
In the blockchain world, one of the most potent distribution mechanisms is called **an airdrop**. It is a way for token creators to send their tokens to a large set of people, without requiring these recipients to perform transactions and pay fees themselves. Unfortunately it is often used as a vector for spam even though it is a very useful tool to boostrap a fairly wide adoption.

At Unlock, [we believe](/blog/mission-vision/) that all creators should make a sustainable living from their work, while respecting the time, privacy and health of their community... and spam does not really fit in this vision!

Additionally, when talking with creators, they often mention that they want to give away some access keys to their most loyal fans or others members of their community as a way to thank them for their contributions. Of course, our smart contract already includes a `purchaseFor` method which anyone can invoke in order to purchase a new key and assign it to someone else. In the Ethereum world, this is akin to a "meta transaction", a transaction whose beneficiary is not its sender.

Unfortunately, this function, `purchaseFor` requires the purchaser to know the recipient's Ethereum address in advance which is not always practical. Luckily, the team at [LinkDrop](https://linkdrop.io/) found a very good way to solve this: they created a system which lets anyone _create links_ with attached keys. The first user who clicks on a link can then claim a unique key for it. This way, someone who wants to give away keys to a lock can easily do so by creating droplinks which they would then send to users by email, social networking, or even for promotional events.

For which lock would you want to generate links? You can easily [use Linkdrop's tutorial](https://github.com/LinkdropHQ/linkdrop-unlock)!


Linkdrop provides a simple mechanism which lets anyone create links to "claim" keys for free!

Linkdrop: granting keys through links!

In the blockchain world, one of the most potent distribution mechanisms is called an airdrop. It is a way for token creators to send their tokens to a large set of people, without requiring these recipients to perform transactions and pay fees themselves. Unfortunately it is often used as a vector for spam even though it is a very useful tool to boostrap a fairly wide adoption.
At Unlock, <a href="/blog/mission-vision/">we believe</a> that all creators should make a sustainable living from their work, while respecting the time, privacy and health of their community... and spam does not really fit in this vision!
Additionally, when talking with creators, they often mention that they want to give away some access keys to their most loyal fans or others members of their community as a way to thank them for their contributions. Of course, our smart contract already includes a <code>purchaseFor</code> method which anyone can invoke in order to purchase a new key and assign it to someone else. In the Ethereum world, this is akin to a "meta transaction", a transaction whose beneficiary is not its sender.
Unfortunately, this function, <code>purchaseFor</code> requires the purchaser to know the recipient's Ethereum address in advance which is not always practical. Luckily, the team at <a href="https://linkdrop.io/">LinkDrop</a> found a very good way to solve this: they created a system which lets anyone create links with attached keys. The first user who clicks on a link can then claim a unique key for it. This way, someone who wants to give away keys to a lock can easily do so by creating droplinks which they would then send to users by email, social networking, or even for promotional events.
For which lock would you want to generate links? You can easily <a href="https://github.com/LinkdropHQ/linkdrop-unlock">use Linkdrop's tutorial</a>!


[ETHGlobal](https://ethglobal.co/) runs Ethereum hackathons all around the world for people to learn and practice their Ethereum coding skills. One of their goals is to "onboard" hackers and engineers who are not yet familiar with Ethereum and don't already have a wallet or Ether. Yet, they rightfully live by their words and insist on using [Ethereum powered tickets](https://unlock-protocol.com/blog/introducing-tickets/)! By adding [user accounts](https://unlock-protocol.com/blog/unlock-user-accounts/) to our tickets app, Unlock is excited to deliver a great on-boarding experience! Here is how it works:

1. A hacker who's never used Ethereum before applied and was accepted for [ETHWaterloo](https://ethwaterloo.com/)!
2. They're sent to our [registration page](https://bit.ly/2ozn9iI). **Note: do NOT purchase a ticket if you have not been previously approved. Your funds will be lost and you will not be able to attend.**

![Event Page](/images/blog/ethwaterloo-tickets/event-page.png)

3. When clicking on the registration button, they're asked to pay 20 DAI which they does not have because they does not have a wallet. But, when clicking on the Purchase button, they're asked to login or sign up.

![Sign in](/images/blog/ethwaterloo-tickets/sign-in.png)

4. After they created their account with email, password and credit card information, they're asked to pay with their credit card! Unlock will keep track of their unique Ethereum address.

![Credit card](/images/blog/ethwaterloo-tickets/credit-card.png)

Once they confirm their credit card payment, Unlock will then perform a meta-transaction and pay the 20 DAI on their behalf so that the NFT is then assigned to their address.

# Refunding attendees

When attending an ETHGlobal hackathon, all participants are refunded: the payment is an incentive for people to show up! It's also very useful for these new-to-Ethereum users because the refund actually happens in crypto: each participants who checks in at the venue (more details soon!) will receive a 20DAI refund to their address.

Additionally, Unlock accounts can be "ejected": during that process, the user can take control of their private key, and import it in the wallet of their choice: **they are now full Ethereum users**!

# Frequently Asked Questions

### Why is Unlock charging me $21.40?

When paying with a credit card, our payment processor takes a fee (30cts + 2.9%) which is used to pay the credit card networks, banks and more; this accounts for $0.90. Additionally, when sending an Ethereum transaction, the sender pays a gas fee to miners in order to mine the transaction.

### Can I purchase with my own Ethereum wallet?

Yes! If you go down that route, you will not pay a credit card fee, and you will have the ability to decide the gas fee you pay to miners. But, in order to do that, you need your own web3 wallet (Metamask or Opera are great choices!), you need some Ether (at least to pay gas fees) and some DAI (a USD stable coin).

### Where is my ticket?

On the Ethereum blockchain! Each ticket is a Non Fungible Token linked to your unique Ethereum address and to the ETHWaterloo event lock. You can inspect them all using Etherscan. Additionally your ETHWaterloo tickets contains some unique metadata. If your crypto wallet supports the ERC721 specification (like Opera), you can even see the ticket in your wallet once it's been purchased! Otherwise you can see them all on Opensea. ([Here is mine!](https://opensea.io/assets/0xB0ad425cA5792DD4C4Af9177c636e5b0e6c317BF/4))

### How can I get a refund when I attend?

At check-in, you will be asked to show the QR code you were provided by Unlock when you staked. You can always find your QR code by logging back in to your Unlock Protocol account. Simply have your email confirmation from Unlock handy and show event organizers your QR code. Once scanned at check-in, your refund will be processed. Please note that the exact timing of when your funds will appear back in your wallet depends on the transaction speeds of the Ethereum mainnet at the time. **Bottom line: if you check-in to the event prior to 10PM Friday November 8th, you'll receive your 20 DAI refund!**

### Can I transfer my ticket?

No. Actually, all Unlock keys (your ticket is a kind of Unlock key) are transferable, but each lock owner can set terms on how keys can be transferred. ETHGlobal charges a prohibitively expensive fee for transfers, making them economically improbable ;) Bonus point if you write the actual amount of that fee in the comments!

