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🚀 NFTs on Monero with MyZubster – How It Works and Why It's the Future

#monero #tari #nft

🚀 NFTs on Monero with MyZubster – How It Works and Why It's the Future

The Evolution of NFTs on Monero

For years, the Monero community debated whether NFTs could exist on its blockchain. The core issue was always the same: Monero was designed to be private, fungible, and secure, not to host unique, traceable assets like NFTs. Previous attempts, such as Mordinals, raised serious privacy concerns and were rejected by the community.

Today, the situation has radically changed. Thanks to Tari, an official sidechain of Monero, it is now possible to create and trade NFTs while preserving the privacy and security that make Monero unique. MyZubster is the first open-source ecosystem that natively integrates this technology.

What Is Tari and Why Does It Work?

Tari is an open-source blockchain protocol designed specifically for issuing and exchanging digital assets like NFTs, tickets, loyalty points, and in-game items. It was founded by Riccardo "fluffypony" Spagni, lead developer of Monero, along with Naveen Jain and Dan Teree.

🔗 A Sidechain of Monero

Tari is not a standalone project but a sidechain that leverages Monero's security and consensus. This means:

  • Merge-Mining: Monero miners can mine Tari's token (Minotari/XTM) simultaneously with no extra effort.
  • Inherited Security: Tari inherits Monero's robust security.
  • Preserved Privacy: Transactions on Tari are private by default, thanks to the MimbleWimble protocol.

💎 The Two-Token Model

Tari uses an elegant two-token architecture that solves many scalability and sustainability issues:

Token Description
Minotari (XTM) The Layer 1 PoW token. Anyone can mine it with consumer-grade hardware.
Tari Token (XTR) The Layer 2 token that powers dApps and NFTs. You burn 1 XTM to get 1 XTR.

🛡️ Privacy by Default

Unlike other blockchains where NFT transactions are fully public, Tari uses MimbleWimble to:

  • Hide transaction amounts: Amounts are confidential.
  • Hide sender/receiver addresses: Transactions are unlinkable.
  • Keep metadata private: Only the owner can see NFT metadata.

How NFTs Work on Tari

1. Resource-Based Architecture

In Tari, NFTs are resources, not smart contracts. The core library tari_template_lib provides built-in support for:


rust
pub enum ResourceType {
    Fungible,      // Interchangeable tokens
    NonFungible,   // Unique, indivisible NFTs
    Confidential,  // Privacy-protected fungible tokens
    Stealth,       // Highest level of confidentiality
}
2. Template-Based Development

Smart contracts in Tari are called templates. Here's a simplified NFT template I built for MyZubster:
rust

#[template]
mod my_first_nft {
    pub struct MyFirstNFT {
        nft_vault: Vault,
        collection_name: String,
        collection_symbol: String,
        mint_count: u32,
    }

    impl MyFirstNFT {
        pub fn new(name: String, symbol: String) -> Component<Self> {
            let nft_resource = ResourceBuilder::non_fungible()
                .metadata("name", name.clone())
                .metadata("symbol", symbol.clone())
                .metadata("description", "A Tari NFT Collection")
                .build();

            let vault = Vault::new_empty(nft_resource);
            // ...
        }

        pub fn mint(&mut self, id: NonFungibleId, immutable_data: String, mutable_data: String) -> Bucket {
            let manager = self.nft_vault.get_resource_manager();
            let nft_bucket = manager.mint_non_fungible(
                id.clone(),
                &metadata! {
                    "immutable" => immutable_data,
                    "minted_at" => "2026-07-19",
                },
                &mutable_data,
            );
            // ...
        }
    }
}

3. Immutable and Mutable Metadata

Each NFT on Tari supports:

    Immutable metadata: Can't be changed after minting (e.g., image URL)

    Mutable metadata: Can be changed by the owner (e.g., current state, price)

Why Mordinals Failed and Tari Succeeds
Aspect  Mordinals   Tari
Approach    Inscribing data on Monero blockchain    Dedicated sidechain for digital assets
Privacy Risks compromising fungibility  Privacy-by-default (MimbleWimble)
Community Support   Controversial, community-hostile    Official, backed by Monero maintainers
Development Stalled, disputed   Active, mainnet launched May 2025
Fees    High and variable   Low and predictable
The MyZubster Template: Open Source and Production-Ready

I built a complete NFT template for Tari as part of the MyZubster ecosystem. It's:

✅ Written in Rust – using tari_template_lib v0.29.0
✅ Compiled to WASM – ready for deployment on Tari
✅ Dockerized – public image on Docker Hub
✅ Multi-language – documentation in EN, IT, FR, ES
✅ Open Source – BSD-3-Clause license
🐳 Dockerized and Deployable

The entire template is containerized and available on Docker Hub:
bash

docker pull myzubster/tari-nft-template:latest
docker run --rm myzubster/tari-nft-template:latest

📂 Repository Structure
text

tari-nft-template/
├── Cargo.toml          # Rust dependencies
├── Dockerfile          # Container build
├── README.md           # Documentation (EN)
├── README.it.md        # Documentation (IT)
├── README.fr.md        # Documentation (FR)
├── README.es.md        # Documentation (ES)
├── src/
│   └── lib.rs          # NFT template code
└── tests/              # Integration tests

🔗 Links

    GitHub: https://github.com/DanielIoni-creator/tari-nft-template

    Docker Hub: https://hub.docker.com/repository/docker/myzubster/tari-nft-template

    Previous Article: https://dev.to/danielioni/nfts-on-monero-in-2026-goodbye-mordinals-welcome-tari-10mg

Why This Matters for the Future
1. Privacy is Not a Sacrifice

With Tari, you don't have to choose between privacy and innovation. NFTs can now exist on Monero without compromising its core values.
2. A Developer-Friendly Ecosystem

Tari's template system and Rust-based development make it accessible to blockchain developers. The test harness allows offline testing without a live network.
3. Real-World Use Cases

    Event Ticketing: Private, transferable tickets with no traceability

    Gaming Assets: In-game items with true ownership and privacy

    Loyalty Programs: Business-ready digital assets with confidential balances

Next Steps for MyZubster

    Deploy on VPS – The container is ready for production deployment.

    Publish the Template – Using tari-ootle-cli to deploy on Tari mainnet.

    Build a Frontend – Using tari.js to create a Web3 interface.

    Add Features – Royalty, whitelist, and limited minting.

Conclusion

NFTs on Monero are no longer an experiment. Tari provides a production-ready, privacy-preserving solution, and MyZubster is building the open-source infrastructure to make it accessible to everyone.

The future of private digital assets starts now.
📬 Connect with Me

    📖 Dev.to: Daniel Ioni

    🐦 Twitter: @myzubster

    💼 LinkedIn: Daniel Ioni

    🐙 GitHub: DanielIoni-creator

    🎵 TikTok: @h4x0r_23

Built with ❤️ for the Monero and Tari community.
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