32 – Aussie Cricket Legend Steve Smith Talks NFT’s & Crypto

Tracey: [00:00:19] Welcome to the Crypto Curious podcast. It's been excitement overload in the building today as Craig and I are chatting with a very special guest. We have Cricket World legend here, Steve Smith, recording with us on the podcast. So welcome, Steve.

Steve Smith: [00:00:35] Thank you.

Tracey: [00:00:35] So I'm going to try this intro. Here I go. Steve is a cricketing icon known throughout the world for his cricketing efforts, which include one of the best batting averages in the game. When Smith is not following his first passion and going the tank out on the pitch, he's got some other interest that we're excited to hear about. So it's nfts and crypto. Steve is crypto curious, just like many of us. And today we're going to see just how far down the rabbit hole he's actually travelled. So thanks for coming in today.

Craig: [00:01:05] Welcome. So, I mean, it's always exciting when you hear like household names getting into crypto. So it would be good to understand, you know, how you got started, why you got started and what picked your interest. 

Steve Smith: [00:01:15] I was always sort of interested in the space and it's obviously grown and grown over the last. I know for Bitcoin's been around for a while that all the other coins have grown over the last few years. So, you know, a lot of the cricketing boys like talking about it. And I think it was Marcus Stoinis actually that first spoke to me about it. I think he's a bit of a bitcoin holder, so he's going, okay. But no, I like very intrigued by, by the the space. And yeah, I've been looking at it for a while.

Tracey: [00:01:42] So do you remember when you first actually purchased an aborted I want you. Is that going back? When did Marcus tell you? 

Steve Smith: [00:01:48] Probably heard about it in 2017. 

Tracey: [00:01:51] 80 people, clearly.

Steve Smith: [00:01:53] Yeah, reasonably. I wish I'd bought then. Yeah, I didn't. But now look I've been looking at it since and yeah. Pretty interested by how it all works together and it kind of goes over my head a lot of the stuff, particularly the the alternative coins. But yeah, it's a, it's certainly a growing space. 

Tracey: [00:02:13] Because we're talking to today because we found out that you're into Nfts and will go a little bit further into NFT and what you do in that space, that's really interesting. But was it the Nfts or was it Bitcoin and crypto that you got into first? 

Steve Smith: [00:02:25] I think it was the currencies originally and then yeah, only sort of heard about Nfts probably 18 months ago. I think my manager actually I remember a call I was sitting in the backyard and he was talking around some of the sports players and musicians I think over in the States that were getting into it and thought, yeah, it's a it's obviously a space that's growing as well and something that, you know, we need to get involved in to to have the, you know, that relationship, I guess, with fans and be able to reach more fans, etc.. So yeah, we thought about what we could do and, and get involved in that space. Yeah. 

Craig: [00:03:00] I think the first cut of the ranks back then was NBA top shots when they came out and they were just killing it with like the moments and stuff. So do you remember what your first purchase was like? How was your experience with your metamask like, how were you like? How was that. 

Tracey: [00:03:17] Exchange? What? 

Steve Smith: [00:03:18] Yeah. Now on the Metamask, my first purchase was Rumble Kong. 

Craig: [00:03:23] Oh yeah. Have you seen the Rumble Kong's? 

Tracey: [00:03:25] No, I'll. 

Craig: [00:03:26] Die like the gorillas fight each other. Yeah, put him in basketball. 

Steve Smith: [00:03:31] I think. 

Craig: [00:03:31] Basketball. 

Steve Smith: [00:03:32] I think it might play like three on three basketball.

Craig: [00:03:34] Oh that's cool. 

Steve Smith: [00:03:35] I don't know if it's that one or and if teams I also got as well, I'm not sure what that does really. I haven't probably explored it enough, but I'm. 

Tracey: [00:03:43] Learning from Stace with I've never heard of.

Craig: [00:03:45] That. I don't think I have either. I think I'm getting it mixed up. The Rumble Kong. 

Tracey: [00:03:48] So where did you buy this? 

Steve Smith: [00:03:50] On Opensea. 

Tracey: [00:03:52] Really? I'm googling that.

Steve Smith: [00:03:55] Wow. 

Tracey: [00:03:55] Okay, so that was the first purchase. 

Steve Smith: [00:03:57] That was yeah, that was probably only six months ago, I reckon. 

Tracey: [00:04:01] Okay. So that was such an NFT. 

Steve Smith: [00:04:03] It is. 