We're very excited to meet you in Waterloo, as our team will be there! If you've never hacked on Ethereum before, [please consider applying now](https://airtable.com/shrrUrSEzT4xrYuyC)!


We're proud to announce that ETHGlobal is using Unlock's ticket application for its ETHWaterloo hackathon, for crypto and non crypto users alike!

ETHWaterloo Tickets

<a href="https://ethglobal.co/">ETHGlobal</a> runs Ethereum hackathons all around the world for people to learn and practice their Ethereum coding skills. One of their goals is to "onboard" hackers and engineers who are not yet familiar with Ethereum and don't already have a wallet or Ether. Yet, they rightfully live by their words and insist on using <a href="https://unlock-protocol.com/blog/introducing-tickets/">Ethereum powered tickets</a>! By adding <a href="https://unlock-protocol.com/blog/unlock-user-accounts/">user accounts</a> to our tickets app, Unlock is excited to deliver a great on-boarding experience! Here is how it works:
<ol>
<li>A hacker who's never used Ethereum before applied and was accepted for <a href="https://ethwaterloo.com/">ETHWaterloo</a>!</li>
<li>They're sent to our <a href="https://bit.ly/2ozn9iI">registration page</a>. Note: do NOT purchase a ticket if you have not been previously approved. Your funds will be lost and you will not be able to attend.</li>
</ol>
<img src="/images/blog/ethwaterloo-tickets/event-page.png" alt="Event Page">
<ol start="3">
<li>When clicking on the registration button, they're asked to pay 20 DAI which they does not have because they does not have a wallet. But, when clicking on the Purchase button, they're asked to login or sign up.</li>
</ol>
<img src="/images/blog/ethwaterloo-tickets/sign-in.png" alt="Sign in">
<ol start="4">
<li>After they created their account with email, password and credit card information, they're asked to pay with their credit card! Unlock will keep track of their unique Ethereum address.</li>
</ol>
<img src="/images/blog/ethwaterloo-tickets/credit-card.png" alt="Credit card">
Once they confirm their credit card payment, Unlock will then perform a meta-transaction and pay the 20 DAI on their behalf so that the NFT is then assigned to their address.
<h1>Refunding attendees</h1>
When attending an ETHGlobal hackathon, all participants are refunded: the payment is an incentive for people to show up! It's also very useful for these new-to-Ethereum users because the refund actually happens in crypto: each participants who checks in at the venue (more details soon!) will receive a 20DAI refund to their address.
Additionally, Unlock accounts can be "ejected": during that process, the user can take control of their private key, and import it in the wallet of their choice: they are now full Ethereum users!
<h1>Frequently Asked Questions</h1>
<h3>Why is Unlock charging me $21.40?</h3>
When paying with a credit card, our payment processor takes a fee (30cts + 2.9%) which is used to pay the credit card networks, banks and more; this accounts for $0.90. Additionally, when sending an Ethereum transaction, the sender pays a gas fee to miners in order to mine the transaction.
<h3>Can I purchase with my own Ethereum wallet?</h3>
Yes! If you go down that route, you will not pay a credit card fee, and you will have the ability to decide the gas fee you pay to miners. But, in order to do that, you need your own web3 wallet (Metamask or Opera are great choices!), you need some Ether (at least to pay gas fees) and some DAI (a USD stable coin).
<h3>Where is my ticket?</h3>
On the Ethereum blockchain! Each ticket is a Non Fungible Token linked to your unique Ethereum address and to the ETHWaterloo event lock. You can inspect them all using Etherscan. Additionally your ETHWaterloo tickets contains some unique metadata. If your crypto wallet supports the ERC721 specification (like Opera), you can even see the ticket in your wallet once it's been purchased! Otherwise you can see them all on Opensea. (<a href="https://opensea.io/assets/0xB0ad425cA5792DD4C4Af9177c636e5b0e6c317BF/4">Here is mine!</a>)
<h3>How can I get a refund when I attend?</h3>
At check-in, you will be asked to show the QR code you were provided by Unlock when you staked. You can always find your QR code by logging back in to your Unlock Protocol account. Simply have your email confirmation from Unlock handy and show event organizers your QR code. Once scanned at check-in, your refund will be processed. Please note that the exact timing of when your funds will appear back in your wallet depends on the transaction speeds of the Ethereum mainnet at the time. Bottom line: if you check-in to the event prior to 10PM Friday November 8th, you'll receive your 20 DAI refund!
<h3>Can I transfer my ticket?</h3>
No. Actually, all Unlock keys (your ticket is a kind of Unlock key) are transferable, but each lock owner can set terms on how keys can be transferred. ETHGlobal charges a prohibitively expensive fee for transfers, making them economically improbable ;) Bonus point if you write the actual amount of that fee in the comments!
We're very excited to meet you in Waterloo, as our team will be there! If you've never hacked on Ethereum before, <a href="https://airtable.com/shrrUrSEzT4xrYuyC">please consider applying now</a>!


We've started using [The Graph](https://thegraph.com/) to provide us with a faster way of iterating on user facing ideas; leveraging the ability to utilize aggregated on chain data.

Earlier this month while hacking on a proof of concept, we realized that we couldn't reasonably bring the feature to market without an aggregation layer.

Enter Graph Protocol, while being released last year(2018) we really hadn't had a chance to give it a go. When their team announced a [hackathon](https://thegraph.com/hackathon) we decided to dive in and were not disappointed.

Being an extremely small team, ingestion solutions under consideration needed to be robust enough to handle our immediate needs, easily extensible, and not an immediate liability in terms of reliability.

Unlock Protocol is essentially a factory smart contract that allows entities to create their own contracts; supporting the monetization of their work via issued tokens.

Around these core contracts we have built a suit of components to test hypothesis regarding interest and usability. Ethereum's test and main nets are publicly readable, and depending on the given use case it may be worthwhile to request data from the node directly. However it may be more prudent to read from a much faster cache. So we created a subgraph allowing us to quickly provide the most relevant data to our proof of concept and ultimately update some of our other components to leverage the subgraph as well.

## Our entities: Locks, Keys, and Key Holders

Leveraging these entities and your knowledge of [GraphQL](https://graphql.org/) you can start answering questions like

- what keys does a key holder have?
- For a given lock, what keys will expire after a given time?

Here is a few to get started:
[The Unlock Protocol Subgraph](https://docs.unlock-protocol.com/tools/subgraph)

Real talk, so what was the proof of concept and what did we build? We built a keychain, a centralized place where people can manage their Unlock KEYS (Nonfungible Tokens ): review, request refunds, etc.

![keychain screenshot](/images/blog/the-graph-blog-post/screenshot.png)

Without a caching layer, requesting this data would have been a bit I/O intensive as it would require the traversal either events or transactions between the user and all of the locks in the wild.

All in all, we love what the Graph Protocol team is working on. We look forward to contributing to the project and leveraging it more in the future.

What other use cases do you imagine, what would you build?


