Double Tap to Zoom

StockX has apparently made an enemy of Nike as the sportswear giant is suing the resale platform over its in-house NFT collection.

The reason? Nike isn't pleased to see their sneakers in the form of non-fungible tokens, or NFTs, citing trademark infringement as one of many complaints.

According to Reuters, other concerns included "inflated prices and murky terms of purchase and ownership" as well as buyers' confusion on StockX's business model.

Your Highsnobiety privacy settings have blocked this Instagram post.

In January, StockX made the bold move into the NFT universe where buyers could purchase the company's NFTs and then redeem them for actual sneakers in the future.

Nike claims that Stockx has already sold over 500 NFTs associated with the Nike brand.

Your Highsnobiety privacy settings have blocked this Instagram post.

It seems like Nike vs. StockX will be only the beginning of many copyright-centric NFT lawsuits to come. A few are already underway.

Last month, for instance, Hermès attempted to clamp down on furry digital renditions of their signature handbags, slapping Metabirkins creator Mason Rothchild with a nice 'n friendly cease and desist.

In a way, I guess StockX's creations could also step all over Nike's upcoming NFT plans.

Nike announced its plans to release "a number of virtual products" in February in collaboration with RTFKT, a digital art studio that it acquired in December.

Your Highsnobiety privacy settings have blocked this Instagram post.

RTFKT didn't just partner with Highsnobiety for Not In Paris; the studio also works closely with big names like artist Takashi Murakami; the two are currently involved in an ongoing project known as "CLONE X," a series of trippy NFT avatars.

NFTs remain a spurious market free from clear regulation, which often leaves victims of theft or copyright infringement without legal recourse.

Nike has a more cut-and-dry case here, though, because StockX isn't some anonymous collectibles creator like most NFT designers. There's little precedent for NFT court cases, though, so Nike's success isn't necessarily guaranteed.

We Recommend
  • Nike ACG Is Returning to Its Cutting-Edge Form
  • Old Rules Out. Arena of the Boldest Brought What’s Next For Football
  • Nike Kicks Off a New Era for Women’s Football in Germany
  • Looking Back at the Best & Most Influential Nike Ads of All Time
What To Read Next
  • This Furry, Scaly Samba Is a Beast of Its Own
  • Salomon's Collapsible Recovery Clog Goes Off Trail
  • High-Tech Birkenstocks Are a Wake-up Call to Touch Grass
  • Give Chanel an Inch, It'll Take a Foot
  • Retail Therapy Only Works IRL
  • ASICS' Beefy New Dad Shoe Is Big, Blue & Bad AF