Tracey: [00:04:04] Well, there you go. So what about your first coin? Did you actually end up back then when you first heard about did end up purchasing any altcoins or Bitcoin or Etherium when you first heard about it? 

Steve Smith: [00:04:15] No, I didn't. I wish I had. Okay. Okay. But yeah, since I guess I've purchased some a theorem to be able to purchase a few NFT crumbles. 

Tracey: [00:04:24] Okay. 

Steve Smith: [00:04:25] And just played around with a few different other alternative coins. 

Tracey: [00:04:29] Just okay.

Steve Smith: [00:04:31] Randomly. 

Tracey: [00:04:31] So who helped you through that process of purchasing the Ethereum and getting on the Metamask to do the NFT? Like who was helping you through that? 

Steve Smith: [00:04:40] No, no one, really. I kind of just did it myself online. Yeah, right. To get it out and. Yeah, it's a bit of fun. 

Tracey: [00:04:46] Yeah, definitely. 

Craig: [00:04:47] So has the, like, the appetite. You mentioned Marcus told you about it. How's the appetite in the cricket group. Has a lot of the boys getting amongst like and you mentioned obviously we're going to get into NFT projects soon but is that going to be like starting a. I'm up in the cricket world a lot. 

Steve Smith: [00:05:01] Yeah, I think so. I think, you know, a lot of the guys have seen how the nets have gone over in, you know, the US with different professional sportsmen and it's certainly something a lot of them are interested in. So I'm sure you'll see some coming out over the next year or so. And yeah, continue to grow. 

Tracey: [00:05:19] I guess they're going to have to I mean we it was a blockchain week earlier this year that Cricket Australia and Tennis Australia announced that they were doing their NFT series similar to like we've just mentioned with Top Shot. So I mean, it's out there. So any professional sportsman at least understands what any of these are about now. So it's. 

Craig: [00:05:37] Not an open did it as. 

Tracey: [00:05:38] Well. The Australian Open. Yeah, yeah. So Australian Open and Cricket Australia, what are. 

Craig: [00:05:42] They doing in the NFT. Bits of the core was. 

Tracey: [00:05:45] That I don't actually know what they did and then they went, you. 

Steve Smith: [00:05:48] Know. 

Tracey: [00:05:48] They did that and then they went and put it in the metaverse. Yeah. And they played the games in the metaverse. They Australian Open did. Yeah. But what I'm saying is that professional sportsmen and women know about NFT now and that will be an extra, you know. 

Craig: [00:06:06] Household. 

Tracey: [00:06:07] Yeah, but it'll be another revenue stream for them, I guess. So if that's enough on the revenue stream, that's obviously an area that they'll play it and understand and look into. So I assume they're all playing around and some of them are got cash to buy monkeys and apes and other, you know. 

Steve Smith: [00:06:23] World of women. 

Tracey: [00:06:24] Well, yeah, so will do. When exactly are you going. I may have one of those.

Steve Smith: [00:06:29] I'll go one of the galaxy. Yeah

Tracey: [00:06:31] The galaxy. Do you have on. 

Steve Smith: [00:06:33] Two of the galaxy. 

Tracey: [00:06:37] You're not financial advice folks but women galaxy. What else have you got? I think this is fascinating what I'm saying.

Steve Smith: [00:06:43] You got some better mansions. 

Tracey: [00:06:45] Smarter mansions by.

Steve Smith: [00:06:46] Keys. 

Tracey: [00:06:47] Okay. 

Steve Smith: [00:06:47] Yeah, they're interesting. 

Tracey: [00:06:49] So what are your thoughts on the, um. What was that? The moon birds that. Are you right up with it? 

Steve Smith: [00:06:54] I go through patches where I look at it and get involved and then sometimes, ah, I'm just not too fussed about it. 

Tracey: [00:07:01] So where do you get your news in. I mean because I get along with you some crazy because he's a NFT, you know. 

Steve Smith: [00:07:07] Yeah. Bits of the podcast of course. And then now I just read stuff online. Yeah. You know if you few mates are involved in it, they send things round on WhatsApp groups. 

Craig: [00:07:18] Are amongst the Twitter crypto twitter. Yeah. 

Steve Smith: [00:07:21] I follow a few things on Twitter. Um, I say bits and pieces pop up. So if you can sink your teeth into something like it, hopefully a board Hyperion have been on those actually. 

Tracey: [00:07:31] Yeah. 