Using the Graph Protocol for faster iteration on Ethereum based products

Leveraging the Graph Protocol to improve user experience and rapidly iterate on ideas

The Graph

We've started using <a href="https://thegraph.com/">The Graph</a> to provide us with a faster way of iterating on user facing ideas; leveraging the ability to utilize aggregated on chain data.
Earlier this month while hacking on a proof of concept, we realized that we couldn't reasonably bring the feature to market without an aggregation layer.
Enter Graph Protocol, while being released last year(2018) we really hadn't had a chance to give it a go. When their team announced a <a href="https://thegraph.com/hackathon">hackathon</a> we decided to dive in and were not disappointed.
Being an extremely small team, ingestion solutions under consideration needed to be robust enough to handle our immediate needs, easily extensible, and not an immediate liability in terms of reliability.
Unlock Protocol is essentially a factory smart contract that allows entities to create their own contracts; supporting the monetization of their work via issued tokens.
Around these core contracts we have built a suit of components to test hypothesis regarding interest and usability. Ethereum's test and main nets are publicly readable, and depending on the given use case it may be worthwhile to request data from the node directly. However it may be more prudent to read from a much faster cache. So we created a subgraph allowing us to quickly provide the most relevant data to our proof of concept and ultimately update some of our other components to leverage the subgraph as well.
<h2>Our entities: Locks, Keys, and Key Holders</h2>
Leveraging these entities and your knowledge of <a href="https://graphql.org/">GraphQL</a> you can start answering questions like
<ul>
<li>what keys does a key holder have?</li>
<li>For a given lock, what keys will expire after a given time?</li>
</ul>
Here is a few to get started:
<a href="https://docs.unlock-protocol.com/tools/subgraph">The Unlock Protocol Subgraph</a>
Real talk, so what was the proof of concept and what did we build? We built a keychain, a centralized place where people can manage their Unlock KEYS (Nonfungible Tokens ): review, request refunds, etc.
<img src="/images/blog/the-graph-blog-post/screenshot.png" alt="keychain screenshot">
Without a caching layer, requesting this data would have been a bit I/O intensive as it would require the traversal either events or transactions between the user and all of the locks in the wild.
All in all, we love what the Graph Protocol team is working on. We look forward to contributing to the project and leveraging it more in the future.
What other use cases do you imagine, what would you build?

![User accounts let you easily pay with crypto.](/images/blog/unlock-user-accounts/user-accounts.jpg)

The decentralized web is great, but we want it to be available for those who aren't early adopters. Currently interacting with Dapps like Unlock requires the use of a Web3 wallet (like [MetaMask](https://metamask.io/) on desktop web browsers or the use of a browser with an integrated wallet like [Opera](https://www.opera.com/crypto)). At Unlock we want to provide an on-ramp for everyone, not just those already interested in crypto. Thus, we are pleased to introduce Unlock User Accounts, which allow people with no knowledge of crypto to use our services on selected locks. Once they're ready, they can "eject" their accounts and import them into the wallet of their choice.

## A Managed Crypto Wallet

We didn't want to create parallel ecosystems of "haves" and "have-nots" on our protocol, so one of our key challenges was to host Web3 wallets for our users without compromising their privacy or control of their keys. To that end, we store an encrypted wallet with the user's password. We never see the keys, all decryption and wallet interaction is done client-side, and their transactions are carried out on the chain. When a user purchases a key, they pay with their credit card, and our backend purchaser buys the key and transfers it to their account seamlessly.

## Signing Up and Logging In

The signup process is quite simple. You can sign up from a supported checkout page, or on our main site. After entering your email, you will receive a confirmation email from us with a link to finish setting up the account with a password. After that, you can set up a payment method through Stripe so that you can make your key purchases!

## In The Longer Term

We're not fans of lock-in, so don't think that this is an attempt to get hooks into naive users. When a user account is ready to "graduate," the account holder can eject the account and take control of it themselves, retaining all their keys and transaction history.

## Availability

We're enabling user accounts for our partners on select locks (reach out to us using the little widget in the lower right corner if you're interested!), keys for which are denominated in DAI (a USD stable coin). We charge a small fee to facilitate the transaction, which is added to the price at checkout and clearly broken down so people know what we're charging and why. The final price in dollars is computed as the amount of DAI, credit card fees, and our service fee (which we use to pay for gas!)

For example, consider a 10 DAI lock. The fee structure will be approximately as follows:

| Fee | Amount Charged |
| :-------------------------- | --------------: |
| Base lock price (DAI) | `$10.00` |
| Credit card processing fee | `$0.61` |
| Unlock service fee (gas...) | `$0.50` |
| | Total: `$11.11` |

You may (rightfully) consider that this is a fairly high cost for using credit cards... but that price is usually hidden for you, as the merchants are the ones paying for it.

# Next!

We believe we're now providing a way for non crypto users to purchase Non Fungible Tokens to access their favorite content or software, without requiring them to go through the hassle of purchasing crypto currencies first.

Let us know what you think!

Unlock Inc. provides a way for users without crypto wallets to buy keys to locks on the Unlock protocol. For this we introduce managed user accounts as well as payment via Credit Card.

Providing an on-ramp for those who are new to crypto

Unlock User Accounts

<img src="/images/blog/unlock-user-accounts/user-accounts.jpg" alt="User accounts let you easily pay with crypto.">
The decentralized web is great, but we want it to be available for those who aren't early adopters. Currently interacting with Dapps like Unlock requires the use of a Web3 wallet (like <a href="https://metamask.io/">MetaMask</a> on desktop web browsers or the use of a browser with an integrated wallet like <a href="https://www.opera.com/crypto">Opera</a>). At Unlock we want to provide an on-ramp for everyone, not just those already interested in crypto. Thus, we are pleased to introduce Unlock User Accounts, which allow people with no knowledge of crypto to use our services on selected locks. Once they're ready, they can "eject" their accounts and import them into the wallet of their choice.
<h2>A Managed Crypto Wallet</h2>
We didn't want to create parallel ecosystems of "haves" and "have-nots" on our protocol, so one of our key challenges was to host Web3 wallets for our users without compromising their privacy or control of their keys. To that end, we store an encrypted wallet with the user's password. We never see the keys, all decryption and wallet interaction is done client-side, and their transactions are carried out on the chain. When a user purchases a key, they pay with their credit card, and our backend purchaser buys the key and transfers it to their account seamlessly.
<h2>Signing Up and Logging In</h2>
The signup process is quite simple. You can sign up from a supported checkout page, or on our main site. After entering your email, you will receive a confirmation email from us with a link to finish setting up the account with a password. After that, you can set up a payment method through Stripe so that you can make your key purchases!
<h2>In The Longer Term</h2>
We're not fans of lock-in, so don't think that this is an attempt to get hooks into naive users. When a user account is ready to "graduate," the account holder can eject the account and take control of it themselves, retaining all their keys and transaction history.
<h2>Availability</h2>
We're enabling user accounts for our partners on select locks (reach out to us using the little widget in the lower right corner if you're interested!), keys for which are denominated in DAI (a USD stable coin). We charge a small fee to facilitate the transaction, which is added to the price at checkout and clearly broken down so people know what we're charging and why. The final price in dollars is computed as the amount of DAI, credit card fees, and our service fee (which we use to pay for gas!)
For example, consider a 10 DAI lock. The fee structure will be approximately as follows:
| Fee | Amount Charged |
| :-------------------------- | --------------: |
| Base lock price (DAI) | <code>$10.00</code> |
| Credit card processing fee | <code>$0.61</code> |
| Unlock service fee (gas...) | <code>$0.50</code> |
| | Total: <code>$11.11</code> |
You may (rightfully) consider that this is a fairly high cost for using credit cards... but that price is usually hidden for you, as the merchants are the ones paying for it.
<h1>Next!</h1>
We believe we're now providing a way for non crypto users to purchase Non Fungible Tokens to access their favorite content or software, without requiring them to go through the hassle of purchasing crypto currencies first.
Let us know what you think!


