Welcome to METAZ

Moving a sneaker collection is the ultimate "stress test" for any collector. It is also proof that the traditional way of owning sneakers is fundamentally inefficient. Here is why the future of collecting is custodial.

The Nike SB x Costco collab is a fun flip, but it exposes a serious flaw in the current resale market. When you trade physical boxes back and forth, the only guaranteed winner is the shipping company.

The post-pandemic hangover is officially over. According to StockX’s latest data, the sneaker market entering 2026 has matured into a landscape defined not by blind hype, but by "scarcity, storytelling, and community." Here is where the real money and attention are flowing right now.

In a one-two punch that rattled both Web3 evangelists and traditional retail investors, headlines broke that Nike is quietly winding down its NFT acquisition, RTFKT, at the same time its subsidiary, Converse, reported a staggering 30% revenue drop.

The sneaker world was recently rocked by the sentencing of Michael Malekzadeh, the owner of Zadeh Kicks, to 70 months in prison for a fraud scheme totaling over $80 million.

When you ship a sneaker internationally, you aren't just paying for FedEx or DHL. You are triggering a complex web of customs duties and import taxes.