Craig: [00:07:31] Yeah. I guess this is a good Segway to learn a little bit more about, you know, your upcoming NFT project and how you partner with Dan Carter on Glorious Digital. What motivated you to start that up? 

Steve Smith: [00:07:43] Yeah. So I think, yeah, it's obviously a space that we're interested to get into to be able to engage more with our fans. So yeah, got involved with with Dan Carter and and Glorious and I think we'll be dropping some semi nfts in in around July. Basically the concept is having 11 different bits of our 11 series and, and I'm going to get it out there. So and then on top of that, there'll be different things involved with them like online chats, you know, some prises, etc.. So I think it's a really exciting time. And yeah, hopefully it goes well and I'm excited to get into the space. 

Tracey: [00:08:22] The reason that I'm really into my NFT is and I've come a little bit late to the party that's been around for a while and I'm kind of only really for someone who's been in crypto for a while. I'm only really getting into my NFT probably the last few months. But the reason I'm really liking it now is because there's so much more to just having one jpeg or picture. There's a more there's community. You mentioned world of women, but you know, there's a real community to that and there's other things you get along with it. So we've talked about NFT in the past with music where you get the album or you get a concert ticket. So there's all these added extras that come with your NFT now and you can't just have an NFT. You need to have those extra things that go with it. So are you guys looking at that and making sure that when you put that out to the public, there are, you know, things that come with it? 

Steve Smith: [00:09:08] Yeah. I mean, I could do, you know, a Zoom call, for instance, with the holders of a collection or, you know, be able to give a physical cricket bat potentially that I was using and something along those lines. So there's so much you can do. There's so much in the space. So yeah, yeah. It's very interesting. 

Tracey: [00:09:26] Yeah. I think that's what people are after aren't they. That little bit of, you. 

Craig: [00:09:29] Know, whatever before have, you know, sports stars have the ability to access their fans directly. 

Tracey: [00:09:34] Exactly. 

Craig: [00:09:35] A middle party. So it's super interesting to see how it goes. So obviously Dan Carter started it up and you're coming into it. So is there any like anyone else that's getting amongst it or like is it sort of just going to be a cricket thing or is it going to go towards other sports? 

Tracey: [00:09:48] Some artists on there as well and some bands or some bits and pieces on the platforms in there. 

Steve Smith: [00:09:52] Yeah, I think they're they're open that they're trying to sign up, you know, a whole different array of industries. I suppose so. Now it's exciting to be involved with with Gloria. So I'm looking forward to that. That partnership growing and yeah, excited about the project coming out and hopefully July. 

Craig: [00:10:07] So did Dan Carter approach you or you were sort of looking to build this functionality? Like how how did that work? How did you get involved? 

Steve Smith: [00:10:14] I think it was, yeah, kind of a bit of both, yeah. They were looking for talent and they were looking for somewhere to get involved. So yeah, to be able to sort of have that collaboration with with Gloria sets, it's exciting and yeah, we're looking forward to that partnership.

Tracey: [00:10:27] And is on how will you be able to buy on a platform? Is it their own platform where you buy through like a etherium again? Do we know how that will work? 

Steve Smith: [00:10:36] I'm not entirely sure we have this. 

Tracey: [00:10:38] They find out, you know, what we'll do is we'll put a link in the bottom of the podcast as well so we can find out a bit more and put a link there for people to check out. Check it out. Yeah, that's a good idea. 

Craig: [00:10:47] So you mentioned a July launch, so can you talk about like what's a collection look like? How many are going to be available and what's the art sort of what's the vibe you're looking for? Yeah. 

Steve Smith: [00:10:57] So it's going to be 11 different bits of art and 11 pieces of that art. So what's at 121 pieces and what exactly it looks like? I'm not entirely sure yet. And we'll keep that under wraps for now and a bit of a surprise for everyone, but that's essentially it. So it's exciting and what we're looking forward to to that drop. 

Craig: [00:11:15] So 121, that's obviously the first edition. But yeah, that's really exciting. That's a good amount of people to come on board and give prises to and give pick your battles to. 

Steve Smith: [00:11:26] Go that many sell out. 

Craig: [00:11:27] Yeah, that's really awesome. So you also mentioned before you had a rumble Kong a met a mansion look very similar. So what do you look for like what's your bit of art to add or is it just like, you know, FOMO in like have you ever FOMO into something and then it's gone down 90% because I know. 

Steve Smith: [00:11:42] It's tumbled down now. Not quite, although the market's obviously down a bit at the moment. 

