Immutable X

What is ImmutableX (IMX)?

ImmutableX is a platform that supports zero-gas, 100% carbon-neutral minting of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) on Ethereum.

It is also a layer 2 scaling solution for Ethereum and one that has made major strides as a leading venue for NFT transactions. According to NFT aggregator CryptoSlam, ImmutableX is consistently among the top 3 blockchains by NFT sales volume.

This puts it ahead of the likes of Cardano, Polygon, and BNB Chain, competing with Solana for the number 2 spot behind Ethereum by sales volume. In fact, ImmutableX consistently clocks more transactions than any blockchain bar Ethereum.

This is all the more impressive considering Immutable’s focus is not on NFTs as a whole but rather on blockchain-based Web3 gaming. Instead, the ImmutableX platform focuses on games that utilize, but rarely mention, NFTs to allow players to truly own their in-game assets.

When Was ImmutableX Launched?

Fuel Games was founded in 2018 in Sydney. Its original intention was to create video games using blockchain technology.

Following difficulties expanding, the company rebranded to Immutable, synonymous with the ImmutableX platform. The rebrand came alongside a pivot into a platform to help developers create blockchain-based product offerings, although the Immutable Games Studio also develops its own titles.

This pivot has led to considerable success, with a March 2022 Series C fundraising round worth $200 million taking Immutable to a $3.5 billion valuation. This valuation sees Immutable ranked as Australia’s third most valuable privately held firm.

In fact, one of the lead participants in this round was the world’s largest video game vendor, Tencent. This investment marks Tencent’s first public foray into Web3 gaming.

Investors in prior funding rounds, including the 2019 Series A, include Coinbase, Naspers, Apex Capital, Nirvana Capital, Continue Capital, and Galaxy Digital.

ImmutableX has 300 employees around the world at 16 locations, and among its clients are entertainment giants like Disney and Marvel.

In February 2022, video game retailer GameStop announced a strategic partnership with ImmutableX. This partnership established a $100 million fund for creators, while Immutable would also fund GameStop with $150 million in IMX tokens. ImmutableX also became a layer 2 partner and platform for the GameStop NFT Marketplace.

Who are the Founders of ImmutableX?

ImmutableX was founded by brothers James and Robbie Ferguson, along with ImmutableX CTO Alex Connolly. Before founding Immutable, the trio first collaborated on gaming titles such as Etherbots, Gods Unchained, and Guild of Guardians.

The Ferguson brothers were featured on Forbes’ “30-Under-30 Asia” list in 2019. James is ImmutableX’s CEO, and Robbie serves as the company’s president. Robbie Ferguson is often considered the public face of the project, given his frequent engagement with the community on various platforms. He has conducted AMA (Ask Me Anything) sessions on Reddit and often engages with the GameStop-focused decentralized think tank/meme platform r/SuperStonk.

How Does ImmutableX Work?

ImmutableX is a scaling solution for Ethereum. It is its own blockchain, based on a “zk-rollup” engine developed in partnership with Starkware.

In zk-rollups, “zk” standing for zero-knowledge, assets are locked into on-chain smart contracts that are traded on the ImmutableX layer 2 chain. Then, they are grouped into batches for validity proof on layer 1 Ethereum.

These proofs are then published on-chain and verified by a smart contract. This then allows the on-chain state to be updated.

With the scaling technology, ImmutableX can handle more than 9000 transactions per second, providing the speed and slickness needed for in-game NFT use.

To offer a third-party NFT marketplace such as GameStop’s, ImmutableX renders a global order book. This order book lets players list their in-game digital assets and completes transactions when sell orders are met.

It also means players can trade across multiple marketplaces, vastly improving liquidity. For instance, you can list your Gods Unchained cards on GameStop’s NFT marketplace, only to have another player buy them via Immutable’s own marketplace.

What Makes ImmutableX Unique?

ImmutableX is unique for its focus on gaming and players, aiming to give players the best possible experience while also custodying their own assets.

To this end, ImmutableX has already made great strides. Many of the games on the platform, such as Gods Unchained, are considered industry leaders and competitors to traditional alternatives.

In fact, the IMX team is focused on bringing blockchain games up to the standard of mainstream games. Even the word “NFT” tends not to be used since most players aren’t concerned with the tech under the hood. Rather, it’s all about the benefits of being able to truly own your in-game assets.

How is the ImmutableX Network Secured?

Immutable’s technology and the use of zk-rollups have various benefits beyond just massive scalability. Primary among these is the fact that ImmutableX derives its security directly from Ethereum.

Since rollups combine batch transactions on layer 2 into a single transaction on layer 1, verification happens on Ethereum. This means that compromising ImmutableX is no easy task since it would entail attacking Ethereum itself.

What is the Use of IMX?