**UPDATE DECEMBER 2021:** This plugin has been updated. [Learn about v3 of this plugin here](https://www.unlock-protocol.com/blog/unlock-protocol-wordpress-plugin).

The world of publishing is [moving away from ads](https://medium.com/unlock-protocol/the-end-of-the-ad-supported-web-d4d093fb462f) as the single way to monetize content. In the last 18 months, most of the largest and most influential publications in the US and Europe have been moving to what they call "direct consumer revenue." This is a great thing because it changes incentives from trying steal their users' attention (click bait, fake news, endless slideshows... etc) to creating value for their members.

Unfortunately though, unless you're a very large publisher with your own engineering team to build and maintain your own paywall, it's nearly impossible to move to that model.

At Unlock, we believe that everyone one the web should be treated equally with the same capabilities. What is the point of democratizing publishing if only the biggest corporations can actually be paid for their work?

Today, we're introducing a [WordPress plugin for Unlock](https://wordpress.org/plugins/unlock-protocol/) which lets you add a lock to your Wordpress.org site in minutes!

# Demo

First thing first: you can try it today on our [demo wordpress.org website](https://wordpress-demo.unlock-protocol.com/). This blog only has a single story, and some of the content on this page has been put behind a [lock](https://etherscan.io/address/0xCE62D71c768aeD7EA034c72a1bc4CF58830D9894): you will see a different version of it based on whether you are already a member or if you're not one.

![become member](/images/blog/wordpress-plugin/become-member-wordpress.png)
_If you're not a member you're invited to become one by clicking on a button_

# Installing on your own Wordpress

## Getting started

If you'd like to add a lock to your site, start by [deploying your first lock](https://unlock-protocol.com/blog/create-first-lock/).

While the lock is deploying you should install this plugin. From the administration of your Wordpress.org website, in the `Plugins` section, click on the `Add New` button and search for `Unlock Protocol` in the search bar.

![search plugin](/images/blog/wordpress-plugin/search-plugin.png)

Once installed, check the plugin's settings to add the address of the lock that you have deployed.

![plugin settings](/images/blog/wordpress-plugin/plugin-settings.png)

## Writing locked stories

The plugin provides you with "Blocks" which can be used in the [Gutenberg Editor](https://wordpress.org/gutenberg/) (WordPress 5.0 and later), for both posts and pages. We provide 3 different blocks:

- The _locked_ block: a block whose content (rich text) is visible to non-members.
- The _unlocked_ block: a block whose content (rich text) is visible only to members.
- The _checkout button_ block: a block with a button to let you add a button for people to become members. This button will not be visible for members.

Once your story includes the content you need, you can preview its content like any other WordPress post or page. We recommend the use of a web3 wallet (such as [MetaMask](https://metamask.io/)) which supports multiple accounts so that you can easily toggle between accounts which are already members and accounts which are not members yet!

PS: like [all of our code](https://github.com/unlock-protocol/unlock/), this plugin is fully open source, you can find it on Github: [Unlock Wordpress Plugin](https://github.com/unlock-protocol/unlock-wordpress-plugin)

If you're using the WordPress plugin, we'd love to get your feedback and learn from you about ways it could be better! We're also working on several new additions for which we'd love to find early adopters, please get in touch!


WordPress is the most popular Content Management System. Adding a lock to your site lets you monetize the words you write without asking anyone's permission!

Adding a lock to your WordPress.org website has never been easier!

WordPress Plugin

UPDATE DECEMBER 2021: This plugin has been updated. <a href="https://www.unlock-protocol.com/blog/unlock-protocol-wordpress-plugin">Learn about v3 of this plugin here</a>.
The world of publishing is <a href="https://medium.com/unlock-protocol/the-end-of-the-ad-supported-web-d4d093fb462f">moving away from ads</a> as the single way to monetize content. In the last 18 months, most of the largest and most influential publications in the US and Europe have been moving to what they call "direct consumer revenue." This is a great thing because it changes incentives from trying steal their users' attention (click bait, fake news, endless slideshows... etc) to creating value for their members.
Unfortunately though, unless you're a very large publisher with your own engineering team to build and maintain your own paywall, it's nearly impossible to move to that model.
At Unlock, we believe that everyone one the web should be treated equally with the same capabilities. What is the point of democratizing publishing if only the biggest corporations can actually be paid for their work?
Today, we're introducing a <a href="https://wordpress.org/plugins/unlock-protocol/">WordPress plugin for Unlock</a> which lets you add a lock to your Wordpress.org site in minutes!
<h1>Demo</h1>
First thing first: you can try it today on our <a href="https://wordpress-demo.unlock-protocol.com/">demo wordpress.org website</a>. This blog only has a single story, and some of the content on this page has been put behind a <a href="https://etherscan.io/address/0xCE62D71c768aeD7EA034c72a1bc4CF58830D9894">lock</a>: you will see a different version of it based on whether you are already a member or if you're not one.
<img src="/images/blog/wordpress-plugin/become-member-wordpress.png" alt="become member">
If you're not a member you're invited to become one by clicking on a button
<h1>Installing on your own Wordpress</h1>
<h2>Getting started</h2>
If you'd like to add a lock to your site, start by <a href="https://unlock-protocol.com/blog/create-first-lock/">deploying your first lock</a>.
While the lock is deploying you should install this plugin. From the administration of your Wordpress.org website, in the <code>Plugins</code> section, click on the <code>Add New</code> button and search for <code>Unlock Protocol</code> in the search bar.
<img src="/images/blog/wordpress-plugin/search-plugin.png" alt="search plugin">
Once installed, check the plugin's settings to add the address of the lock that you have deployed.
<img src="/images/blog/wordpress-plugin/plugin-settings.png" alt="plugin settings">
<h2>Writing locked stories</h2>
The plugin provides you with "Blocks" which can be used in the <a href="https://wordpress.org/gutenberg/">Gutenberg Editor</a> (WordPress 5.0 and later), for both posts and pages. We provide 3 different blocks:
<ul>
<li>The locked block: a block whose content (rich text) is visible to non-members.</li>
<li>The unlocked block: a block whose content (rich text) is visible only to members.</li>
<li>The checkout button block: a block with a button to let you add a button for people to become members. This button will not be visible for members.</li>
</ul>
Once your story includes the content you need, you can preview its content like any other WordPress post or page. We recommend the use of a web3 wallet (such as <a href="https://metamask.io/">MetaMask</a>) which supports multiple accounts so that you can easily toggle between accounts which are already members and accounts which are not members yet!
PS: like <a href="https://github.com/unlock-protocol/unlock/">all of our code</a>, this plugin is fully open source, you can find it on Github: <a href="https://github.com/unlock-protocol/unlock-wordpress-plugin">Unlock Wordpress Plugin</a>
If you're using the WordPress plugin, we'd love to get your feedback and learn from you about ways it could be better! We're also working on several new additions for which we'd love to find early adopters, please get in touch!


