Starbucks to Give 'NFTs' to Customers Using Tumblers

Asia's First NFT Launch to Promote Personal Cup Use
Shinsegae I&C Utilizes 'Sparos NFT' Technology
'Starbucks Star Light' Issued from the 16th

Starbucks Korea is introducing NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens) for the first time in the Asia region to encourage customers to use personal cups.

Starting from the 16th, Starbucks announced on the 15th that Starbucks Rewards customers who order beverages via Siren Order using their personal cups will earn one Eco Stamp per receipt, and upon completing the Eco Stamp collection mission, they will receive a Starbucks NFT through the ‘STARBUCKS STAR★LIGHT’ program.

Customers can collect up to three Eco Stamps per day and exchange them for NFTs once they reach the required number. A ‘Basic NFT’ is issued when five Eco Stamps are collected. To add collectible value with rarity, collecting 15 Eco Stamps will grant a ‘Creative NFT’ limited to 20,000 pieces, and collecting 20 Eco Stamps will issue an ‘Artist NFT’ limited to 1,000 pieces. Since only one NFT can be issued per account, customers must collect the required number of Eco Stamps to obtain their desired NFT. For example, if a customer redeems five Eco Stamps for a Basic NFT, they cannot obtain NFTs of other tiers.

Starbucks’ NFTs were created under the concept of ‘My One and Only Cup in the World’ in collaboration with Korea’s largest art platform, ‘Print Bakery,’ and artist ‘DADAZ.’ These NFTs are designed with diverse images featuring cups, tumblers, and more, and are randomly issued to customers. The Starbucks NFTs cannot be gifted, sold, or traded.

Through the issuance of the Starbucks Star Light NFT Eco Project, Starbucks plans to showcase digital innovation and provide new customer experiences to visitors. Utilizing Shinsegae I&C’s ‘Sparos NFT’ technology, customers can easily receive NFTs through the Starbucks application without needing a separate NFT wallet.

The reason Starbucks is launching this personal cup promotion is due to the increasing number of personal cup uses each year. Looking at Starbucks’ annual personal cup usage over the past four years, the figure rose sharply from 17.39 million in 2020 to 21.9 million in 2021, then to 25.3 million in 2022. Last year, personal cup usage reached a record high of 29.4 million times.

Son Jeong-hyun, CEO of Starbucks Korea, said, “We hope that customers visiting Starbucks will make using personal cups a daily habit and enjoy their own NFTs,” adding, “Starbucks will continue to introduce various promotions to provide customers with more diverse eco-friendly benefits.”