Tracey: [00:11:47] Everyone market's not quite as badly down, though. 

Steve Smith: [00:11:51] Yeah, no. 

Craig: [00:11:52] Open to interpretation. 

Steve Smith: [00:11:53] Yeah. No, I just get, you know, different friends that come up with different ideas and say, why don't you have a look at this? Or I read something about it on, I don't know, Gary vs Instagram or.

Craig: [00:12:08] Different things like that. 

Steve Smith: [00:12:09] So yeah. And then just yeah fingers crossed one goes really well. 

Tracey: [00:12:13] I But you still picking what you like though you're not jumping on everything you know now. Yeah. Okay, so it's what you like, which is probably a good way of doing it. Gary vs also someone decent. 

Craig: [00:12:21] He's not a bad person to follow about. He's fine. He's right on the cusp with giving projects utility. Like if you hold a Gary Vee and if you get access to his vacancies. 

Tracey: [00:12:31] Yet vacancy sort.

Craig: [00:12:32] Of rural life conference.

Tracey: [00:12:34] Is just finished. Yeah. Yeah, that. 

Craig: [00:12:36] Could be interesting. 

Tracey: [00:12:36] Feel free to not ask this, but how many nfts you hold? 

Steve Smith: [00:12:40] I'd say probably 20 out. 

Tracey: [00:12:42] Okay, that's a reasonable number. Yeah, yeah. That's the reason when I'm like, okay, what have you got now? My, I don't know. 

Craig: [00:12:48] Probably 20 really might be less.

Tracey: [00:12:50] Okay.

Steve Smith: [00:12:50] What's your best one. 

Craig: [00:12:51] My favourite is a it's called a degenerate ape. Okay, I'll show you off to this. But he's just like a cartoon ape. He has a hat on Twinkie in his mouth. It sounds stupid, but the story here is I got him like Solano once I got him at Bob's Soul and US because I was showing my dad how it all works. And I was like, the day I got to I'll put a for sale for 60, and I was like, It's not going to sell. So straight away. So I'm like, Jeez. And it turns out Mom was super rare. So I have an emotional attachment to these apes and I'm like, I've missed out. Like, I've got to get back in. Anyway, they ended up going crazy. I bought in at like back in at 80, so and now they're back down to like 50. So, so I'm like, I'm holding things forever yet. But what's your favourite dress? 

Tracey: [00:13:34] Well, the World Women Galaxy are like a, like everything that that stands for and represents at the moment. But it's funny because you buy something, you get a little bit emotionally attached to it. Yeah. So, you know, my love Alphari at the moment, which is a tiny little collection of nothing, but I just love the picture. I love what that is and what that kind of stands for. 

Craig: [00:13:52] And it's funny how that people have really got on board with owning their own NFT rather than that a coin like with a coin, just like no one really gets it. I was like, Oh, you know, I've got some, you know, Solana, but everyone's got some. And then you get this like ape with a hat and you're like, This is my I love you. I'll never sell to you. Yeah, it's a great way to on board.

Tracey: [00:14:12] What do they call it now you put it into your profile picture so people. 

Craig: [00:14:16] AFP. 

Tracey: [00:14:16] AFP. 

Steve Smith: [00:14:17] Yeah, I actually had my rumble account. 

Craig: [00:14:18] Sitting on the. Wall on my watch for a little while of that. Oh, that's funny. 

Tracey: [00:14:27] That is gold. We need to have a look at what that looks like. Actually, that's hilarious. Oh, don't check these out. We're going to see a big spike now and these are our Wukong getting quick. Okay. So I wanted to ask you a bit about cryptocurrency in general and you obviously don't you end of tease. You know, you've said that all the cricketing boys, you know, you're in the Chinese, everyone's chatting about it. Do they all think it's a bit of a flash in the pan? Do they think that is a bit of a get rich quick scenario or do they really see this as being the way of the future? What are the what's the chat? What are the guys reckon? 

Steve Smith: [00:14:59] I think it's half and half. I reckon some think it's a Yeah get rich quick and others are in it for the long haul. So yeah, yeah. I think I'm certainly one that's in it for the long haul. I think it's, it's here to stay. And I, like I said, it's exciting and it's growing. 

Tracey: [00:15:12] So Bitcoin or Ethereum. 

Steve Smith: [00:15:14] Ethereum, Ethereum. Yeah. I mean, it buys. And if taste doesn't it. 

Craig: [00:15:19] Doesn't adapt is. 