Last month, we introduced [Unlock for tickets](/blog/introducing-tickets): a unique ethereum based ticketing application.
It lets anyone sell tickets to their events as keys to an Unlock lock. Attendees receive a unique Non Fungible Token and [the application](https://tickets.unlock-protocol.com/) even lets the organizers verify if the tickets are valid at check-in. Like any other lock, keys can be priced [using an ERC20 token](/blog/erc20-locks) like DAI for organizers whose costs are in US Dollars, or a specific utility token for organizers who want to leverage their own coins!

Today, we're excited to announce a broad sponsorship effort for anyone who uses tickets to organize an Ethereum or Bitcoin related event for any event until December 31st 2019.

Our sponsorship package is simple:

- Use a lock to sell tickets, using Ether or DAI,
- We will match ticket sales up to 3 DAI per key sold, for up to 1,000 tickets sold.

We will also help you by _promoting your event_, guide you through the set-up of your event page as well as _design a custom NFT image_ that all of your participants will receive in their web3 wallet (check this one from the [Berlin Open Source Salon](https://tickets.unlock-protocol.com/event/0x98c0cbf0e9525f1a6975a51c9d5e8e063c034d6d), or the [NFT Dev Meetup](https://tickets.unlock-protocol.com/event/0x5865Ff2CBd045Ef1cfE19739df19E83B32b783b4)).

If you're running an ethereum meetup, a DeFi group, a hackathon, reach out to us via email hello@unlock-protocol.com and tell us more about the event you're organizing: we'd love to help!


Today, we're excited to announce a broad sponsorship effort for anyone who uses tickets to organize an Ethereum or Bitcoin related event for any event until December 31st 2019.

Use our tickets application and receive up to $3,000 in sponsorships!

Event Sponsorship!

Last month, we introduced <a href="/blog/introducing-tickets">Unlock for tickets</a>: a unique ethereum based ticketing application.
It lets anyone sell tickets to their events as keys to an Unlock lock. Attendees receive a unique Non Fungible Token and <a href="https://tickets.unlock-protocol.com/">the application</a> even lets the organizers verify if the tickets are valid at check-in. Like any other lock, keys can be priced <a href="/blog/erc20-locks">using an ERC20 token</a> like DAI for organizers whose costs are in US Dollars, or a specific utility token for organizers who want to leverage their own coins!
Today, we're excited to announce a broad sponsorship effort for anyone who uses tickets to organize an Ethereum or Bitcoin related event for any event until December 31st 2019.
Our sponsorship package is simple:
<ul>
<li>Use a lock to sell tickets, using Ether or DAI,</li>
<li>We will match ticket sales up to 3 DAI per key sold, for up to 1,000 tickets sold.</li>
</ul>
We will also help you by promoting your event, guide you through the set-up of your event page as well as design a custom NFT image that all of your participants will receive in their web3 wallet (check this one from the <a href="https://tickets.unlock-protocol.com/event/0x98c0cbf0e9525f1a6975a51c9d5e8e063c034d6d">Berlin Open Source Salon</a>, or the <a href="https://tickets.unlock-protocol.com/event/0x5865Ff2CBd045Ef1cfE19739df19E83B32b783b4">NFT Dev Meetup</a>).
If you're running an ethereum meetup, a DeFi group, a hackathon, reach out to us via email hello@unlock-protocol.com and tell us more about the event you're organizing: we'd love to help!

Today, we're excited to unveil our work on donations. In the last few years, it has become clear that the tech industry needs to have a deep reflection about Open Source: who works on it, how they are being paid, who supports them... Companies like [OpenCollective](https://opencollective.com/) have laid the groundwork by providing tools for open source developers to raise funds and organize their work. Earlier this year, Github [introduced sponsorship support](https://github.blog/2019-05-23-announcing-github-sponsors-a-new-way-to-contribute-to-open-source/) for repositories; letting maintainers show options to support them.

![sponsor unlock](/images/blog/unlock-donations/sponsor-unlock.png)
_Become a member to Unlock from Github, and Unlock comments in this blog!_

As you may know, Unlock is a **protocol for memberships**. A sponsor is a member of a unique club: the club of people which help someone do their work "for free" for the rest of the world. Today, with a [simple tool](https://donate.unlock-protocol.com/about.html), creators can easily use their locks to raise funds for their work and create their own membership.

# More than money

Of course, supporting Open Source works _starts_ with financial support, but it does not stop there. With Unlock, members receive their very own Non Fungible Token (a key!) which publicly shows their support (and reminds them of it in their own crypto wallets!). You can find the list of keys I own on [this OpenSea page](https://opensea.io/accounts/0xe5cd62ac8d2ca2a62a04958f07dd239c1ffe1a9e).

One of the benefits of using Ethereum here rather than a private database is that these tokens can be utilized in additional context, such as being displayed anywhere like [our blue checkmark](https://unlock-protocol.com/blog/blue-checkmark-nft/)!

Like any non fungible tokens, a supporter may also change their mind, and could either burn their token or transfer it to someone else.

Additionally, the membership itself can be reutilized to eventually grant access to additional features. As Taylor from MyCrypto puts it in their [Unlock donation page](https://donate.unlock-protocol.com/?thank-you=VGhhbmsgeW91IGZvciBjaG9vc2luZyB0byBiZSBhIE15Q3J5cHRvIHN1cHBvcnRlciEg4p2k77iPCgpBdCB0aGlzIHRpbWUsIHlvdXIgc3VwcG9ydCBpcyBhIHNpbXBsZSBkb25hdGlvbiB0aGF0IGhlbHBzIHVzIGNvbnRpbnVlIHdvcmtpbmcgdG8gYnJpbmcgeW91IHByb2R1Y3RzLgoKSW4gdGhlIGZ1dHVyZSB3ZSdsbCBiZSBmdXJ0aGVyIGRldmVsb3BpbmcgdGhpcyBmdW5jdGlvbmFsaXR5IHdpdGggdGhlIFVubG9jayBQcm90b2NvbCB0ZWFtIHRvIHJld2FyZCBzdXBwb3J0ZXJzIHdpdGggdGhpbmdzIGxpa2UgY3VzdG9tIHRoZW1lcywgc3dhZywgYW5kIG1vcmUuCgotVGF5bG9yICYgVGVhbSBNeUNyeXB0bw==&config=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&):

> Thank you for choosing to be a MyCrypto supporter! ❤️

> At this time, your support is a simple donation that helps us continue working to bring you products.

