drop as it continues to evolve its ongoing partnership with social-lifestyle app Stepn Go.

After building excitement with NFT drops, the German sportswear company is launching its first-ever Stepn Go x Adidas co-branded physical running shoes with a limited-edition collection of 1,200 physical Adidas Ultraboost 5 running shoes.

This marks the latest phase of Stepn Go and Adidas’ year-long partnership, which began in April 2024 with the launch of the Stepn Go x Adidas Genesis NFT sneakers.

Erika Wykes-Sneyd, vice president and general manager of Adidas /// Studio, said in a statement: “We’re thrilled to offer a new digital experience for runners at the forefront of this exciting new era. This collaboration not only brings a fresh way to engage with fitness but also introduces rewarding experiences that push the boundaries of what’s possible in both the physical and digital worlds.”

The physical collaboration will be available from December 13 exclusively on the MOOAR marketplace, a place to create and trade NFTs. There will be four separate raffles taking place from December 13 to 17, with an advantage going to Stepn and Stepn Go x Adidas Genesis NFT holders. There will also be additional opportunities for broader participation through a contest on X and two raffles exclusively open to the ALTS by Adidas and Stepn Apps communities.

Winners can claim their shoes between January 6 to 22, after a 3-week trading period, allowing everyone to buy their tickets on the secondary market. The collection comes in four limited edition co-branded shoe styles, with the colour being randomly assigned to winners, “adding a unique element of surprise,” explains Stepn.

Shiti Manghani, chief executive of Stepn by FSL, added: “The launch of physical shoes is a defining moment in our partnership with Adidas. We’ve moved from digital collectibles to tangible products that people can wear, showing just how far the Web3 space has evolved. This collaboration demonstrates the potential of merging fitness, digital assets, and real-world products.”