What is the Proof of Attendance Protocol (POAP)?

It has always been important for people to save their memories. We have turned to various means such as photos, videos, drawings, and other ways to capture the moment. However, with blockchain technology, it is now possible to preserve memorable moments using a unique protocol known as the Proof of Attendance Protocol or POAP. In this article, we’ll look at what POAP is and how it works.

Understanding POAP

POAP, an acronym for Proof of Attendance Protocol, is a blockchain-based protocol designed to improve the way we track and verify people's participation in various events, such as conferences, festivals, meetups, and more.

The essence of POAP lies in its issuance of unique digital badges, or tokens, to event attendees. These badges serve as digital proof of participation and can be stored in the wallets of their owners. Each token comes with specific attributes, including the event's name, date and location, as well as a unique identifier.

POAP was introduced in 2019 at the Ethereum Conference in Denver, where each attendee was given a digital token. Technically speaking, POAPs are analogous to digital souvenirs and are ERC-721 standard non-fungible tokens (NFTs). They were initially issued on the Ethereum blockchain using smart contracts.

How does POAP work?

The POAP workflow consists of several steps:

• Token issuance Event managers create unique digital tokens using a special platform — POAP.

• Registration of participants Event participants register and receive a digital token, which is usually sent to them via email or messenger.

• Saving in a wallet To confirm participation, participants save the received virtual badges in their blockchain wallets. For example, MetaMask.

• Proof of participation Anyone can verify the participation of token holders by looking at the data in the blockchain. Each token has unique characteristics: the name of the event, the date and location, and a unique identifier.

Why POAP is needed?

• To show presence at events;
• Can access exclusive project events;
• You can collect unique badges
• Gifts and rewards for achieving a milestone. For example, getting among the first 100 participants of the project;
• POAP can give you voting rights in the project.

How do I create a POAP?

There is a special platform for creating digital POAP badges — POAP. Event managers can easily customize their digital badges by adding information and cover.

Conclusion

POAP is a modern approach to tracking and confirming participation in events using blockchain technology. This protocol has brought transparency, reliability, and interactivity to public events and has become an indispensable tool for event managers and participants.