> In the future we'll be further developing this functionality with the Unlock Protocol team to reward supporters with things like custom themes, swag, and more.

> -Taylor & Team MyCrypto

# Getting started

Join [MyCrypto](https://github.com/MyCryptoHQ/mycrypto), [WalletConnect](WalletConnect) and [Eth Gas Reporter](https://github.com/cgewecke/eth-gas-reporter) and receive donations on Github with Unlock! Let's get started.

- The first step is to [deploy your first lock](https://unlock-protocol.com/blog/create-first-lock/). We'd recommend starting with a low price (1 DAI) and short duration (30 days), as well as maybe a limited number of members (100!). These early adopters will probably be your biggest fans! You can also, now or later, add another more expensive lock for other members.

- Then, hop onto our helper page to generate the right configuration for the donation page. You can pick an URL, set up your own call to action, as well as a thank you note that members will be able to see. Add the lock address from the previous step, as well as its name. Once generated you will see a JSON blob that you need to save as file named <code>.unlock-protocol.config.js</code> at the root of your Github repository.

- Once it is saved, you need to head over to your project's settings pages. In the "Features" tab there should be a "Sponsorship" section. Make sure it is enabled. ![enable sponsorship](/images/blog/unlock-donations/enable-sponsorship.png)

- After enabling sponsorships, click on the "Set up sponsor button". This will let you edit a file named `.github/FUNDING.yml` which can also be found in your repository. Replace the last line with Make sure to change `<ORG>/<REPO>` with the actual values for your own repository (you can also certainly use a user repository instead of an organization). `custom: https://donate.unlock-protocol.com/?r=<ORG>/<REPO>`

We'd love to know if you added a sponsorship button through Unlock. Please, let us know in the comments below, maybe we'll become members too!

A sponsor or a donor is a member of a unique club; the club of people and organizations which help someone do their work "for free" for the rest of the world. Unlock can easily be used to create sponsorships!

Easily add a sponsorship button to your Github repository, using Unlock!

Unlock Donations

Today, we're excited to unveil our work on donations. In the last few years, it has become clear that the tech industry needs to have a deep reflection about Open Source: who works on it, how they are being paid, who supports them... Companies like <a href="https://opencollective.com/">OpenCollective</a> have laid the groundwork by providing tools for open source developers to raise funds and organize their work. Earlier this year, Github <a href="https://github.blog/2019-05-23-announcing-github-sponsors-a-new-way-to-contribute-to-open-source/">introduced sponsorship support</a> for repositories; letting maintainers show options to support them.
<img src="/images/blog/unlock-donations/sponsor-unlock.png" alt="sponsor unlock">
Become a member to Unlock from Github, and Unlock comments in this blog!
As you may know, Unlock is a protocol for memberships. A sponsor is a member of a unique club: the club of people which help someone do their work "for free" for the rest of the world. Today, with a <a href="https://donate.unlock-protocol.com/about.html">simple tool</a>, creators can easily use their locks to raise funds for their work and create their own membership.
<h1>More than money</h1>
Of course, supporting Open Source works starts with financial support, but it does not stop there. With Unlock, members receive their very own Non Fungible Token (a key!) which publicly shows their support (and reminds them of it in their own crypto wallets!). You can find the list of keys I own on <a href="https://opensea.io/accounts/0xe5cd62ac8d2ca2a62a04958f07dd239c1ffe1a9e">this OpenSea page</a>.
One of the benefits of using Ethereum here rather than a private database is that these tokens can be utilized in additional context, such as being displayed anywhere like <a href="https://unlock-protocol.com/blog/blue-checkmark-nft/">our blue checkmark</a>!
Like any non fungible tokens, a supporter may also change their mind, and could either burn their token or transfer it to someone else.
Additionally, the membership itself can be reutilized to eventually grant access to additional features. As Taylor from MyCrypto puts it in their <a href="https://donate.unlock-protocol.com/?thank-you=VGhhbmsgeW91IGZvciBjaG9vc2luZyB0byBiZSBhIE15Q3J5cHRvIHN1cHBvcnRlciEg4p2k77iPCgpBdCB0aGlzIHRpbWUsIHlvdXIgc3VwcG9ydCBpcyBhIHNpbXBsZSBkb25hdGlvbiB0aGF0IGhlbHBzIHVzIGNvbnRpbnVlIHdvcmtpbmcgdG8gYnJpbmcgeW91IHByb2R1Y3RzLgoKSW4gdGhlIGZ1dHVyZSB3ZSdsbCBiZSBmdXJ0aGVyIGRldmVsb3BpbmcgdGhpcyBmdW5jdGlvbmFsaXR5IHdpdGggdGhlIFVubG9jayBQcm90b2NvbCB0ZWFtIHRvIHJld2FyZCBzdXBwb3J0ZXJzIHdpdGggdGhpbmdzIGxpa2UgY3VzdG9tIHRoZW1lcywgc3dhZywgYW5kIG1vcmUuCgotVGF5bG9yICYgVGVhbSBNeUNyeXB0bw==&#x26;config=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&#x26;">Unlock donation page</a>:
<blockquote>
Thank you for choosing to be a MyCrypto supporter! ❤️
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
At this time, your support is a simple donation that helps us continue working to bring you products.
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
In the future we'll be further developing this functionality with the Unlock Protocol team to reward supporters with things like custom themes, swag, and more.
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
-Taylor &#x26; Team MyCrypto
</blockquote>
<h1>Getting started</h1>
Join <a href="https://github.com/MyCryptoHQ/mycrypto">MyCrypto</a>, <a href="WalletConnect">WalletConnect</a> and <a href="https://github.com/cgewecke/eth-gas-reporter">Eth Gas Reporter</a> and receive donations on Github with Unlock! Let's get started.
<ul>
<li>
The first step is to <a href="https://unlock-protocol.com/blog/create-first-lock/">deploy your first lock</a>. We'd recommend starting with a low price (1 DAI) and short duration (30 days), as well as maybe a limited number of members (100!). These early adopters will probably be your biggest fans! You can also, now or later, add another more expensive lock for other members.
</li>
<li>
Then, hop onto our helper page to generate the right configuration for the donation page. You can pick an URL, set up your own call to action, as well as a thank you note that members will be able to see. Add the lock address from the previous step, as well as its name. Once generated you will see a JSON blob that you need to save as file named <code>.unlock-protocol.config.js</code> at the root of your Github repository.
</li>
<li>
Once it is saved, you need to head over to your project's settings pages. In the "Features" tab there should be a "Sponsorship" section. Make sure it is enabled. <img src="/images/blog/unlock-donations/enable-sponsorship.png" alt="enable sponsorship">
</li>
<li>
After enabling sponsorships, click on the "Set up sponsor button". This will let you edit a file named <code>.github/FUNDING.yml</code> which can also be found in your repository. Replace the last line with Make sure to change <code>&#x3C;ORG>/&#x3C;REPO></code> with the actual values for your own repository (you can also certainly use a user repository instead of an organization). <code>custom: https://donate.unlock-protocol.com/?r=&#x3C;ORG>/&#x3C;REPO></code>
</li>
</ul>
We'd love to know if you added a sponsorship button through Unlock. Please, let us know in the comments below, maybe we'll become members too!