Tracey: [00:15:21] The correct answer. You spending your time spending all your time obviously cricket number one but in fifties and you've got your chats, you know, with your mates and you know, you're looking at a bit of news podcasts and YouTube and that kind of thing. But are you looking at other coins that you said earlier that the old coins can be a bit confusing, but do you keep abreast with some of that? Are you looking you know, we spoke on the way in about lunar. So do you kind of keep up to date with the other crypto news as well? 

Steve Smith: [00:15:48] Yeah, look at it. Yeah, I'm interested by it. So I've had a little bit of a punt on the coin. 

Craig: [00:15:53] I did to say. 

Steve Smith: [00:15:56] Obviously yeah the board I yacht club is huge and whatever they decide to do with their coin, I don't know, but I thought it's worth a little gamble. 

Tracey: [00:16:04] So yeah.

Steve Smith: [00:16:05] We'll see how we go with that. Yeah. 

Tracey: [00:16:07] Any other coins? Not financial advice people. Steve Smith is not here to give financial advice, but any other coins or anything that you've kind of looked at or you liked.

Steve Smith: [00:16:15] I think Salon is an interesting one. Obviously, again, can buy now on Opensea with Solana. 

Tracey: [00:16:22] Yeah, that was a big step.

Steve Smith: [00:16:24] A few of the boys have been talking a lot about algo are. 

Tracey: [00:16:27] Yeah. The current.

Craig: [00:16:28] Aussie. 

Tracey: [00:16:29] I think they are algorand. Yeah. 

Steve Smith: [00:16:30] So they're interested in that.

Tracey: [00:16:32] Yeah. I think that was the one that we mentioned last week that Australian Zoo were doing their NFT so. 

Craig: [00:16:38] That's right. 

Tracey: [00:16:38] Yeah. They just launched their algo.

Steve Smith: [00:16:41] Oh yeah. Yeah. And outside of that I'm not really sure. 

Tracey: [00:16:43] Oh well we need to get into this chat with the boys and the WhatsApp group chat. 

Craig: [00:16:48] Obviously we work at Bamboo so we don't have any of the coins. 

Tracey: [00:16:53] No. 

Craig: [00:16:54] We just said dollar coin salvage. It's always fun. It's all about the new stuff. 

Tracey: [00:16:57] It's always fun learning about new stuff. But yeah, just for us it is about averaging into the market, especially when the market's down like this. Yeah, at the moment, this is the time to kind of slowly edge in to the big guys Bitcoin. Ethereum.

Steve Smith: [00:17:10] Yeah, a great actually.

Tracey: [00:17:12] Yeah. Right. So I think we've had enough about crypto nfts for our for our crypto podcast. But just before we finish up with this, Steve, what is going on with cricket? I know you've just had a bit of a break in. You've been away. So when, when do we start seeing you on the pitch again? What's happening? 

Steve Smith: [00:17:28] Yeah, heading off to Sri Lanka in about two weeks. So going forward to that, to getting back to the subcontinent, playing some cricket there. It's been a while. So excited by what's coming up. It's a pretty hectic next 18 months. So yeah, looking forward to getting into it and getting on the road.

Tracey: [00:17:44] And I think cricket starts a bit early in Australia this summer. Is it. 

Steve Smith: [00:17:49] Yeah, I think we've got the World Cup in October. I think it is. So, yeah, I'd love to be a part of that. Yeah. Awesome was part of the World Cup in 2015 here in Australia. So that was that was an amazing time. So hopefully involve well we'll see how we go. 

Tracey: [00:18:04] So that was our conversation with Steve Smith and you can probably hear just how excited we were, but we'd love to hear from you. Let us know what you thought about that conversation and maybe tell us about your own NFT collection. So send us an email at podcast, get bambu IO and follow us on social media. And because it's not every day that you get to have one of the world's greatest sporting legends drop past and record a podcast we thought we'd celebrate by offering new users to the bamboo app. $15 of free Etherium with the code Smith so follow the link below in the show note and download the bamboo app today. And so you don't miss episodes just like today's awesome one. Make sure you hit the follow button wherever you're listening to your podcast right now. We'd also love for you to share this with your friends and family, because I'm sure someone out there is a big Steve Smith fan, so get this link sent over to that person. We know there's a lot of crypto curious people out there and we'd love them to get on board with the podcast. And please don't forget to rate and review your podcast in the app right now. Thanks again for listening everybody and we'll see you next week.