The IMX token is an ERC-20 token that rewards pro-network activity on ImmutableX, such as trading, liquidity provision, and building applications. The token is meant to align incentives between traders, creators, and marketplaces to the benefit of all.

One of the three core uses of IMX is the payment of protocol fees. In fact, 20% of Immutable’s protocol fee must be paid in IMX tokens.

Interestingly, this can be done either directly with IMX or with another purchase currency like ETH. In the latter case, Immutable automatically swaps the purchase currency for IMX on the open market. Like many things about Immutable, this feature greatly enhances the user experience.

The IMX tokens received as part of this fee payment mechanism are then sent to the staking rewards pool. These tokens are distributed among active network stakers on a monthly basis.

Finally, IMX tokens are also used in decentralized governance. Token holders who meet a certain threshold are able to propose and vote on various token-related matters.

Who Controls ImmutableX?

The issuer of the IMX token is Digital Worlds NFTS Ltd., with whom Immutable has partnered to distribute tokens for use on the ImmutableX platform. In terms of corporate structure, Immutable is an independent services provider to Digital World NFTS Ltd.

Digital Worlds is a not-for-profit foundation issuing grants to projects seeking to build on the ImmutableX platform. These grant recipients can access monetary support, including milestone-based IMX token rewards. They also get direct access to an advisory service for tokenomics and game design, as well as community and marketing support.

How Much IMX is In Circulation?

IMX has a maximum supply of 2 billion tokens, around a third of which are currently in circulation.

The lion’s share of over 51% of the IMX token supply was allocated toward ecosystem development, and 25% went toward project development. Less than 20% of the IMX supply was sold to investors: 5% publicly and around 14% privately. The Foundation kept the remaining 4% in reserve for liquidity provision.

Unlike many, if not most, projects in the cryptocurrency space, neither the director nor employee of Immutable, nor Foundation directors, received any IMX tokens.

How Do You Buy IMX?

You can buy IMX from a variety of cryptocurrency exchanges, both decentralized (DEX) and centralized (CEX).

CEX platforms like Binance, Coinbase, Kucoin, and Kraken all offer IMX trading, and Ethereum-based DEXs like Uniswap are also great sources of IMX liquidity.

Is It Possible to Buy IMX Instantly?

You can buy IMX instantly from most CEX platforms. However, you won’t be able to stake IMX tokens toward network-propagating activity from a CEX account.

Therefore, the fastest way to purchase IMX may well be via a DEX. While transaction speed on a DEX does depend on the blockchain, such as Ethereum, it does result in on-chain settlement. CEX trades are not settled on-chain, and as the saying goes, “not your keys, not your crypto.”

How Do You Store IMX?

You can store IMX in any ERC-20-compatible wallet. One of the best available options is the GameStop Wallet, which features native layer 2 integration courtesy of Loopring. Better yet, the GameStop Wallet will also directly integrate ImmutableX into its wallet, with the upgrade scheduled to go through soon. The GameStop Wallet can be used as a browser extension wallet or via the iOS app store if you have an Apple device. Non-custodial Web3 wallets like the GameStop Wallet allow you to take full control of your own Ethereum-based tokens. They also allow you to connect to applications, whether games like Gods Unchained or marketplaces like the GameStop NFT Marketplace or Immutable’s own marketplace.

ImmutableX Energy Consumption

One of the biggest draws of ImmutableX as an NFT platform is that it is 100% Carbon Neutral.

This is because Immutable’s scaling solution drops the amount of gas, and thereby the energy used, by a huge factor. According to an ImmutableX blog post in 2021, before the Ethereum 2.0 merge, NFT minting consumed 475,000 less energy than Ethereum.

This scaling solution reduces energy consumption for NFT minting but doesn’t make it zero. So, to cover the difference, Immutable commits to purchasing carbon credits. According to Immutable:

“We’re ponying up for the cost of carbon credits because we believe that NFTs (on Ethereum) are a net good for the planet.”

Is IMX a Good Investment?

Immutable is a unicorn and a successful, fast-growing company that has already established itself as one of the leading lights in Web3 gaming. Its own games have enjoyed significant success, and partnerships with Disney and Marvel give the platform mainstream appeal.

Perhaps Immutable’s strongest move yet was its partnership with GameStop, a well-known brick-and-mortar giant pivoting rapidly into e-commerce and Web3.

While TradFi media and Wall Street analysts seem to take a dim view of the retailer, Immutable President Robbie Ferguson has spoken at length about how GameStop brings IMX an addressable market of over 50 million members via its loyalty program alone.

Having said all that, the IMX token is neither a security nor an equity of Immutable itself. Instead, the IMX token is the utility token of the ImmutableX scaling solution and an incentivization mechanism on the platform.

This means that investing in IMX doesn’t necessarily represent exposure to the success of Immutable or its partners. However, mass adoption of the platform and more IMX being staked and used by developers could certainly spell good news for the IMX token in the long run.