Twitter's blue checkmark has generated a lot of attention over the years. This week, Ethereum's Vitalik Buterin rightfully [noted](https://twitter.com/VitalikButerin/status/1164490401765572611) that the blue checkmark was a status symbol. Last week-end, [Dani Grant](https://twitter.com/thedanigrant) released a [fun Chrome extension](dani.town/nfts) which will show a Twitter users' NFT on their twitter profile.

Yesterday, we deployed a lock which lets anyone purchase a Blue Checkmark. [Get yours now](https://unlock-blue-checkmark.glitch.me/). It's cheap: 0.01 ether and we'll donate the proceeds to SHE256. Also, Dani was kind enough to merge a [pull request](https://github.com/danigrant/nft-twitter-ext/commit/d81615e05f902ec67db09d638a0e1b8eac160fd0) on her extension so that if someone owns the NFT blue checkmark, it will actually show on their Twitter profile ;)

![Dani, Verified](/images/blog/blue-checkmark-nft/dani-verified.png)

At Unlock, we believe that Non Fungible Tokens can be badges to show "membership", and yes, the Twitter Checkmark is an identifier for, as Vitalik calls it _the blue checkmark class_.

It turns out that Twitter's system is very much broken right now. Nobody knows what it really means to have a checkmark but we can't argue that in the days of deep fakes, having some kind of "labels" on the social web is a very useful pattern to identify people (or bots!) based on their affiliations for example.

Our Blue Checkmark Lock is obviously a joke and a fun experiment, but it shows the power of NFT which exist "outside" of the space for which they're created. Using Non Fungible Tokens, rather than records on Twitter's databases means that other applications could re-use these labels and maybe expand them. For example, wouldn't it be useful for Github to show some of the tags from StackOverflow? I'd love [my RSS creds](https://stackoverflow.com/help/badges/4540/rss?userid=73987) to be visible on my Github profile!

What other kinds of memberships would you want to see represented as Non Fungible Tokens?


Locks are the core of the Unlock protocol. They are smart contracts deployed on the Ethereum chain which lets your community become members by purchasing keys to your lock.

A fun experiment to show how Non Fungible Tokens can be used to represent badges!

A blue check-mark NFT

Twitter's blue checkmark has generated a lot of attention over the years. This week, Ethereum's Vitalik Buterin rightfully <a href="https://twitter.com/VitalikButerin/status/1164490401765572611">noted</a> that the blue checkmark was a status symbol. Last week-end, <a href="https://twitter.com/thedanigrant">Dani Grant</a> released a <a href="dani.town/nfts">fun Chrome extension</a> which will show a Twitter users' NFT on their twitter profile.
Yesterday, we deployed a lock which lets anyone purchase a Blue Checkmark. <a href="https://unlock-blue-checkmark.glitch.me/">Get yours now</a>. It's cheap: 0.01 ether and we'll donate the proceeds to SHE256. Also, Dani was kind enough to merge a <a href="https://github.com/danigrant/nft-twitter-ext/commit/d81615e05f902ec67db09d638a0e1b8eac160fd0">pull request</a> on her extension so that if someone owns the NFT blue checkmark, it will actually show on their Twitter profile ;)
<img src="/images/blog/blue-checkmark-nft/dani-verified.png" alt="Dani, Verified">
At Unlock, we believe that Non Fungible Tokens can be badges to show "membership", and yes, the Twitter Checkmark is an identifier for, as Vitalik calls it the blue checkmark class.
It turns out that Twitter's system is very much broken right now. Nobody knows what it really means to have a checkmark but we can't argue that in the days of deep fakes, having some kind of "labels" on the social web is a very useful pattern to identify people (or bots!) based on their affiliations for example.
Our Blue Checkmark Lock is obviously a joke and a fun experiment, but it shows the power of NFT which exist "outside" of the space for which they're created. Using Non Fungible Tokens, rather than records on Twitter's databases means that other applications could re-use these labels and maybe expand them. For example, wouldn't it be useful for Github to show some of the tags from StackOverflow? I'd love <a href="https://stackoverflow.com/help/badges/4540/rss?userid=73987">my RSS creds</a> to be visible on my Github profile!
What other kinds of memberships would you want to see represented as Non Fungible Tokens?

Unlock is a protocol for memberships. Members of a given community often have access to perks, content or features which are just for them. For example, members (and only them!) of our blog can read and leave comments.

# Scout

Today, we're very excited and proud to announce that our friends at [Scout](https://scout.cool/) have added locks to their dashboards.

Scout provides analytics for Ethereum smart contracts. It provides unique (and real time) insights into economics and governance of on chain protocols.

For example, it provides a very useful dashboard to inspect the [state of the Aragon network](https://scout.cool/aragon/mainnet), or the state of the [Set Protocol](https://scout.cool/setprotocol/mainnet).

Of course, they also added a [dashboard for Unlock](https://scout.cool/unlockprotocol/mainnet), where you can view the total number of locks deployed, the balances of Ether or DAI across all locks, and even all the latest key purchases.

![Scout dashboard for Unlock](/images/blog/unlocking-scout/unlock-scout-dashboard.png)

However, we only wanted to grant access to members of our community, so, unless you already have a valid key to our lock, here is what you'll see:

![Scout is locked](/images/blog/unlocking-scout/scout-locked.png)
Click that button: it's free

We're very excited to see other web3 applications use Unlock to limit access to their content or features only to owners of keys for a given lock.
One of the really interesting features is that you do not need a user account on our blog, nor one on Scout: your Ethereum address is your identity and if you own a key, you are member of the lock!

Kuan, founder at Scout adds:

> "Unlock protocol is the easiest off the shelf solution that can enable our customers to control access of their dashboards. And it is blockchain native!"

If you're considering adding a Scout dashboard to your smart contract give the scout team your lock address!

Our friends at Scout use React for their front-end application (like we do!) and they used [our React tutorial](/blog/integratating-unlock-react), but we provide more details on how to integrate any front end application on [this wiki page](https://github.com/unlock-protocol/unlock/wiki/Integrating-Unlock-on-your-site): add a lock to your content today! Our team is here to help you...

