As Nike drew early attention in the virtual world and Web3 sector, Adidas continued building its own metaverse strategy in parallel. Its roadmap has moved from NFT drops and high-profile collaborations to community-driven collectibles, digital fashion, and a dedicated Web3 sub-brand, showing a broader effort to extend the brand into digital identity and virtual consumption.
Into the Metaverse: Adidas Enters Web3 Through Partnerships
In November 2021, Adidas unveiled its first NFT project, Into the Metaverse. Rather than relying only on its traditional brand image, the company also acquired a Bored Ape Yacht Club NFT, naming it Indigo Herz, and used it as a symbol of its Web3 identity. Adidas also teamed up with Gmoney and Punks Comic, creating a three-way collaboration that quickly stood out in the NFT market.
Still, Adidas took a relatively cautious approach in the early phase. Its plans remained opaque for some time, and the long rollout did not fully match the faster pace many Web3 users had come to expect. With limited early utility—reportedly including only a set of Adidas apparel—the project faced pushback from parts of the community.
Co-Created NFTs Bring the Community In
About a month after launch, Adidas introduced a more participatory initiative. Working with artist Zach Lieberman, the brand launched a free airdrop NFT program that invited holders to submit their own photographs. Selected images were then combined into a large collaborative artwork and distributed back to holders as commemorative NFTs.
This model reflected a central Web3 idea: users are not just buyers, but contributors to the final product. According to the source material, the resulting NFT at one point achieved strong secondary-market prices, and the campaign became an early example of the multi-party, community-led collaboration style that later became more common across Web3.
Digital Fashion as a New Product Category
In its next phase, Into the Metaverse introduced the Capsule plan. Holders received randomized capsules tied to exclusive metaverse apparel. More than a digital copy of physical clothing, these items pointed to a new kind of fashion built specifically for avatars and virtual environments.
That shift matters for the broader apparel industry. Adidas was not simply putting merchandise on-chain; it was exploring how clothing could evolve when freed from physical constraints. In virtual worlds, design can become more experimental, identity-driven, and visually distinct, opening up new creative and commercial possibilities.
ALTS Marks the Next Stage of the Strategy
More recently, Adidas revealed a new sub-brand called ALTS, which appears set to anchor its next phase of Web3 products. Based on the information disclosed so far, holders will be able to join identity groups, choose themes such as sport, street culture, or music, and receive distinct avatar profiles along with future metaverse-specific benefits.
Overall, Adidas’ Web3 effort has evolved from an NFT launch into a broader ecosystem that includes collaborations, holder participation, digital wearables, and brand segmentation. While its slower early rollout drew criticism, the company has continued investing in virtual fashion, digital identity, and token-holder experiences. In that sense, both Adidas and Nike appear to see Web3 as a meaningful arena for long-term brand competition.