Our friends at Scout have integrated Unlock on the Unlock dashboard. Here's how it works

Unlocking Scout

Unlock is a protocol for memberships. Members of a given community often have access to perks, content or features which are just for them. For example, members (and only them!) of our blog can read and leave comments.
<h1>Scout</h1>
Today, we're very excited and proud to announce that our friends at <a href="https://scout.cool/">Scout</a> have added locks to their dashboards.
Scout provides analytics for Ethereum smart contracts. It provides unique (and real time) insights into economics and governance of on chain protocols.
For example, it provides a very useful dashboard to inspect the <a href="https://scout.cool/aragon/mainnet">state of the Aragon network</a>, or the state of the <a href="https://scout.cool/setprotocol/mainnet">Set Protocol</a>.
Of course, they also added a <a href="https://scout.cool/unlockprotocol/mainnet">dashboard for Unlock</a>, where you can view the total number of locks deployed, the balances of Ether or DAI across all locks, and even all the latest key purchases.
<img src="/images/blog/unlocking-scout/unlock-scout-dashboard.png" alt="Scout dashboard for Unlock">
However, we only wanted to grant access to members of our community, so, unless you already have a valid key to our lock, here is what you'll see:
<img src="/images/blog/unlocking-scout/scout-locked.png" alt="Scout is locked">
Click that button: it's free
We're very excited to see other web3 applications use Unlock to limit access to their content or features only to owners of keys for a given lock.
One of the really interesting features is that you do not need a user account on our blog, nor one on Scout: your Ethereum address is your identity and if you own a key, you are member of the lock!
Kuan, founder at Scout adds:
<blockquote>
"Unlock protocol is the easiest off the shelf solution that can enable our customers to control access of their dashboards. And it is blockchain native!"
</blockquote>
If you're considering adding a Scout dashboard to your smart contract give the scout team your lock address!
Our friends at Scout use React for their front-end application (like we do!) and they used <a href="/blog/integratating-unlock-react">our React tutorial</a>, but we provide more details on how to integrate any front end application on <a href="https://github.com/unlock-protocol/unlock/wiki/Integrating-Unlock-on-your-site">this wiki page</a>: add a lock to your content today! Our team is here to help you...


![introducing tickets](/images/blog/introducing-tickets/introducing-tickets.jpg)

The Unlock Protocol isn't just a way to pay to access services on the internet.

We’re building a protocol that can be used to unlock access to _anything_ - and while that means [content, software
licenses and more](https://unlock-protocol.com/blog/ways-to-unlock-the-web/), we also want to help people sell access
things in the real world.

In the future, the Unlock Protocol may be used to sell tickets for transportation, as a way to seamlessly manage room
access in hotels and holiday rentals, and as a way to prove you've paid for a membership. Today, we're starting with
events.

You can buy a ticket to the [Berlin Open Source Salon](https://berlin.opensourcesalon.com/) with DAI using Unlock.
[Visit the Unlock event page](https://tickets.unlock-protocol.com/event/0x98c0cbF0e9525f1a6975A51c9D5E8e063c034D6D),
purchase a ticket, and then show your special QR code at the door. Your ticket will be validated on the blockchain.

![Berlin Open Source Salon ticket page](/images/blog/introducing-tickets/boss-tickets.png)

## How tickets work with Unlock

Every Unlock transaction - whether for content, an event, software licenses, or anything else - works by selling a _key_
to a _lock_ using Ethereum. Tickets are no different.

![Unlock ticket creation screen](/images/blog/introducing-tickets/create-an-event.png)

Once a lock has been created, creators have access to a number of ways to use it: different applications that sit on top of
the Unlock Protocol. The ticketed event application allows you to save a date, title, description, and location for the
event. These aren't stored on the blockchain itself: instead, they create a database record that references the lock's
Ethereum address.

An attendee with an Ethereum wallet like Metamask can buy a key with one click. The event page then shows a QR code, which
contains the user's public key and a signed version of the lock address. This can be verified at the door with a
commodity QR code reader, which are now built into the camera apps in every major mobile operating system.

## Multi-use locks

On the Unlock Protocol, you're not limited to using one application per lock. This means that a ticketed event and a
content paywall can run on the same lock: if you purchase access to the paywall, you'll be able to get access to the
event, or if you purchase access to the event, you'll automatically be able to view protected content.

This means you can very easily string together a series of connected assets to sell as a bundle. Perhaps you want to
give premium customers for your publication access to a series of workshops. Or you want to provide access to a custom
social network for attendees of your event. As we add more applications, and third parties build on top of our open
protocol to add even more, the possibilities will become endless.

## Learn more

We're building Unlock in the open. You can always say hello in our [Discord](https://discord.gg/Ah6ZEJyTDp), join
us on our [Github project](https://github.com/unlock-protocol/unlock/) or reach out at
[hello@unlock-protocol.com](mailto:hello@unlock-protocol.com). We would love to hear from you.


Now you can buy tickets to real-world events using Ethereum and the Unlock Protocol.

Now you can buy tickets to real-world events using Ethereum

Introducing Tickets

<img src="/images/blog/introducing-tickets/introducing-tickets.jpg" alt="introducing tickets">
The Unlock Protocol isn't just a way to pay to access services on the internet.
We’re building a protocol that can be used to unlock access to anything - and while that means <a href="https://unlock-protocol.com/blog/ways-to-unlock-the-web/">content, software
licenses and more</a>, we also want to help people sell access
things in the real world.
In the future, the Unlock Protocol may be used to sell tickets for transportation, as a way to seamlessly manage room
access in hotels and holiday rentals, and as a way to prove you've paid for a membership. Today, we're starting with
events.
You can buy a ticket to the <a href="https://berlin.opensourcesalon.com/">Berlin Open Source Salon</a> with DAI using Unlock.
<a href="https://tickets.unlock-protocol.com/event/0x98c0cbF0e9525f1a6975A51c9D5E8e063c034D6D">Visit the Unlock event page</a>,
purchase a ticket, and then show your special QR code at the door. Your ticket will be validated on the blockchain.
<img src="/images/blog/introducing-tickets/boss-tickets.png" alt="Berlin Open Source Salon ticket page">
<h2>How tickets work with Unlock</h2>
Every Unlock transaction - whether for content, an event, software licenses, or anything else - works by selling a key
to a lock using Ethereum. Tickets are no different.
<img src="/images/blog/introducing-tickets/create-an-event.png" alt="Unlock ticket creation screen">
Once a lock has been created, creators have access to a number of ways to use it: different applications that sit on top of
the Unlock Protocol. The ticketed event application allows you to save a date, title, description, and location for the
event. These aren't stored on the blockchain itself: instead, they create a database record that references the lock's
Ethereum address.
An attendee with an Ethereum wallet like Metamask can buy a key with one click. The event page then shows a QR code, which
contains the user's public key and a signed version of the lock address. This can be verified at the door with a
commodity QR code reader, which are now built into the camera apps in every major mobile operating system.
<h2>Multi-use locks</h2>
On the Unlock Protocol, you're not limited to using one application per lock. This means that a ticketed event and a
content paywall can run on the same lock: if you purchase access to the paywall, you'll be able to get access to the
event, or if you purchase access to the event, you'll automatically be able to view protected content.
This means you can very easily string together a series of connected assets to sell as a bundle. Perhaps you want to
give premium customers for your publication access to a series of workshops. Or you want to provide access to a custom
social network for attendees of your event. As we add more applications, and third parties build on top of our open
protocol to add even more, the possibilities will become endless.
<h2>Learn more</h2>
We're building Unlock in the open. You can always say hello in our <a href="https://discord.gg/Ah6ZEJyTDp">Discord</a>, join
us on our <a href="https://github.com/unlock-protocol/unlock/">Github project</a> or reach out at
<a href="mailto:hello@unlock-protocol.com">hello@unlock-protocol.com</a>. We would love to hear from you.